As soon as we arrived, we realized that Dubai is a city that moves at lightning speed. Everywhere we looked there’s a new building, a new Michelin-starred restaurant, a new mall, a new island. And everything aims to outdo the last. The result: an unbeatable skyline, great food and an entire city which offers the best of the best.
While Dubai is only 53 years old, we wanted to soak up the old, the new and everything in between. We had a great time exploring Old Town and the souks (or markets) that sold everything from gold to spices and all sorts of textiles. On the new side of things, ascending to the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa (also known as the vertical city) and seeing all of Dubai via helicopter made the city seem a bit Jetson like.
And taking off on a desert safari was the icing on the cake.
A trip to the Untied Arab Emirates wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to Abu Dhabi. The capital city and home to roughly 1.2 million people, we experienced the 8th largest mosque, palaces of the royal family and traditional date markets.
In the UAE, certain license plates can be more valuable than the cars themselves. The lower the license plate number, the higher the status. For example, the license plate D 5 Dubai went for $33mn USD.
A haircut in Dubai costs less than it does in Philadelphia (see picture below for proof).
When the thermometer reads 112°F, it’s not kidding.
Matt: Top of the Burj
Erin: Dune Buggy Safari
Top of the Burj Khalifa
Dubai Mall
Dubai Aquarium
Dubai Watershow
Souk Al Bahar
Desert Safari
Dune Buggy, camel rides, dune surfing, dinner and dancing performances
Day trip to Abu Dhabi
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Al Bateen Palace and Emirates Palace
Dates market
Old Town souks
Dubai helicopter ride
Parkers La Mer
The Social House
Basta
Ramada by Wyndham Downtown Dubai- great central location
