Flying Emirates meant an inevitable stop in Dubai - not a typical traveler/backpacker stop but I thought I'd check out what the fuss was all about....
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| Early member of Maktoum Family |
Due to time constraints on my travels I have delayed writing my blog until I returned to the UK :-) I was in Dubai in early February...
I just had 3 days - enough time to get a flavour. A good starting point was the Dubai museum - the history of the development of this city is incredible. Of course oil money has driven things but without the vision of the Maktoum ruling family it wouldn't have happened .
The architecture is of course breathtaking - The Burj Kalifa at over 800m tall is incredible to see - especially with the evening light show - you can't get to the true top but being at 555m still gives you a nice view.
Some culture and sense of old Dubai still remains around the waterfront but the overwhelming feeling is of a space age city - incredibly clean, very safe but very sanitised, manufactured and controlled. There is no poverty on view - just people shopping, eating, and consuming to excess! For me anyway the result is a city without true soul - a real city evolves organically in a random eclectic way - if everything is too contrived then you lose that...
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There is still some original architecture and traditional buildings near the port...
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| Old Dubai house with Wind Tower - old style air con!
Of course Dubai is probably most famous for it's shopping...
  Dubai Mall Store Directory!! More traditional offerings in the souks of course.... 
All in all it was a pleasant way to spend a few days in February - a good time to go as the daytime temperatures are very pleasant.
  I also found a Scottish Bar to watch the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland - the result was in our favour but at £10 a pint I sipped my beer rather than gulped it! |
