{"id":1223,"date":"2018-04-25T20:58:31","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T00:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moore-images.com\/blog\/?p=1223"},"modified":"2018-04-25T20:58:31","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T00:58:31","slug":"a-few-days-in-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.moore-images.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/a-few-days-in-dubai\/","title":{"rendered":"A Few Days in Dubai"},"content":{"rendered":"

I had the opportunity to visit Dubai for a few days.\u00a0 I was excited about the trip because it has increasingly become the place to visit amongst friends who travel.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know much about the place other than it was a wealthy playground with many new buildings, a man-made island, a mall with a ski-slope inside and the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.<\/p>\n

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A view of downtown Dubai from the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dubai is part of the UAE which was established in 1971 (an excellent year for people, places or things to be established, my birth year 😊).\u00a0 The UAE\u2019s official language is Arabic.\u00a0 However, English is the language of business.\u00a0 The importance of English is evident as every building name is written in both languages.\u00a0 Nearly every brochure, pamphlet, etc. is written in both also.\u00a0 Dubai, unlike other major cities in the Middle East, plans to\u00a0be the tourist and financial center of the region\u00a0with\u00a050% of the world\u2019s population is within a 5-hour plane ride. \u00a0With a world-class waterpark, miles of beachfront property, and many other amenities in the works, Dubai is that oasis in the desert.<\/p>\n

When I arrived, I was immediately struck by the many skyscrapers built and being built.\u00a0 Construction is omnipresent.\u00a0 A few years ago, Dubai had nearly 25 percent of the world\u2019s cranes<\/a>.\u00a0 With all the development that has already started and\/or completed, there are many more projects underway.\u00a0 It has a futuristic aura with buildings that represent technological and construction innovation. \u00a0They have several man-made marinas with luxury apartment buildings filing the skyline. \u00a0With all the new structures, it could seem as if Dubai didn\u2019t exist more than two or three decades ago.<\/p>\n

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One of several marina built in Dubai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The crown jewel of the new construction is the Burj Khalifa. \u00a0It earned the title as the tallest building in the world in 2008. \u00a0The viewing deck from the 124th floor dwarfs everything in the area. \u00a0I’ve been to the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower and a couple of other tall buildings. \u00a0This was impressive, but as someone who doesn’t like heights, I just wonder why do I keep finding myself atop these buildings. \u00a0One of the most impressive construction feats is the Palm Jumeirah. \u00a0It’s the man-made island containing impressive residential properties and several luxury resorts including the Atlantis, The Palm. \u00a0It includes the largest waterpark in Europe and the Middle East. \u00a0Residential villas and penthouses on the island come with a premium price. \u00a0To entice buyers, developers were giving away Lamborghinis<\/a> to purchasers of the high-end properties.<\/p>\n

There is also the traditional side of Dubai.\u00a0 The area is filled with immigrants representing the working class.\u00a0 They come from Kenya, Pakistan, and other countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe to realize opportunities and their hard work is what keeps Dubai moving.\u00a0 Two of my taxi drivers were from Pakistan and have lived in Dubai for six years.\u00a0 They both work 12+ hours every day. \u00a0Not only are the driving taxi\u2019s, but these workers provide customer service in the hotels, retail stores, construct the buildings, and work wherever the opportunities are.<\/p>\n

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Merchant vessel workers while the twin towers of Rolex stand faintly in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are multiple malls within Dubai representing the cutting-edge of technology.\u00a0 One has an indoor ski slope.\u00a0 The Dubai Mall adjacent to the Burj Khalifa has the fountain with the water show every \u00a0half-hour during the evening time.\u00a0 If you desire a simpler setting, the souks (Arabic for marketplace or bazaar) are rich in color and fragrances filled with local merchants selling spices, fruits, nuts, and other bargain goods.\u00a0 One must have a patient attitude to respectfully decline the constant bombardment from the vendors trying to convince you to visit their shops.\u00a0 There\u2019s also the gold souks nearby with a plethora of jewelry for those with an appetite for 22 or 18k gold and other accessories.<\/p>\n

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One of the many shops within the Old Souks part of town.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are many options for shoppers throughout the city.\u00a0 My favorite place displayed a combination of modern construction with classic Middle-Eastern design, Souk Madinat Jumeirah. \u00a0It has a town center feel with small boutiques inside and restaurants with outdoor seating lining the area. \u00a0It also contains a small stadium-like seating area for outdoor performances. \u00a0All of this with a small man-made canal flowing through the souk\u00a0with palm trees on the banks.<\/p>\n

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Souk Madinat Jumeirah with the famous hotel, Burj Al Arab, towering in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I used the City Sight Seeing tour bus to get a quick summary of the city sights.\u00a0 One of the stops was the Jumeirah beach.\u00a0 It\u2019s a public beach situated next to the famous hotel, Burj Al Arab.\u00a0 It\u2019s a 5-star hotel referred as a 7-star one even though it does not have the \u201cofficial\u201d designation. \u00a0The Dubai Frame stands between new and old Dubai.\u00a0 It\u2019s a physical representation of viewing what\u2019s new and what\u2019s historic in the city.<\/p>\n

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The Dubai Frame stands between the new and historic part of the city<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Living in the metro DC area for the past 20 years, there are several areas that have transformed in the past two decades.\u00a0 I can only imagine what Dubai will look like in the next 20 years.\u00a0 I hope to be able to visit again prior to that, but if not, I\u2019m certain it\u2019ll be worth the wait.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

-Roger<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had the opportunity to visit Dubai for a few days.\u00a0 I was excited about the trip because it has increasingly become the place to visit amongst friends who travel.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know much about the place other than it was a wealthy playground with many new buildings, a man-made island, a mall with a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[3],"tags":[239,237,236,238,232,240,233],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t