Dubai, the city of Gold!

Well, now I know why they call it the city of gold! First of all, they have a famous street where you can only buy gold, gold and… gold, it’s called ironically the Gold Souk! Next to this, they have beautiful and astonishing architectures. You can visit the famous Hotel Burj Al Arab (sailing ship), the remarkable Hotel Atlantis which is build in the sea and the highest building in the world: Burj Dubai (which has opened on the 4th of January 2010).

The first time I went to Dubai, I was blown away by the very hot climate, the various cultures and the experience with the high standard of living.

It was all very beautiful and sensational. It is a whole different world where you step into, a world where all impossible things are possible. The hotels and shopping malls have amazing architectures! The malls are very large and the inside is even more beautiful. Most designs are made by architects from European and other parts of the world. It is a marvelous playground for them; they can be very creative and design the craziest things which are not possible in their own country

The United Arab Emirates is a country with a very dry climate and it only rains several days a year and sometimes it doesn’t rain at all! On a rainy day everybody is going outside and stands in the rain, because it is rare event and they like being in the coolness. But watch out, because if it rains it is a real heavy downpour!

Dubai has also great ingenious in seas projects, like the World Island, Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali. These beautiful designed Islands have many flats and villas and are definitely worth a visit, just to get the feeling that you are actually standing on a real big Palm tree!

Next to this they have the tremendous Ski path in the Mall of the Emirates. Of course I was very eager to try this and it was really fun! Skiing in a country what mostly exists of desert, it was a great experience and it is definitely worth to try!

Talking about cold, during the winter season it is around 20 degrees. A good temperature to walk outside and enjoying it!

I didn’t know they celebrated Christmas in Dubai, but Malls in Dubai have special events during Christmas. They import Christmas trees and decorations and… they even have snow! They have a sort of simulation program that produces snow, so you can actually have the real Christmas feeling in the desert!

Hotels organizing also Arabic trips; first you go camel riding and (In the Emirates the camels are sacred like cows in India!) after this there is a barbeque in the middle of the desert with a workshop belly dancing! In the end you can choose to sleep in the desert or go back to the Hotel. It is really great to experience this! It is fantastic to do this with your friends and to meet the locals in this way. You will have a real taste of the Arabic culture!

However, if you want to learn Arabic, by far the best way is to stay with a local family. You can have Arabic lessons in your tutor’s home, providing ‘total immersion’ in the language.

If you want to view Dubai on a cultural level you have to see the Dubai Museum. You can see photo’s and models how Dubai is built up from scratch, it is amazing! I recommend a boot tour on the Dubai Creek as well; you can see all the buildings, like for example the Rolex Company, a golf course, other artistic buildings and mosques!

Overall, the Emirates is a nice country to visit and if you like cultural and outrages original things, you should definitely come to this great and enchanting country and living your life like it’s golden!

Astrid, (The Netherlands)