Abu Dhabi - UAE

Abu Dhabi – UAE

Post published:22 October 2011
Post category:Middle East United Arab Emirates

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Father of Deer, Emerging Emirates

As a final stop over on this trip, we decided to spend another 2 days in Dubai, and take the chance for visiting the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Indeed a great decision also in order to split such a long flight back from Southeast Asia, get back to usual time and try to avoid the bigger jet lag, well, at least in theory because in practice, it was not the case once back in London.

Reaching the city was once again fast and straightforward, especially when having a rental car. Basically you just follow the Sheikh Zayed Road which traverses the entire Dubai, and continue all the way southwest. Soon the desert will surround you, but notice how many trees have been planted in between the lanes of the road. Not only here, but at both sides of the road too. This is even more notorious when approaching the city, where you will get to see big fields of green grass, many trees and plants. This is one of the long term ideas of the Emirates, changing the harsh environment for something much easier to stand and coop, and nicer. Vegetation brings humidity and moisture, and after all, water; but it does also reduce the temperature. It felt much nicer in here than in scorching Dubai.

The city itself has not much to offer to the visitor, well especially when comparing it to Dubai, but still impresses anyone to see the grand Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Emirates Palace or the shiny skyline by the Corniche. Also, the spectacular Guggenheim or the Louvre museums, or the Ferrari World or Formula 1 among other worldwide names.

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Sharjah - UAE

Sharjah – UAE

Post published:11 October 2011
Post category:Middle East United Arab Emirates

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Al Shareqah

Sharjah, the third largest of the emirates that form the United Arab Emirates as a country, is literally the next northeast of Dubai, with Sharjah City, its capital. Basically, it is a continuation of Dubai. Once you cross the Dubai Creek it’s not even a kilometre farther and you are already there. The only clue which alert you are in a different emirate and different city are the signs in the road. As for the look of it, you could never tell if you have left Dubai. The emirates are so small and the cities so long along the coast that you move in a continuous urban area. Abu Dhabi being the largest, the remaining 6 emirates are tiny and together towards the tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

Although not as spectacular as Dubai, it is rapidly kicking off with lots of projects going on. Construction, like everywhere in the Emirates, is at its peak. I imagine the city in few years time, certainly hard to recognise to what I saw during this trip.

There are only 2 reasons why would you want to come here. I cannot think on any other, unless you are just curious to know how it looks and to say you have stepped on it. One, the beaches. There were absolutely empty! Nice sand all along, and many kilometres of it. The promenade, Corniche, runs parallel and was also really nice for walking (bearing the intense heat). The whole promenade just for yourself, rarely someone else, oddly some random tourist here and there. (more…)

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Dubai - UAE

Dubai – UAE

Post published:10 October 2011
Post category:Middle East United Arab Emirates

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The city of the future

An incredible trip to the Middle East bringing us to the shiny and spectacular city of Dubai. Just few days here as a stop over before continuing on to Southeast Asia, the final destination on this journey. And what best way to fly here than with Emirates, the flag airline carrier of Dubai, on their Airbus A380. That is always an amazing experience to fly on such a plane, especially for an airplane lover as I am.

Leaving London behind with barely over 12 degrees, and landing a little over 6 hours later at over 35 degrees, that’s priceless for a late in the year holidays. What I was actually not prepared was the temperature shock once the doors from the airport to the outside opened. The heat is such and so, so dry, that it is hard to stand it the first minutes until your body adjust. And that was just 35, considering the +45 experiences in Doha and Muscat from other trips. Thankfully we were prepared and changed the cloths from winter to summer while still at the airport.

It was just matter of few minutes later when we were in the rental car heading to our hotel when we felt out of this world. And what a experience was that! The impressive Sheikh Zayed Avenue heading north passing such a wonderful collection of super tall skyscrapers. The city of the future. This avenue was a hint of what was yet to come. The Burj Khalifa follows after more or less half way toward the Mall of the Emirates, and on and on; the collection of landmarks continue. (more…)

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