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Good morning Dubai......going to be hot and hazy today, 40C.
Can see the world's tallest on the building through the haze......sitting on the deck having breaky, overlooking 'the creek'.
Hopped in a taxi........off to the 'Dubai Mall'.........OK, it is the Mall to end all Malls!
No chance in a week of seeing it all......stunning. The entrance to the Burj Khalifa (tallest building) is here. There are 1200 shops and 120 restaurants. Largest in the world to date.....until they build the next one.
Plenty of food choices, pretty well every cuisine you could desire....even French macaroons!
Toilets - not only don't have to queue or PAY, the attendants follow every patron and clean the toilet and basins after use.
Noticeably missing - seats in the mall once again......think the reason is they want you to sit in a cafe and pay.
At 1300 the dancing fountain, so pretty correographed to music.
Inside there us a 3 storey waterfall, an aquarium, apparently a theme park......didn't get to see it had to get back for our pm tour.
Then to check out Dubai......(temp up to 43C!)
Started the tour at the Burj Al Arab hotel (7 stars would you believe), the most expensive hotel in the world, it even has a cocktail for $8000! Served in a 24 ct gold plated glass (you don't get to keep the glass), the ice cubes are flown in from Scotland! What the....
Driving back towards the city central we passed heaps of huge houses that belong to 'The Chosen Ones - The Arab Nationals'. When they marry (or marry an Arab National), they are given a block of land in the area. No one else is allowed to live in this area.
They are the only ones entitled to wear the long white robes AND the white headress with the black band......shame, they look so good!
Then they receive an interest free loan to build on this land.....getting the picture? They then pay only 10% of their water and electricity accounts!
If they happen to be too complacient to bother building, they are given a rather large 5 bedroom semi-detached house free if charge, including free electricity and free water!
Begining to see why the Arabs are able to travel so much.
Trust me, 'The Chosen Ones' walk around like they own the place. Guess they are very happy with their leader.
They work in the govt jobs, customs etc. (if they choose to work) and apparently get paid very well of course!!
Sheik 'what!s his name' has so many palaces that most people don't know how many he has. His youngest unmarried son (29) lives alone....yeh right.....in his own palace.
Petrol is 40c litre, water $1 a litre. Water is de-salinated, parks are very green and are watered constantly with recycled water. Lots of Poincinas here. Rainfall 110mm/yr.
They not only have oil and gas, but a great market in the cold climates to sell their salt to (for snow fields).
Visited the 'Old Dubai', fascinating buildings now preserved. They were made if coral.
Museum was great....excellent insight into life here prior to discovery of oil in 1960's, very basic existence.
Then to see the 'other side' of Dubai.
Went via downtown Dubai where the the 'not so chosen' ones live and work.....so many Indians and Pakistanis. No matter how long you live or work here you can never get citizenship, must be born an Arab with the bloodline.
Crossed the Creek via water taxi, very basic craft driven by Indian of course, to the Spice Souk (market). Boy did it smell good, we were warned if we were Aussie or Kiwis not to buy them because we cannot take it home.
So many shops trying to flog their wares....poor things. Almost a reminder of Cairo!
Walked through so many streets of market style shops, all selling the same thing.
Ended up at the Gold Souks.....never seen so much gold jellewery and diamonds all in one place!! So extraordinarily beautiful so much of it!
Shops full of Muslim women in Burkas buying it......who is going to see it?
Strolled back via the old teak boats that we thought we houseboats.....turns out they are seaworthy and still take goods to and from India and where ever, unbelieveable......the not so glamourous side of Dubai.
Back to the hotel for a drink and shower.....at the English pub again. Food and wine very expensive here. Hotels are the only ones who are allowed to serve alcohol in Dubai.
They all smoke though, even in the restaurants!!
Big day, in need if a good nights sleep, see what the last day of our holiday brings.
Roger's thoughts on the day.......
We are in Dubai..biggest building 828m talll, biggest fish aquarium in a shopping centre, biggest fountain....everything biggest in the world here!
It's 107 F outside.
Population 8.2 million, 80% not nationals. Foreigners cannot buy houses in many of the areas.
When they first discovered oil here, there were 7 different tribes (40 to 50 years ago). They fought to the deagth and in the end they divided the area into 7 states......Dubai is the richest.
When they settled the British helped tghe Arabs to design the city, alla the infrasztructure...it took 10 years and building commenced in 1970...then the British left it to them. Well done Poms.
The King sent all his sons to England to be educated.
We have just been on a great tour of Dubai...the things you learn on these tours make it really worth the money. You would never discover half the places without the great tour guides.
Loved the museum!
Another great day.
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