Friday, May 11, 2012

Can this really be the desert?


The skyline of Dubai takes your breath away!  
It's not only the Burj Khalifa, the world's 
tallest building/free standing structure, 
reaching 163 floors into the dusty sky, 
it's so much more.


The world's tallest tower, biggest shopping mall, 
largest dancing fountain.........downtown 
Dubai will knock your socks off!


Our arrival at Port Rashid where we disembarked 
the QE before she continued on her World Cruise. 
Two days to explore Dubai was ahead and we were excited. 

Farewell Queen Elizabeth.......it was great seeing the world with you!

Eric, Babs, me...............gathering energy to 
brave the heat, leave our hotel, and start 
in earnest on all that sightseeing. Those famous 
visual attractions were waiting.

Before Dubai became this modern city it 
was a simple fishing port surrounded by 
date palms and sand dunes.

We took a local wooden tour boat along Dubai Creek, 
a natural seawater inlet, 
where where pearl divers, fishermen, traders 
and merchants were once centered. 
In the late 1950's the creek was dredged 
and widened and now runs 14km dividing the 
city into two districts.


The charming Bastakiya district, a National Heritage 
site which was the center of of the affluent textile 
and pearl trade in the 19th century.



Local abra (water taxi) crossing the creek.

 Amazing architecture everywhere.....my 
favorite was the curved 
building reflecting the creek water. 
Note the exquisite wooden yacht above.


 The widened creek now a true waterway through the city.


The brass mermaid figurehead on our wooden tour boat.

 Time for shopping - me, Paula and Babs - heading 
to the largest mall in the world covering
an area of 50 football pitches....


Part of the mall showing the lake, and on the far left, 
a glimpse of the Burj Kalifa towering into the sky.

Inside the mall..............

.....Paula and me in front of the huge waterfall 
with divers.....

........the aquarium showing part of the largest 
single acrylic pane in the world......


.......ice rink........

....famous Paul the French baker.....


 ...shops selling pretty French-style macarons...

.....and even that old British institution, 
Marks & Spencer, is an anchor store, we never 
miss checking out their latest offerings 
no matter the country......


........Jimmy Choo, and what seemed like a trillion 
shoe shops.......





.......with more opening any day now!
As I said, Dubai is an amazing place and it seems
like the largest of everything is being constructed
here!
Next time - teatime in the sky!



14 comments:

  1. What a truly amazing city, Mary. Your post was interesting and entertaining as always! What a treat to read!

    XO,
    Jane

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  2. WOW~ That is some mall! I think you could spend weeks in there!
    Hugs,
    Penny
    p.s. looking forward to seeing you both.

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  3. I'm glad you had an opportunity to have a two day stay in Dubai. It is quite a city isn't it? Our nephew lives there and flies for Emirates Air. It's a whole different world and lifestyle. And it's very very hot! Would you go back for a longer visit? Pamela

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  4. Wow. Speechless. I guess they subscribe to the idea that bigger is better no matter what.

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  5. Wow, that is an amazing place to visit! But, I think I'd rather be curled up with the Prairie Style magazine in your previous post:) Enjoy the sight-seeing!

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  6. I love seeing the world through your eyes Mary. What a stunning waterfall - the divers are amazing :o)
    Rose H
    xx

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  7. The things you see are just amazing! I really swear I will be your luggage carrier on your next trip!! LOL!

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  8. I am rendered speechless! :-) Everything is so big and luxurious and the most and the highest and the best, I guess....wow! That yacht made entirely of exotic wood, I assume, had to be worth a small fortune. Everything is so interesting! Just, wow! I don't know how else to respond to all this opulence. You had to have had a wonderful time!

    By the way, at the Desert Museum certain of the animals are enclosed, like in a zoo, but of course, using the natural surroundings. The mountain lion was in an enclosure, as were the wolf and the javelina and some smaller mammals. You do see wild animals roaming around too though, like the cottontail we saw, and the birds and once my daughter and her family saw a rattlesnake there on the trail! :-)

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  9. Dubai is quite definitely not my kind of place I'm afraid - cities (unless they are old and historic) and shopping malls are not my thing at all. The only times I've been there were to change planes en route to South Africa and the heat even in the early morning is unbelievable - I expect you noticed:) My favourite thing from your post is that beautiful wooden yacht - now that I would love to sail on.

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  10. Thank you for a truly amazing tour of Dubai. Just incredible.

    Sft x

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  11. Nice pictures i like your way of psots its amazing.
    yacht charter dubai

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  12. This web site is really a walk-through for all of the info you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask.Dhow cruise Dubai

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  13. Nice to see Dubai! My son lives there for 10 years and I know it well now

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  14. It was a great visit for us! Hope you get back there soon to see your son.
    Stay safe - travel will return and we will all be ready!
    Mary -

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