Where: Dubai, UAE
When: March 22-24, 2013
With: Dave, Dad
Continuing to take full advantage of my dad's business trip locales around the world, this fiscal quarter took us back to the Middle East and to a place that none of us had been to before, a land of excess and tall buildings: Dubai.
It's literally the strangest place I've ever been. Despite being in the middle of a desert deep in the Arab world, you feel like you're in an over-industrialised, super shiny American city with the fast food, the malls, and the shiny tall buildings. It's not until you see the throngs of locals walking around in their burqas that you remember where you are.
Throughout the trip, Dave and I remained thoroughly confused as to how to read the city. So the only way to tell the story is to list the random slew of activities we partook in, and how they all contrast:
One of the main reasons Dubai became such a natural choice to build a metropolis is due to the creek that crosses the vast, surrounding desert out to the Arabian Sea. It created a gateway for this once small fishing village to prosper and helped shape the vision of this city as a perfect tourist destination.
When we arrived, we thought that a boat tour along the creek was the best way to get an initial feel of the city. As we left the really high high-rises of the main city, we suddenly found ourselves back in the Middle East. Low buildings hugged most of the creek edge while tons of small wooden boats transported hundreds of people back and forth and across and every which way along the river.
As we walked along, several offers of boat tours were made. Eventually, we took someone up, and off we went on our own wooden boat, following the locals on their hustling commute.
Another indication you're not in a normal shopping mall: frequent signs indicating the fastest way to the mall's waterfall.
The main attraction of our trip was the aquarium, particularly given Dave's affinity for fish. In the middle of the mall, it stands as a two-story fish tank, complete with sharks and scuba divers.
After the tunnel, the rest of the aquarium was pretty standard - lots of pretty fish, in a tropical setting, plus lizards, penguins and bugs.
Afterwards, we drove to a little camp set up in the dunes for a drink. While it looks cute, the authenticity is slightly jeopardized by the cars and cars of tourists brought to this same spot, the novelty $20 camel rides, and the multitude of young people drinking to get drunk. We could have stayed for dinner and a belly dancing show, but we decided the sunset was all the show we'd need.
We booked tickets to the top ahead of time ($25 if booked in advance vs. $100 if you buy at the site) and were scheduled to go in at 7am (yikes). The exhibit in the beginning was fairly limited, giving some facts about how and when it was built (only took 5 years) and how the building compares to other tall buildings in the world.
Then before getting in the elevator, you get a nice view of just how high you'll be. Despite being on the 154th floor, you're only 3/4 of the way up the 200 storey building. The elevator ride was entirely closed in and incredibly smooth, so we had no idea when we started moving or just how quickly we ascended, aside from the constant need to pop our ears.
Once across, its a confusing 10 minute walk to the souk. We luckily stumbled upon the large archway leading into what turned out to be a much nicer market than any of us were expecting. The souk is fully regulated, so it doesn't have any of the hassling that most of the markets would. All the prices of gold are posted around to keep it mildly more honest, and instead of stalls, there are actual stores (which makes sense considering the valuables being sold).
The gold hanging in the windows is dazzling. It's like I'd never seen real gold before - it was just so much more brilliant than any I'd ever seen. Inside, the shop owners will bargain, but they are way more difficult about it than most markets. Maybe cause they've actually got some quality goods?
When: March 22-24, 2013
With: Dave, Dad
Continuing to take full advantage of my dad's business trip locales around the world, this fiscal quarter took us back to the Middle East and to a place that none of us had been to before, a land of excess and tall buildings: Dubai.
It's literally the strangest place I've ever been. Despite being in the middle of a desert deep in the Arab world, you feel like you're in an over-industrialised, super shiny American city with the fast food, the malls, and the shiny tall buildings. It's not until you see the throngs of locals walking around in their burqas that you remember where you are.
Throughout the trip, Dave and I remained thoroughly confused as to how to read the city. So the only way to tell the story is to list the random slew of activities we partook in, and how they all contrast:
Dubai Creek: A little bit of old
One of the main reasons Dubai became such a natural choice to build a metropolis is due to the creek that crosses the vast, surrounding desert out to the Arabian Sea. It created a gateway for this once small fishing village to prosper and helped shape the vision of this city as a perfect tourist destination.
When we arrived, we thought that a boat tour along the creek was the best way to get an initial feel of the city. As we left the really high high-rises of the main city, we suddenly found ourselves back in the Middle East. Low buildings hugged most of the creek edge while tons of small wooden boats transported hundreds of people back and forth and across and every which way along the river.
As we walked along, several offers of boat tours were made. Eventually, we took someone up, and off we went on our own wooden boat, following the locals on their hustling commute.
