Burj Al Arab
Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel, yet its original purpose in design and construction was to be an iconic symbol of Dubai - such as the Opera House is of Sydney, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, or Big Ben of London. It is built on its own private man-made island that is connected to the mainland by a private bridge. Its design is meant to represent the shape of a Dhow sail. Dhows are traditional wooden sail boats unique to the culture of the Persian Gulf. There were many different types of dhows used for different purposes, such as pearl diving, fishing, or transporting goods for trade. However all dhows have a triangular shaped sail in common - similar to the shape of the Burj Al Arab.
The cost of any restaurant inside the Burj Al Arab is far beyond my budget, but there are several great spots along public beaches to get the iconic view of the "sail building." We hopped in a taxi with a general idea of where to go to get onto the beach with the infamous view. Luckily, our driver knew exactly what we were looking for, and dropped us off just a few steps away from the perfect photo spot.
The cost of any restaurant inside the Burj Al Arab is far beyond my budget, but there are several great spots along public beaches to get the iconic view of the "sail building." We hopped in a taxi with a general idea of where to go to get onto the beach with the infamous view. Luckily, our driver knew exactly what we were looking for, and dropped us off just a few steps away from the perfect photo spot.
Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Just on the other side of the Burj Al Arab lies an up-scale modern re-creation of the traditional souks. Souk Madinat Jumeirah is more like an indoor and outdoor mall combined. While the architecture is designed to look like a traditional market, the indoor hallways are wonderfully air conditioned; the stores are all high-end modern clothing, accessories, and housewares; and the outer walkway is lined with restaurants, upscale hotels, and a man-made canal.
The whole area feels like a picturesque getaway into old Dubai, yet with the most posh and modern comforts of the 21st century provided. It was a lot of fun to walk, see the Burj Al Arab from a unique view, and dream of what it'd be like to stay in one of the cabanas across the canal.
The whole area feels like a picturesque getaway into old Dubai, yet with the most posh and modern comforts of the 21st century provided. It was a lot of fun to walk, see the Burj Al Arab from a unique view, and dream of what it'd be like to stay in one of the cabanas across the canal.
Mall of the Emirates:
The World's Largest Indoor Ski Hill
From the Madinat Jumeirah, we took a short taxi ride to the Mall of the Emirates (almost as large as the Dubai Mall), where the first indoor ski hill in the Middle East stands. Knowing that I'll have the opportunity to ski in the Swiss Alps later this year, I really did not feel the need to pay the price of a lift ticket and rentals to go down one indoor ski hill. But I definitely wanted to see it! The entrance reminds me of a movie theatre entrance in a mall, although it is made to look like a ski lodge. Old skiing portraits, photos, and magazines are framed on the stone and wooden walls; a fake fire is burning in the pseudo-fireplace; a coffee shop sells hot cocoa and lodge food; and just beyond the lodge area are boot and ski rentals.
The ski hill is 278 feet high with five runs, a quad chair lift, a t-bar lift, and a "freestyle zone" with ramps to try tricks. There is also a sledding hill, where young kids can try bobsled or skeleton rides. And if that's not enough, there is a a snow play area and REAL penguins, with which you can pay to play with in a "penguin encounter." The entire enclosed area comes close to 75,000 square feet, and is insulated to stay at a temperature of 30 degrees F during the day, and 21 degrees F at night - quite a feat when it is commonly over 100 degrees F outside!!
Ski Dubai is quite an entity to see, and an incredible way for people who live in areas that will never see snow to experience skiing and other snow activities. For someone who grew up skiing every winter and in an ice rink every day, it is amazing to me how special and unique a ski experience is for the Middle Eastern people. But then again, I have a field day the moment I see a camel!
The ski hill is 278 feet high with five runs, a quad chair lift, a t-bar lift, and a "freestyle zone" with ramps to try tricks. There is also a sledding hill, where young kids can try bobsled or skeleton rides. And if that's not enough, there is a a snow play area and REAL penguins, with which you can pay to play with in a "penguin encounter." The entire enclosed area comes close to 75,000 square feet, and is insulated to stay at a temperature of 30 degrees F during the day, and 21 degrees F at night - quite a feat when it is commonly over 100 degrees F outside!!
Ski Dubai is quite an entity to see, and an incredible way for people who live in areas that will never see snow to experience skiing and other snow activities. For someone who grew up skiing every winter and in an ice rink every day, it is amazing to me how special and unique a ski experience is for the Middle Eastern people. But then again, I have a field day the moment I see a camel!
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