Dubai …..billions of reasons to visit!
The United Arab Emirates realize their oil supply will eventually dry up. Some expertise have calculated that by 2025 the deserts of the UAE will no longer be able to bleed enough black gold for the country to hang it’s financial future on this one commodity.
With this in mind, Dubai (one of the 7 emirates or principalities that make up the UAE) felt it was important to start investing in another area that would allow Dubai to prosper beyond oil and natural gas production — the next business venture chosen by Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum –Tourism!
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision is to see Dubai become the world’s #1 resort destination – three times the size of Walt Disney World, with land development 3 times the size of Hong Kong. For the past 12 years Dubai has pumped BILLIONS into transforming their desert environment into an adult and family oasis / playground. You name it and it has been built or will be built — e.g. new commercial centers to attract major corporate businesses, 70+ malls, 100’s of hotels, Michelin starred restaurants and Guinness book world record size attractions for all to see and enjoy.
I was very excited for my trip to Dubai — who would not want to see the tallest building in the world rise out of sand, visit the world’s only 7 star hotel, see the world’s only indoor ski slope (with temperatures reaching 113 degrees outside), the world’s largest aquarium — inside the world’s largest mall…all while experiencing an historic Arabic port, with famous souks of gold and spice.
I was also fascinated to see the construction, logistics and ultimately the tangible product of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum audacious vision for Dubai’s future. How many leaders talk about a new destiny for their people, than actually take the giant leap and back it with all their country’s billions and with no guarantees it will work — and if it doesn’t work, what then?
Even with all of Dubai’s newly minted skyline, Dubai still has a very historic and beautiful old town. I hope you enjoy my picture montage of this very unique and one-of-a-kind city in the desert.
My first destination was the tallest building in the world — the Burj Khalifa !
The tallest man-made structure in the world standing at 2,722 ft high with 163 floors — 6 years to build at a cost of 1.5 billion dollars.
The Empire State Building has 102 floors and stands at 1250 feet tall (1454 feet tall if you include the antenna spire).
The Eiffel Tour is approx 81 stories tall at 1,050 feet.
You get a great visual of how tall the Burj Khalifa is because now you see how small the Empire State building would look next to the Burj Khalifa.
Keep in mind, I’m taking this picture on the 124 floor – there are 39 more floors above me ( Burj Khalifa has 163 floors).
Time for lunch so I thought I would visit the world’s only 7 star hotel — the Burj Al Arab and grab a bite to eat!
Side note – technically the 7 star rating is a British journalist’s words gone wild/viral after her initial review of the hotel when it first opened — she felt the luxury service and setting of Burj Al Arab deserved a higher star rating then other hotels in the world. The hotel industry uses a star rating system that is scaled from 1 to 5. The Burj Al Arab has never used this wonderful word-of-mouth 7 star rating in its official advertising or marketing material. But hey, why let the facts get in the way of telling a more colorful story :-) !
Dhow is the Arabic word for an Arabian sailing vessel.
- The atrium is 590 feet tall — so that means the Statue of Liberty — all 305 feet of her, from ground to torch (as we say) can stand easily in this hotel lobby.
Al Mahara has the famous 35,000 cu ft acrylic glass aquarium — the first aquarium of this size to use acrylic glass — 7.1 inches of acrylic glass was needed to hold the immense water pressure (261,000 gallons of sea water) and to make viewing the fish and sharks easier for patrons because acrylic glass does not blur one’s vision when looking into water.
- After choosing my main course —- just playing :-) !!
- Dessert — I was forced too have a second round!
When in the desert and on a 90+ degree day, what better way to work off a big lunch than to go skiing !!!
Ski-Dubai is located in the Mall of the Emirates and has the world’s only indoor black diamond run. Ski-Dubai features an 85 meter high indoor slope with 5 runs. The price of admission includes all that you need for a real skiing experience (e.g. skis, boots, winter clothing, poles, helmet) — it really is an amazing idea and attraction for all in the desert.
Dubai has MANY malls and all are BIG and Beautiful — just like the Mall of the Emirates that Ski-Dubai is located. Below are some pictures of the Dubai Mall. The Dubai Mall boasts the world’s largest indoor aquarium and the only mall to have an Olympic size skating rink —- PLUS, you could spend a solid two weeks in the Dubai Mall and not see and experience everything; it is enormous and elegant with “1200 stores” and “160 food outlets”, 95 elevators, 150 escalators anchoring the 4 levels — the entire mall covers enough land for 50 professional football (soccer) pitches!
Even with all the new construction and modernization of this city, Dubai has done a really nice job preserving its history along its main water artery the Dubai creek. Here you will find the classic water taxis (still utilized by the locals as a major form of transportation) and the gold, spice and vegetable souks (markets). Dubai’s amazing 24 hour fish market is also located next to Dubai creek.
Dubai’s 24 hour fish market was a carnival for the eyes — it was WONDERFUL walking around and watching professional fishmongers at work!
You could buy any kind of fish, have it cleaned, filleted and cooked all in the same market — for pennies!
The only tough thing to see was the shark section. As you may know, there is a major world-wide problem with killing sharks for their fins – ONLY (approx. 100,000 sharks are killed every day — yes, every day). You will see in a few of my pictures that the BIG sharks (Great Whites, Hammer Heads, Tiger, etc.) are displayed at night and very few were sold for their meat…but all the sharks had their fins cut off and sold instantly to the highest bidders. It was difficult to see these massive creatures on the wall with all their fins cut off and not being utilized for their meat. I felt like an undercover police officer watching it all unfold late into the night (around 12 midnight).
Ok, time for the sharks to arrive.
The very authentic and historic Dubai Creek with it’s shipping industry and water taxis.
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