Traveling to the United Arab Emirates

Do you know anything about the United Arab Emirates (UAE)? If this name doesn't ring any bells to you, I'm sure that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are more familiar names and even more desirable destinations. The two biggest cities of the UAE are probably more well known than the country itself, a country which is rather small but its wealth is rather immeasurable.
DUBAI

There are no words to describe Dubai, maybe a series of adjectives, such as luxurious, magnificent, wealthy, affluent, impressive, abundant, opulent. Outside its malls, I saw the most expensive cars in the world parked one next to the other. 
Dubai is hot 4 months of the year, and hotter in the remaining 8 months. Most of the entertainment is indoors, in malls. There's a ski-slope, a world class ice-rink, go-karting facilities, all indoors, in artificially regulated environments.

Burj Khalifa

I stayed at a hotel next to the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, which is so tall that it can be seen from the space, as I read. What I can definitely tell you is that the view from up there is unbelievable and the feeling of awe you have when you look at it from the ground is indescribable.

Burj al Arab

The Burj Al Arab is the only 7-star hotel in the world, or in other words, the most luxurious hotel in the world. Built on a triangular man-made island, the billowing sail-like structure is the iconic symbol of modern Dubai. The hotel's atrium lobby is the tallest in the world. You are right to assume that I couldn't afford to stay there, but I was able to reserve a table to have dinner in one of its luxurious restaurants - you need to reserve a table many days in advance - but the experience was worth the wait and the money. 

Palm Jumeira

Do you know whether there are islands near the coast of Dubai? Well, there were not, and that is why Arabs created man- made ones. The first one is called Palm Jumeira, and it has the form of a palm tree, topped by a crescent. When I was there, it had not been completed yet, but I was able to see the sand sprayed by dredging ships. That's how to make an island!

The World

I also saw the designs for the other two islands. One of them, the World, has the form of a world map. If you are a millionaire, go ahead and buy a house on one of these islands. If you can afford to, you can even buy your private islet!






What is astonishing is the fact that in the middle of such wealth and technological innovations, you can also see traditions and customs and habits that you would never expect in a developed country. Everyday things that we - in the western civilization - take for granted are different there.
For example, you can't kiss your spouse or boy/girlfriend in public; if caught, you are arrested. You can't buy alcohol as a tourist there, so the only place to drink alcohol is the expensive hotel bars.
You can't swim at every beach; there are beaches for Arab women only, Arab men only, and tourists only. 

And outside the city? Sand, more sand, and sand dunes...

If you want to learn more about Dubai, click here to read a New York Times article with an interesting video.


To be continued on a different continent...