We didn't stay at the Shangri la but at the Savoy apartment hotel. It was beautiful, just about the size of a 4 room apartment in Singapore. Each cost about S$800. Two to an apartment.
Anyway we were free the next day and took an opened top bus tour around the city. They stopped us at the museum, the old souq ( market ) and other places of interest. The heat was unbearable and we took respite in a shopping centre. It was quite expensive, shopping in Dubai. then the second half of the day, we took another tour to the sand dunes in a 4 WD. It was an experience navigating through the sand dunes and later we were treated to an arabian bbq dinner complete with shisha and belly dancing. Wow. what a day.
The next day we had show at the Arabian Trade Fair . There were not as many people as the one I did in London 3 years ago only because the UK trade fair in London covered more countries. But people stopped at the singapore booth to enquire about our little island just north of the equator. Twice a day we had a show to bring in the crowds - 4pm and 7 pm.
Then it's back to the souqs for more shopping. I went into a shop that sold shisha among other things and bought one. The others ended up buying a shisha each .
Dubai has many beautiful buildings with interesting architectural designs. Below are more facts about one of the 7 states of the United Arab Emirates.
One peculiar thing about this place is the men cannot enter into a disco without a woman by his side. If there are 4 men, there must be 4 women. And the disco we went to called Trilogy near the famous Burj Al Arab hotel had a cover charge of about SGD$40 without drinks. Holy caramba.... nothing further to add here..
Dubai is really tax free in many ways A place where palm trees sway
Personal income is tax exempted
Ditto property, which can never be depleted
Crime rate is extremely low
If one is caught, severe punishment follows
About 80% of the population are expats
Now that's an interesting fact
Most buildings are centered around the Dubai Creek
Yet other interesting ones spring up to keep
the nation ahead of others in a bid to be
The technologically advanced city for all to see
True to the Islamic culture
There is no one who can buy liquor
Anywhere in Dubai without a licence
Unless in a pub or bar where one frequents
But I must say the buildings are beautiful
A tribute to talented architects with their hands full
Even as I write, construction has started
On the world famous palm islands
As if that isn't enough, there's the world island
In which every country on earth
Is constructed like the map of the world
He bought the island of UK, Rod Stewart
One other has Argentina under his belt
Dubai is open but not too liberal
Fashion is not even ephemeral
In fact there is evidently a lack of it
I saw most men in their traditional outfit
And women, hmmm where were they?
Ha ha just kidding, I was exaggerating
They were somewhere around, walking
Shopping or working but honestly
Men outnumbered women most definitely.
Generally Dubai has a lot to offer to first timers. The Gold souq ( market ) sells nothing but gold, the Spice souq has all kinds of spices and incense from all corners of the world and the Old souq houses the local arts and craft but one must bargain . In the next few years Dubai is planning to build the world's highest building with the biggest shopping centre that would take a few days to cover.
English is the main language of instruction and there were many foreign language schools scattered all over .
The exchange rate was SGD$1.00 = DHS2.26.
I would like to end by saying that Dubai takes the word 'building' literally and makes use of it simultaneously as a verb and noun. Everywhere I turned there were constructions .. building... building... buildings..
15th May 2006
1 comment:
cool...:) Dubai really seems such a beautiful place. Glad u had a good show, see ya soon.
Check out my blog too babe....i too join the blogging community not too long ago
http://a-life-for-dance.blogger.com
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