As we rode east along the river, the small, rundown buildings eventually gave way to tall, shiny buildings. How did it change so drastically in less than 20 minutes of drifting?
A clash of reflections in the same building: first, us in our little wooden boat, and second, the skyline of Dubai.
In addition to the Rolex buildings, large fancy yachts dotted the creek, giving examples of Dubai's reputation of excess and glamour. Humming along in our small boat, you definitely felt like an outsider looking in at all the ludicrous lifestyles here.
Dubai Mall: A little bit of new
After driving around in old wooden boats, it was back to the shiny and new at the world's largest shopping mall. When we went to the food court for lunch, it was surreal to realise we weren't in America. Every fast food chain I'd ever known was in here. All the big names were there, the Burger Kings and KFCs, but even some of the more mall-specific ones, like Cinnabun and Cold Stone Creamery. We clearly sat to have McDonald's (cause that's like, the mall meal for me) and restrained ourselves from indulging in anything else. Then we headed off to see the rest of the mall.
To start, it was massive. It had every type of store imaginable from designer to department. Everything was a chaos of neon lights and palm trees, glitz and glamor, and you would have felt you were in Miami or something if it weren't for all the long white and black robes worn by the patrons. Oh yes, and the indoor ice skating rink.
Another indication you're not in a normal shopping mall: frequent signs indicating the fastest way to the mall's waterfall.
The main attraction of our trip was the aquarium, particularly given Dave's affinity for fish. In the middle of the mall, it stands as a two-story fish tank, complete with sharks and scuba divers.
Upon entering the aquarium, you get to walk through a tunnel that goes through the center of the tank While this may not sound super exciting, it turned out to be way cooler than we expected. A lot of the sharks hover around the tunnel, giving you a very up close and personal experience with them, and several of the bottom feeders choose the top of the tunnel to eat. The way the glass curves also makes them look deceivingly close to you.
After the tunnel, the rest of the aquarium was pretty standard - lots of pretty fish, in a tropical setting, plus lizards, penguins and bugs.
Dune Bashing: Cause just in case we forgot, we're in the desert
As I've stated many times at this point, in Dubai, its hard to remember that you are actually in the Middle East, surrounded by desert. That is where dune bashing comes in to remind you: climbing into a 4x4 vehicle to go racing at top speeds through the sand dunes.
The guide picked us up from our hotel in the city, and after an hour of driving, desert stretched out around us in all directions. Eventually we turned off the road right into the sand, and we were off. It was like being in a roller coaster, except you know there's no rails holding you to the track. Our guide was clearly an expert driver, flying over dunes, riding on the edges to the point you thought you'd tip over. Out the front of the car, you saw a dizzying sight of dunes bobbing in and out of the windshield as you twisted and turned your way through the desert.
Eventually, you climb a high dune and to get out of the car to enjoy the view. The scenery you weren't able to appreciate on the drive in was dazzling. Miles and miles of dunes stretched out around us.
Our trusty steed.
We stayed for a few minutes, enjoying the surroundings.
Dave thoroughly enjoyed being barefoot in the desert.
Afterwards, we drove to a little camp set up in the dunes for a drink. While it looks cute, the authenticity is slightly jeopardized by the cars and cars of tourists brought to this same spot, the novelty $20 camel rides, and the multitude of young people drinking to get drunk. We could have stayed for dinner and a belly dancing show, but we decided the sunset was all the show we'd need.
Our last view of light showed a silhouette of the a building, slicing through the sky 90km away. In about 12 hours, we'd be at the top of it...
Burj Khalifa: World's tallest building
Sitting behind the Dubai Mall sits this marvel of architectural masterpieces, the Burj Khalifa. Coming to Dubai, I was really curious how it would look in person. Whenever I had seen a photo of it, it looks so fake I thought it hadn't been finished yet. Well, I can now confirm that in person, it looks just as fake, like it's been superimposed over the blue sky backdrop.
It's nearly impossible to get the whole thing into a shot, without laying down on the ground or flipping your camera sideways, and even then, you don't get to see the blue pool at its base or the spear at the top.
We look like we've been CGI dropped into these photos.
We booked tickets to the top ahead of time ($25 if booked in advance vs. $100 if you buy at the site) and were scheduled to go in at 7am (yikes). The exhibit in the beginning was fairly limited, giving some facts about how and when it was built (only took 5 years) and how the building compares to other tall buildings in the world.
Then before getting in the elevator, you get a nice view of just how high you'll be. Despite being on the 154th floor, you're only 3/4 of the way up the 200 storey building. The elevator ride was entirely closed in and incredibly smooth, so we had no idea when we started moving or just how quickly we ascended, aside from the constant need to pop our ears.
