Dubai Journals

Dubious Dubai

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A December 2005 trip to Dubai by Ed Hahn

Travel Photo by IgoUgo memberMore Photos
Quote: Visiting friends, my wife, Pam, and I work hard to enjoy this reincarnation of Hong Kong in the desert. We are partially successful. This is a good news-bad news review.

Dubious Dubai

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Overview

Travel Photo by IgoUgo member
Quote:
My wife, Pam, and I take a 9-hour flight from Hong Kong to spend the holidays with friends. We arrive at 11pm in the midst of our friends’ party for the Taiwan Legation. While not exactly in a party mood, we do manage to get into the spirit of things and enjoy ourselves.We spend our first morning getting organized. Pam finds the compound and the weather fine for walking. Later we drive to the desert for sand dune viewing. We also see a male-only ritual dance but are never able to determine what is being celebratedOn Saturday, we visit the monster Mall of the Emirates. In the afternoon, we visit the Dubai Museum and fort as well as the Creekside area.Christmas day...Read More

Al Diar Siji Hotel

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Hotel

Al Meshwar Restaurant Photo - Al Diar Siji Hotel, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
Quote:
This hotel is part of a group of eight hotels in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. They are owned by a private corporation with strong government ties. Pam and I chose this hotel because we couldn’t get into the Meridien Resort Hotel, it being high season. Quite frankly, in light of the recent bombings in Amman, Jordan, we decided to avoid US-managed hotels. In retrospect, this was, most likely, an unnecessary precaution. It is primarily a business hotel, situated next to the Fujairah Trade Center on Ahmad Bin Abdullah Road. It has an executive floor with the usual amenities and an excellent business center, which we had occasion to use. I...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 12, 2006

Al Diar Siji Hotel
P O Box 1199
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
971 9 223 2000

Dubai Museum

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Attraction | "Dubai National Museum and Al Fahidi Fort"

Quote:
We chose this attraction as one of our top three activities while in the UAE. We visited it on a Saturday afternoon (Dubai’s Monday). It was almost empty of visitors. We got a little confused figuring out how the place worked. When you enter, you are in the fort area, which you should explore first with its display of weaponry: curved daggers known as hanjars, as well as swords, spears, bows and arrows, pistols, rifles, axes, and shields made of shark skin. Traditional musical instruments are featured as well. In the courtyard you will find a number of boats and traditional living quarters, including a wind tower. Al Fahidi Fort once guarded the city's landward approac...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 15, 2006

Dubai Museum
Al Fahidi Fort
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
+971 4 353 1862

Bastakia Quarter

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Attraction

Traditional Desert Sitting Area - Bastakia Photo - Bastakia Quarter, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Quote:
Most of the guidebooks give al Bastakia short shrift. Pam and I could have spent a whole day there. In my mind, it’s the most worthwhile site of all the ones we visited.The al Bastakia Quarter which is actually in Bur Dubai dates back to the early 1900s. The houses were once the homes of wealthy Persian merchants, who moved to Dubai to take advantage of favorable tax concessions. Most came from the Bastak District in southern Iran, hence the name of the quarter. It is being turned into a pedestrianized conservation area. The buildings and houses are being restored and should be finished in the near future.We started at the Majlis Gallery. Which is open from 9:30am –...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 19, 2006

Bastakia Quarter
Creekside
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Bastakia Quarter

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Attraction | "Creekside - Bur Dubai and Deira"

Dhows Anchored on the Creek. Photo - Bastakia Quarter, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Quote:
If there is an “old” Dubai and if there is a downtown Dubai it’s Creekside. The Creek is a natural sea-water inlet which cuts through the centre of the city and is the historic focal point of life in Dubai. As we strolled along the paved walkway on its banks, we were often reminded of Dubai’s centuries-old trading traditions.The creek separates Bur Dubai on the south bank, the tourist center, from Deira on the north bank, the retail commercial center. Both districts have their unique charms. Bur Dubai has its traditional architecture, museums and historic houses. Deira has its souqs and shops as well as streets packed with people from many different cultures....Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 21, 2006

Bastakia Quarter
Creekside
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

An Excursion to Sharjah

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Story/Tip

Travel Photo by IgoUgo member
Quote:
Sometimes, I wonder if my biases get in the way of my ability to appreciate things other people seem to value. Sharjah is a place that raised the issue for me, again.Ten kilometers Northeast of Dubai, it carries the UNESCO title "Cultural Capital of the Arab World." Perhaps my expectations were too high. If this place is indeed the cultural capital of the Arab world, then culture must not be a high priority for the Arab world. If culture is intended to be analogous to "ethnography" or "lifestyle," then maybe there’s a point to its title. If culture means the arts, architecture, and intellectual history of a region, then I missed something. That aside, our 1-day visit to Sharjah was at leas...Read More

Fujairah and the UAE East Coast

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Story/Tip

Travel Photo by IgoUgo member
Quote:
Pam, my wife, and I hired a car and driver to take us to the East Coast. We planned to go through Hatta, the ancient agricultural oasis and then drive through the Hajar Mountains to Fujairah. Things did not go as planned.We mistakenly believed that the main road to Fujairah would take us to Hatta. When we realized that our assumption was wrong, we immediately directed the driver to go to Hatta first. Not being able to read our minds, he was headed for Fujairah by the most direct route. When we got to Hatta, we drove around the old town and out to the dam, which is an impressive site, if only because it contains a lot of fresh water in the middle of the desert. In retrospect, we...Read More

Dining and Drinking in Dubai

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Story/Tip

Quote:
This section is contains a potpourri of information on eating and drinking in Dubai. I will focus on family entertainment and adventure experiences in another review. I personally love eating and drinking out especially when I am traveling. This time we were staying with friends so we didn’t eat out as much as we would have if we were staying in a hotel. Nevertheless we were able to sample a good cross section of what Dubai has to offer.I very seldom write restaurant reviews in my journals because I either don’t pay enough attention to what’s available and what’s going on around me or I am so focused on relaxing and enjoying my meal that I lose focus. Whatever the reason I pref...Read More
Dhow Dinner Cruise on the Creek Photo - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Quote:
While there seems to be a limited number of truly interesting and worthwhile cultural and artistic tourist attractions, there are a number of activities aimed to appeal to the tourist family or the more adventurous outdoor tourist. Some of the more interesting desert activities include safaris, dune driving and exploring wadis in four-wheel-drive vehicles; sand-skiing, hot air ballooning and moonlit Arabian desert barbecues, complete with traditional entertainment. Closer to town there is camel racing and horse racing with no betting, of course. You can also cruise in a traditional wooden dhow on Dubai Creek or into the Gulf with or without a meal. I recommend “without.”...Read More