Thursday, December 15, 2011

Dubai

Ok so I have been delinquent in my posting, so it is time to get posting.


I went to Dubai last weekend to participate in the Dubai Creek Strider's Half Marathon and to see Dubai for the first time.  I have to say that this was one very well run event that had tons and tons of perks.  First, you got two goody bags, one a backpack and one a pull top bag.  The back pack was full of cookies, crackers, Listerine, sports drinks and other various items.  You also got a tech shirt. More stuff then I have received in a LONG time.


The course itself was very scenic and started and ended at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.  From there the course when along the creek, across a couple bridges, through a tunnel, also through the old souq.  Just a lovely course.


After the race there was a breakfast buffet.  This was not a banana and bagel, this was eggs, sausage, fruit, croissants, potatoes, a full on Breakfast Buffet.  Good food and beautiful view.


Now I do not very many pictures of this part of my trip as I was an idiot and dropped my camera either on the plane or at the Terminal.  I talked to the airline, the airport Lost and Found and police, but no dice the camera was gone.  Thank goodness I had downloaded all my pictures.  So one of my shopping goals in Dubai quickly became getting a new camera.  LOL.


After the race, Gaybrielle, Rick and I headed back to the hotel to clean up and then head to the Dubai mall.  The Dubai mall is something else.  




It is everything that you have heard and more.  When we arrived, we had scoffed that you could spend all day at the mall, but we started about 2PM, after a lovely lunch and shopped until 6:30 when we had tickets to go to the Burj Khalifa.  I was excited to find a store that had Triathlon gear and a Salad Spinner at a reasonable price.  I am odd I know.  






At 6:30 we had tickets to go to the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.  You only go about half way up the building, granted that is about 430m high.  It is a really really big building that can be seen from just about everywhere in Dubai.


Viewing the city from the observation deck makes some tall buildings in Dubai look quite small.  I have to say that I would like to up back up to the deck again during the day just to get a different perspective.


After returning from the observation deck we headed over to the Address Hotel to have a beverage and watch the fountains.  They have fountains that are basically the same as the ones at the Bellagio in Vegas.  They go off for about 5-10 minutes every 30 minutes.  Very cool!


After this it was back to the hotel for the night.  Yes we had spent the entire day at the mall.  Go figure.


The next day we took the Metro.  I will say that the Dubai Metro is super nice and can get you to all the big spots about town.  You would think that I would have been shopped out, but no I split of from Gaybrielle and Rick and headed to the Mall of the Emirates where kid you not they have an indoor ski slope.  CRAZY.  They also have a Crate & Barrel, NIRVANA!!!  I had to restrain myself as i did not have much luggage space, but i did get new kitchen stuff.  Next time I go I am taking more luggage!!!  After this mall I actually went back to the Dubai mall to see some things that I missed, sit outside and enjoy the day.  I went back to the hotel about 4PM to grab my stuff and head to the airport.  


I learned something important on my trip to the Airport.  Terminal 2 (where Fly Dubai lands) is no where near Terminals 1&3.  The metro takes you to terminals 1&3.  Guess who had to take a cab from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.  That would be me.  I am thinking that in the future it would be better to pay a bit more, get free check in luggage and be able to take the metro to and from the hotel.  We shall see.


All I can say is that i totally want to go back to Dubai.  It was the Vegas of the dessert.  Very fun, kinda fake and good for a weekend.  Next time, maybe a slightly longer weekend.


Talk soon and Hook'em.

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