Dubai, U.A.E.

Sinbad the Sailor once called Dubai Creek home, but he’d have trouble recognizing it these days.  This largest natural harbor along the Emirates’ coast has blossomed into one of the most modern cities on earth.  As it now stands, it’s the perfect place to get a deeper peek into Arabian culture in a friendly and secure environment.  Dubai is one of seven autonomous emirates which formed the UAE federation in 1971, under British sponsorship.  Like some of its gulf neighbors, Dubai enjoys significant revenue from oil and natural gas, but trade continues to be the primary focus of local economic planners.  After all, oil deposits can become depleted in time, but trade seems almost eternal.  Unlike the other Emirates, Dubai has only one town but that one has a million people. Today the older quarter, Bur Dubai, is on the left bank of Dubai Creek, but the commercial center is Deira, on the right bank.,  Here you will find some of the oldest and most interesting markets (souks), as well as many of the glittering skyscrapers that house the muscle of modern commerce. 

The Old Covered Souk and the gold Souk still preserve their old character – most other ships look disappointingly modern.  When a man wants to divorce his wife he has only to say “I divorce you” three times.  She leaves with nothing but her jewelry, hence the gold souks. These stores house the most incredible pieces of gold you can imagine. 

Dubai boasts of having the biggest, the tallest, the widest, the most expensive, the most important everything. The world’s only  7-star luxury hotel, the Burj Al Arab is here, built on an artificial island and looks like the sail of a boat.  Our ship is offering a new tour, it’s lunch at the “Atmosphere Burj Khalifa.”  It’s almost at the very top of the world’s tallest building.  It includes 1 glass of wine (red or white) per guest and 1 bottle of mineral (still) water.  The low, low price for this dining experience is ONLY $392.00 per person (adult or child).  We did not sign up. 

In 2008 17% of the world’s construction cranes were in Dubai.  Now I understand they are having financial difficulties, the cranes are still here, but they are not operating.  

Six of us went to the gold souk & spice souk and took a water taxi to the other side of Dubai where we had a lovely lunch on the water.  Belts, breast plates, vests, skirts, anything you can imagine made out of gold.  The pieces are not chosen not for their beauty but for their weight.  An amazing sight! 

Another couple we met went to the Burj Al Arab Hotel for lunch.  They said it was spectacular and that that they were seated in the center of a circular room that was surrounded by a huge aquarium which made them feel as though they were under the sea.  The fish were very large and swimming all around them.  The stemware was very tall crystal and the china and flatware the very best.  They had 1 bottle of Spanish wine (they are from Barcelona) and he had Kobe beef while she had fish.  The bill was 700 Euros, which is over $1,100.  Needless to say we chose not to join them.  We did not get to the Burj Khalifa  and we could not get into the Burj Al Arab as they only allow entrance if a person is already on their list.  If you want to just go for coffee, they charge $100 per person to walk in the door and you must be dressed properly.

The winds were very strong and blew so much sand that by the afternoon we couldn’t see any of the buildings in the city. We now have 5 days at sea before reaching the Seychelles. The above is just one of the many store windows in the souk.