Dubai

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Marhaba from Dubai!!

Just spent the weekend accross the Gulf in Dubai, staying with friends from the original BLL days, Wilko & Stef. Stef & Wilko live in an apartment on the Sheikh Zayed Road, the main drag in Dubai stretching from the Dubai Creek all the way to the Dubai Marina. (Well, it actually stretches far beyond this in the directions of Sharja to the east and Abu Dhabi to the west, but this was the exent of our exploration!)

Dubai was almost everything people said it would be...it makes Doha look like a little cattle ranch out the back of bourke! The anticipated horiffic horrendous traffic was pleasantly subdued as a result of it being Ramadan. We enjoyed the perfect mix of touristy sightseeing and leisurely weekend chilling at the apartment...checked out the souks in central Dubai, enjoyed our first Sheesha (hubbly bubbly pipe) at the Shangri-La hotel, LOVED the 360 Bar and it's amazing view of the Burj al Arab, laughed and laughed at the ridiculousness of the indoor skifield at the Mall of the Emirates, took in the full extent of the Dubai Festival City Development (Nick's project) which is about 10 times the size of the Melbourne Dockland Development, and peppered our sightseeing with exquisite restaurants, sheek arab cocktails, home delivery chinese (in Dubai you can just phone order and the food actually MAKES it to your apartment...no fuss!!! Amazing!), tasty Aussie reds and great company...

Many many thanks to Stef & Wilko for their hospitality...a super weekend & we can't wait to get back there in December!

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Photos

Sal on the Abra
These old timber boats carry people accross the Dubai Creek, linking Bur Dubai with Deira. The cost of 50 Fils (about 18cents) apparently hasn't been increased in decades!

360 Bar
This shot is taken from the top of the Burj al Arab (courtesy Nick & Stef) looking back down at the 360 Bar at the end of the curve out on the water.

Burj Dubai
This is the view from Stef & Wilko's apartment...75 stories built...another 75 or so to go!!

Comments

[DubaiLover]

Additional
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