Monday, November 26, 2012

Impossible to feel down in the dumps in Dubai!


I cannot imagine feeling down in the dumps when I am traveling. But this guest post on Dubai tells us about the place where it is simply impossible.  I like that. 

Take from the
 At The Top - Burj Khalifa, Dubai
 Image by A. Decardy at Some Tech Sense
There's no need to feel down in the dumps in Dubai. Not when you have the Burj Khalifa, the world’s highest skyscraper right on your doorstep! And a trip to the top costs a mere $27 (AED 100) or thereabouts. Cheap at the price for a stunning, awe-inspiring hour-long view that will soon have the spirits soaring way out across the Arabian Desert.

The Burj Khalifa took six years to build at a cost of $1.5 billion and on a clear day, reputedly, you can see some 60 miles in all directions from the 'At the Top' observation deck, taking in desert as well as the warm waters of the Persian Gulf. At over 800 metres tall, the building has more than 160 floors, 57 elevators and 8 escalators, and around 26,000 glass panels.

No building in modern history has aroused so much curiosity and intrigue, says the Burj Khalifa website. Visitors begin their vertical ascent to the observation deck in a high-speed elevator, travelling at 10 metres per second. As the doors open, floor-to-ceiling glass walls provide a breath-taking unobstructed 360-degree view of the city, desert and ocean.  By night, sparkling lights and stars compete for the visitor's attention. You can even shop At the Top and take home a truly unique souvenir.

It's barely a stone's throw from the tallest skyscraper to one of the most spectacular fountain displays to be seen anywhere in the world. Dubai's dancing fountains are simply breathtaking. The fountains, covering a distance of about a thousand feet, combine water, light and sound in an unforgettable display.

According to the website FlashyDubai, the fountain can spray 22,000 gallons (83,000 litres) of water in the air at any one moment in many different combinations and patterns. More than 6,600 lights and 25 colour projectors have been installed. The beam of light shining upward from the fountain can be seen from over 20 miles away. Apparently it's also visible from space, making it the brightest spot in the Middle East and possibly in the entire world.

Visitors looking at the Dubai skyline often can scarcely believe that only a handful of decades ago the area was practically nothing but desert. Oil, of course, changed everything in the United Arab Emirates, not least of all in the city itself. Now the country is one of the best places to do business in. Big international banking is there, too, household names such as HSBC, for example, providing the sorts of business banking services which have turned the country into an international trading hub.

Dubai enjoys one of the best locations in the world, says the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing. Situated halfway between Europe and Asia, few destinations take more than eight hours direct flying time to or from Dubai. Just overnight from London, four hours from Nairobi, three hours from Mumbai, eight hours from Hong Kong and a direct flight from the United States or Australia, Dubai is definitely a destination of choice for vacationing, living and business.

The tourism authority says, “Dubai offers a range of hotels to suit every taste, whim and budget! From the glitzy, opulent and of the most expensive and only seven star hotel in the world all the way through to the very affordable. Then there are the resorts in the desert where tourists can experience unmatched peace and tranquillity. Whatever the choice, it will definitely be an unforgettable stay as a tourist or business traveller. “Dubai is ranked the second world’s most popular destination for shopping after the United States and ahead of popular shopping destinations like Singapore, France, UK, and Hong Kong among others. With a long history as a trading hub, today Dubai is synonymous with shopping. From souk to shopping mall, Dubai has it all - duty free, gold, electronics, textiles, cars - and is a true shopper’s paradise. Perfect for the shop-o-holics and for retail therapy!”

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2 comments:

  1. Your timing for sharing this post is amazing. My son is going there for the Dubai 7's, and I am dealing with awful weather on the island.
    I'm in the process of switching to WordPress: Here's my new blog address:
    http://honeydidyouseethat.wordpress.com/

    Not sure if this is the way to share that info. but I couldn't find a way to contact you privately.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shelley,

    Isn't it wonderful sharing these experience, even if vicariously, with your son. I have always loved that myself.

    Added the new blog address to my blog list.

    b

    ReplyDelete

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