Stopover in Dubai, June, 2007
Posted in October, 2007
Since I flew Emirate Airline between Europe and Africa, I had to change planes in Dubai, United Emirates of Arabia. I thought: "Why not stop over there for a few days?". Actually, the fare might be even cheaper if I choose to have stopover. Dubai is now the fastest growing city in the world, so there should be a few interesting things to see. Thus, I arranged a 2 and half days' stopover in Dubai, on my way from Uganda to Germany in mid-June. Too bad it was so hot (it's June anyway) that I did not wander to see too many sights. And I also spent too much time in air-conditioned shopping malls (there are plenty of them).
But at least I visited the most famous building in Dubai, Al Burj Arab, the seven-starred hotel that looks like a sail.
Due to that I had only my cell phone as camera at that moment, most of these pictures had low quality. However, I bought a new camera in at Dubai Airport, so at least the pictures of "World Islands" (taken while our flight was taking off) look nice...
Next time, I will get pictures of the tallest building in the world (not yet the tallest when I was there), Burj Al Dubai, the real modern day Babel.
Please click the pictures to view the larger ones.
Bus approached Burj Al Arab (¤¤Ä¶¬°¡y¦|²î®ÈÀ]¡z), now the most famous landmark of Dubai. It is a 7-star luxury hotel.
View of Burj Al Arab from Madinat Jumeirah's canals. Madinat Jumeirah is a high-ended shopping mall intentionally designed as a traditional Arab bazaar.
Another view of Burj Al Arab from Madinat Jumeirah's canals. It really looks like a tropical paradise.
The outside facade of Madinat Jumeirah. It is actually a shopping mall/hotel complex in the pretense of traditional Arab windtowers.
Inside Madinat Jumeirah. Yes, it does look like an authentic traditional bazzar (even it is NOT).
The old and the new, the traditional and the contemporary (sort of) match each others under the blue Persian Gulf sky.
I decided to have a closer look of this ultra-luxurious hotel. Walking toward the entrance of Burj Al Arab. Will they let me in?
View of Jumeirah Beach Hotel from the bridge that leads to Burj Al Arab. This is another ultra-luxurious hotel of Dubai. It has a very large water park.
Now I was right in front of Burj Al Arab.
Looking up the high ceiling from the lobby of Burj Al Arab.
I was in the lobby of Burj Al Arab. Unlike that "exclusive" resort "Llao Llao" in Bariloche, Argentina, they did not ask me out because I wasn't well-dressed enough...
A miniature model of Burj Al Arab in its own lobby.
On the top floor of Burj Al Arab, looking down at Dubai's beach.
Panorama of the long stretch of beach east of Burj Al Arab.
Walking along the public beach east of Burj Al Arab. I'm glad this beach is really uncrowded.
A very cheap dinner of Indian food (about $1.3 or 1 Euro) at ferry dock, Deira, an old neighborhood of Dubai.
A night view across Dubai Creek.
Finally, on the day I flew out of Dubai, I had a much better view of these off-shore artificial islands. I think this one is "The World," the islands are being made into the shape of the world map.