The view from the top is equally as fake. It emphasizes how Dubai is just this concentrated clump of buildings, and the rest is just open space, waiting to be developed. Looking out made us appreciate how different this may all look in 20 years.
Can't even see to the top.
From the top!
On the other side of the Dubai creek, authenticity and culture make a small return in the winding streets that lead to the Gold Souk. Again taking the little wooden boat, this time we crossed the river for 1 dirham (about 14¢) just like the locals to get to the part of Dubai that feels untouched by the industry so nearby.
Once across, its a confusing 10 minute walk to the souk. We luckily stumbled upon the large archway leading into what turned out to be a much nicer market than any of us were expecting. The souk is fully regulated, so it doesn't have any of the hassling that most of the markets would. All the prices of gold are posted around to keep it mildly more honest, and instead of stalls, there are actual stores (which makes sense considering the valuables being sold).
The gold hanging in the windows is dazzling. It's like I'd never seen real gold before - it was just so much more brilliant than any I'd ever seen. Inside, the shop owners will bargain, but they are way more difficult about it than most markets. Maybe cause they've actually got some quality goods?
What do you do with all the fancy new jewelry you just bought at the gold souk? You deck yourself out to go to the world's nicest hotel, the Burj al Arab. Dubai has beautiful weather, and to go with that, it has some crazy beach hotels, but none quite top this one, in either price or sight. Minimum amount to stay per night is over $1,000. While there was no way we would even consider staying there, it was fun to go and check it out, particularly its odd sail-shaped structure.
We booked at table for drinks at the cocktail bar on the top floor. Needless to say, it's not a cheap place, but when else in life to you get to drink in a 7-star hotel bar? The drinks were delicious, and we enjoyed them while looking out at the Dubai skyline in the distance. The decor was a bit odd, more cruise ship than classy, but we enjoyed.
After finishing our drinks, we slowly meandered out to take in the rest of the hotel. The lobby was almost as ridiculous as the outside. The inside was completely hollowed out, so you can look straight up to the top.
Dancing fountains fill the lobby, along with two giant aquariums.
This place was just crazy.
Dubai Fountains: A nightly event
From small dancing fountains in a hotel lobby, we now head to just behind the Dubai Mall, at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, for what looks like a giant swimming pool. However, every 20 minutes from 7-11pm every night, this pool is the site of a well-choreographed, largely orchestrated show of water.
Dave was able to get a table for dinner right along it's edge, and within a few minutes of sitting down, one of the shows began. It was actually jaw dropping. The swaying streams of water looked as though they really were dancing along to the music.
The entire pool was used in the show, and the expanse of it forced you to dart your head from left to right trying to capture the entire performance.
It's setting underneath the Burj Khalifa made it that much more grand.
Our two hour dinner should have had at least 6 shows accompanying it. However, our dinner happened to fall during Earth Hour. While it was disappointing to not have the fountains, it was cool to watch the skyline of Dubai slowly shut down while we sat in candle light. It also made the fountains that much more novel when they came back on with a vengeance.
Ski Dubai: Just to make sure we were thoroughly confused before we left
In flipflops and shorts, we left the 80 degree weather to enter the Mall of the Emirates, another one of the largest malls in the world. Similar to the Dubai Mall, every shop I'd ever known was inside. Unlike the Dubai Mall, you couldn't take any photos inside for security purposes...weird. But that was all fine, cause we weren't there for shopping or photos. We were there for skiing...what?
Coming upon Ski Dubai was so out of place as its lodge-like exterior clashed against the regular mall store fronts surrounding it. You pay for your pass and included is your ski pants, ski jacket, skis, boots and poles, since they know you don't have your own here in sunny Dubai (no hats or gloves though, thank you Nic for warning us!) In their alpine lodge, you change into your gear, bundle up, and head out onto the slopes. We were ready to be extreme.
It's strange to look up and see a roof over your head, a ski lift and a mountain. As we were the first people there, and we luckily got right onto the ski lift and had the slopes to ourselves. There were two runs, one on either side of the ski lift, with one break in the middle.
The runs were short, and even at my slow and cautious pace, it took less than 3 minutes to get down. Luckily, the crowds were low and we could enjoy at our own pace.
In the middle of the slopes, there was a ski lodge where you could pull over and have a hot drink. We ended our time in Dubai looking out across the slopes, sipping hot chocolate and reflected on the randomness of it all. It was definitely an amazing trip, but such a unique place. It felt like we packed six vacations into one 3-day weekend.
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