First up, don't go there in summer. I thought, having endured Australian heat for many years that I'd be able to handle anything, but shit, that is one HOT place!! Rarely below 30 overnight and reaching 46 on a couple of days I was there. Humidity compounds the problem. On later advice, the best time to go is mid-October to Feb/March. It must be one of the most ostentatious cities in the world. Seems as if it has all been built overnight (and it effectively has) but also it seems as if architects had competed in a 'design the craziest building' competition. There are some weird structures there. The bling continues into granite-paved footpaths and pedestrian crossings. Cheap Asian labour keeps the city pristine; I never saw a dropped cigarette butt or even gum or bird crap on the ground. No cars under 3 years old (it seemed) and not a large bike in sight, although many 250s race around with pizza and Uber Eats hot boxes on the back. Segregation is like USA's racial uprising where the front portion of trains and buses is for women and children only. Women receive no favours from men in the other parts of transport for I saw no man stand for a women - save for one Indian guy who must have been new there, OR, had better manners than everyone else. Road network is brilliant, as one would expect for a 'new' country. 140 kph limit on some freeways! All water is processed from sea via desalination plants. Supposed to be okay to drink, but I'm a tad wary of that.
Interesting place if you really look at it as a whole. So much money put into the buildings and infrastructure. Did you notice most of those buildings were empty? Overbuilt city for sure.
Yes. I'd spoken with taxi drivers (fountains of knowledge) and learnt that occupancies aren't high - yet more and more buildings are under construction. Probably more cranes on buildings than anywhere in the world!
I think it’s one of whose places you will love or hate? My last two visits were start and end is summer and temperatures hitting 52 in September. I’m lucky(or not depending on your view) to work closely with most of the middle eastern royal family’s which takes ostentatious to a whole new level. A friend of mine dropped a money clip while there, retraced his steps and was still on the pavement. Can’t imagine that happening anywhere else? If you get out here again @nigelrb get a can to the new presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, it’s an amazing piece of architecture inside and out
What took you to Dubai ? just a tourist visit ? I went there to run the Marathon, a few years ago - they hold it in January. Funnily enough torrential rain closed the roads with flooding - lots of concrete meant the rain could not drain away and the roads became blocked. I remember a big song and dance one night at the Hotel so I went to have a look - a traditional wedding dance - big money affair though. They saw me watching from the distance and invited me to join them. They were very kind and reassured me that I was welcome - even dressed in a T-Shirt. I thought the architecture was amazing. Some of the best designers in the world have created some amazing buildings - not all that large mostly, but amazing. Ran the Marathon - against Haile Gabrselassie of Ethiopia - he beat me by a considerable margin but not that many places since there were not that many people there. Duty free was not particularly cheap....
Nice photos Nigel. Not really a place thats on my bucket list even though I do like heat. I'm not really a fan of those tea towels they all like wearing - guess I have a different fashion sense
Not sure Prince Habibobbo will log that under constructive criticism Might want to get a bit of a lick on if you ever happen to be strolling past their consulate
Hehehe Doubt any of them lot will ever be coming that far North. Sorry to quote yet another Billy Connolly moment but it reminds me of him describing the so called terror attack at Glasgow airport where the baggage handler set about one of them in the Cherokee while he was still on fire and gave him a good kicking. This is Glasgow, we'll set about ye!!! When asked to quote what his message was to would be terrorists - then he says, Aye, dinna come here. Well I'm even further North so my area is worse, hahaha
Yep, just as a tourist. Funnily enough, and this is fair dinkum true, I actually thought of you when I was there. Knowing you do so much Euro travel I tried to imagine you riding around the scorched roads. Ironic now, that you tell me you've been there!! I am a fan of the 'alleged' architecture. Some of it would be shunned by the western world though. One in particular, whilst impressive, is merely a blight on the landscape, but does seem to attract visitors! https://www.dubaiframe.ae/ar/about-us I didn't use duty free, but then again, nothing seemed particularly cheap there. On par with London I guess!
Don't know what their punishments are for tourists caught speeding not good I should imagine best not get involved. A few pictures from when I was there, hope you do not mind Rain flooding - only just arrived in the taxi to the hotel ! Chap serving coffee at the wedding do Burj al Arab Offices
Welcome back I spent 3 years working in Dubai and it is definately a marmite place Speeding = Point and fines like here but I had a Dubai licence so not sure if you are on a UK licence. It never bothered the locals mind you they used to go down Sheik Zahid road at full chat with the cameras flashing them (one every KM). Money talks out there. They also do not understand that you cannot see far in Fog A few pics from the top of the world.
^^^ Wow, it's certainly progressed since then. Is that about 3 years ago? There was a tram (trolley) that ran along Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd that has since been dismantled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Trolley I also went up to the 124th floor of Burj Kahlifa, but at night. Flooded with tourists.
The pictures were taken in 2010 when the tower first opened. I came back in 2011. They had just finished the train line then.
