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Burj al Arab
WELCOME TO DUBAI
Deborah and Grant have been off on their travels again. This time they travelled east to the
jewel in desert .b Wonderful Dubai. Bairdstravel would like to thank them for sharing their adventure. All photographs were taken and are owned by Deborah and Grant.
Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates . The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Oman in the southeast. Hatta , a minor exclave of the emirate, is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman (in the west) and Ras Al khaimah (in the north). The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate.
Tourism is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate. Dubai's lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions. As of 2007, Dubai was the 8th most visited city of the world
Dinner at Al Khayal; a Lebanese restaurant
Jumeirah Beach Hotel . The hotel, which opened in 1997, is operated by the Dubai-based hotelier Jumeirah. The hotel contains 598 rooms and suites and 19 villas.
Dubai has a very hot arid climate . Summers in Dubai are extremely hot, windy and dry, with an average high around 40 °C (104 °F) and overnight lows around 30 °C (86 °F). Most days are sunny throughout the year. Winters are warm with an average high of 23 °C (73 °F) and overnight lows of 14 °C (57 °F). Precipitation, however, has been increasing in the last few decades with accumulated rain reaching 150 mm (5.91 in) per year.
Dubai, UAE
Updated 16 May 2012 15:00
Clear | 39°C | High: 41°C
Low: 32°C
Wind: 15 kph
Humidity: 26%
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Thursday
38° / 29° |
Friday
40° / 31° |
Saturday
43° / 30° |
Sunday
40° / 31° |
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Birthday flowers from the Burj Al Arab
Please note all photographs were taken and owned by Deborah and Grant . Under no circumstances may the photos or blog be copied or used.
The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, "Tower of the Arabs") is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates managed by the Jumeirah Group and built by Said Khalil. Its construction started in 1994 and ended in 1999. It was designed by Tom Wright of WS Atkins PLC. The hotel cost $650,000,000 to build. At 321 metres (1,053 ft) and 60 floors . The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat.
Burj Al Arab characterizes itself as the world's only "7-star" property, a designation considered by travel professionals to be hyperbole. All major travel guides and hotel rating systems have a 5-star maximum, which some hotels attempt to out-do by ascribing themselves "6-star" status. Yet according to the Burj Al Arab's official site, the hotel is a "5-star deluxe hotel".
Birthday dinner at La Parilla. Table had an excellent view of the Burj Al Arab at night
Lobby of the Burj Al Arab
Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East". Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping malls, including the world's 7th largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall. The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation a way of life.
Dubai is also known for its souk districts located on either side of the creek. Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Many boutiques and jewellery stores are also found in the city. Dubai is known as "the City of Gold" and Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops. Dubai Duty Free at the Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using the airport.
