I think that is a 'yes indeed' indeed.
Its not Disney world as you'd expect. But a well organized, clean city where the government is travelling length to make sure you are enjoying your stay.
Also January was a good time to travel as temperatures are OK, in the mid twenties, there are (very low) lowseason prices and hardly any tourists can be seen.
Femke and I traveled alone to Dubai on Wednesday. The flight was 3,5 hours, quite longer than I would have thought it would be, and the time difference with Egypt is +2 hours. When we arrived at the airport, the stroller was waiting by my side: Femke now weighs 13 kilo's and with my pregnant situation I can't hold Femke in my arms longer than a few minutes!
Interesting to see all these customs officials in their white cloaks, Kandura they are called, and the Guthra their headscarf. Most popular colors of the headscarf are white or red and white checks. Then Egal, a black rope is used to tie the scarf on the head. See here what I mean...
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
Arthur picked me up at the airport and soon we were heading in a new and clean taxi to our hotel... One cannot help comparing everything to Cairo! Taxi drivers in Dubai are usually from India or Pakistan and speak very well English. Actually; only 10% of Dubai are Emirati, the rest of the people mainly are Indian/Pakistani/other working in construction/service industry or enjoying these constructions/services (Europeans, Iranians & Arabians mostly).
Nice trip. It looks like what I expect Florida to be. Even at the beach I felt as if I could lounge for a bit and later take my surfboard out to do some 'sharky dippin'' (one takes a shark..). Very relaxing, nice week out from Cairo and actually I'm considering to accompany Arthur again in March :)
Highlights:
= The fountain light and music show at the Dubai Mall, Femke is still shouting at her highest notes when she sees the video's
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
= The boat ride at the Madinat Jumeirah hotel / souk, great souk, amazing what they build here, very relaxed.
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
= Mercato shopping mall, because of the Venetian style architecture. All other malls looked quiet futuristic
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
= Beautiful beaches, there are public ones and private ones; the latter have more shade as there are trees planted on the beach, and beds and umbrellas available.
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
= The waterfall at the Mall of the Emirates
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| From Dubai jan 2010 |
Check out other pics in the presentation slide below...
It was a strange experience though, to see this wealthy city where everything looks perfect, like in fairy tale from the future. Also good to see how modern and tolerant many cultures live together there. Travelling and sight seeing is comfortable, one sees hardly the poor and ugly and dirty side (of which can be found in Cairo everywhere), it is like a large suburb where all cars are new and clean, and people are rich, many restaurants and shops available. Tourists seem to like that for a change, its not cheap for a tourist here, but its not crazily expensive either (think London/Paris/New York)
It was a nice contrast to our next holiday destination early February, to Sri Lanka!
