Dubai, along with Abu Dhabi, the capital city, and five other emirates make up the United Arab Emirates. The other emirates are Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm. The UAE colors are red (sacrifice), green (prosperity), black (dignity) and white (purity).
Dubai, which sits on the Arabian Desert, bordering nearby Oman to the east and Saud Arabia to the South, is known for the world’s largest dancing fountain, the Burj al-Arab, Burj Khalifa, the tallest building and the Palm Islands which is the largest artificial islands.
The Fairmont Dubai hotel was my
choice to stay. I did not want to be too far from what was going on but also didn’t
want the “party” to be so close to “home”. The Fairmont Dubai is a 5-star
property that is very well maintained and located minutes from the Metro
stations, airport and Dubai Mall. The rooms and bathrooms are modern, clean and
spacious and there is a spectacular scenic view of the city.
Within minutes after the flight and arriving
at the hotel in about fifteen minute by cab (by a woman driver!), the first stop was the The Spa @
Fairmount Dubai. The spa was very luxurious with curved ceilings, sculptured walls,
and large pillars….kind of like the Roman emperor era. The men and woman
facilities are segregated but each offering similar spa treatments and
ambiance. I opted for the treatment called
the “Time Zone” which is a 90 minute invigorating massage followed by a 30
minute facial. Now I was rejuvenated for whatever the evening would offer!
The Fairmount had several
restaurants that offered an assortment of yummy entrées. The choice for the
evening was a place called Spectrum on One. But on Thursdays it is called Dupper,
which means dinner and supper combined. The restaurant’s concept has eight cooking
stations with cuisines from Japan, Middle East, China, Europe, Thailand and
India, endless cocktails and a DJ. 350 AED (Emirati Dirham) seems like a lot,
but truly worth the money!
The
Dubai Mall, the largest in the area, was the selection for the day. There are
over 1200 shops (mid and high end), an indoor aquarium and an ice skating rink.
I had my sights set on the Louis Vuitton store!
Before
departing the mall after five hours of shopping and carousing each level…..yes,
you heard right, five hours!, we came upon an event that was sponsored by Beauty Connection Spa. The Beauty Connection, a day spa located in Dubai, had over 100 manicurists at the mall to try and set a new Guinness World Record for the most nails filed and polished in eight hours. The manicurists were to file and polish 50,000 nails to beat the previous record (previous record was 2572 mini-manicures) that was set by Priceline and Sally Hansen in 2011. All proceeds went to Rashid Centre for Disabled. Although the shopping wreaked havoc on the purse, it made my trip to Dubai worthwhile!
Most
cities have some type of touring agenda. Well in Dubai, there is the Big Bus
Tour. The tour uses the hop-on, hop-off approach. When you see some structure
or venue that is interesting, you hop off and can take the next bus when you
are finished exploring. The tour has earphones with recorded commentary about
sites along the route. The Big Bus is, I believe, the best way to see most of
Dubai in a short period of time. We embarked the bus at the Wafi mall. The Wafi
Mall is a mall influenced by Egyptian architecture, mosaic carvings, sculptures
and multiple pillars….very nice!
On
the tour, we passed by the Dubai World Trade Center, a business complex that
houses various events and exhibitions and the Jumeirah Mosque which is considered
the most attractive in Dubai with its interior that is decorated in Arabic calligraphy.
The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure (828 meters and 160 floors), was completed in 2010 and was next on the route. This construction that dominates the Dubai skyline has nine hotels and towers over the entrance of the Dubai Mall. For a spectacular view of the city, Burj Khalifa’s has viewing decks.
All
the best,
GMarie
G'velli, thanks for sharing! You are my shero! Stay thirsty my good friend and favorite G! Raveillie
ReplyDeleteHello Raveillie! I hope all is well with you and yours. Thanks for reading! G.
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