The south-east of the Arabian Peninsula is not the middle east today only infamous for its socio-religious turmoil, but a more politically stable and richest of its neighbors, where the oil and its extraction has greatly expanded the economic outlook of these areas, until a few years ago completely closed in themselves and totally alien to international tourism.
A week is not for the thousands aprezzare attractive to these countries, but the laciare enough to want to come back ...
This time Michael has to accompany me, and always starting from Barcelona, not too cold for the truth, but enough to want to escape ...
Then we decide to split the trip between
Dubai and
Muscat, two totally different, at least on paper ...
The airport in
Dubai welcomes us with its sumptuous luxury (just think that is the only airport in the world where Rolls Royce has a duty-free shop ...), and after obtaining a visa (free), a taxi there leads to Dh.34 (E.8) to our hotel, located right next to the souq of gold. Gold Plaza, if it omits the name, is a small hotel but clean and centrally located, where the room costs Dh75 per person: one of the best prices in
Dubai.
Before leaving, I must say that I am not expecting much from this city, but I admit that despite being a modern and with all that this entails,
Dubai is an interesting city, where it is not difficult to find corners where pleasantly relaxing contemplate the swarming of people and the time it runs slower ...
2 or 3 days are more than enough to visit it, because then aprofitti beaches and local fashion is a personal choice, even if the sea and the climate in January are not well adapted to swimming costume (ca. 12 * / 13 * at night and 20 * / 22 * day) unless you are British, German or Scandinavian ...
The first day we dedicate to the visit of the "old", or better known as the nucleus from which grew the city. The Creek is essential to guide and to
Dubai can be found all around the
Dubai Museum (DH3), where there is no archaeological find, but a thorough and interesting reconstruction of the life and culture from the first Bedouin to bitanti for today's metropolis.
Interesting is the nearby Bastakia Quarter, where old houses of Iranian traders have been restructured. The quiet streets are home now small museums, art galleries and bars: the XVA cafe, even if a little expensive, is worth a stop.
The Heritage Village and the adjacent house of Sheikh Saeed (Dh2) helps even more to imagine how life fluing in the past century ... then do not miss the "boat-bus" that serves as a shuttle between the shore and l ' other of the creek for only Dh0.50!
To conclude the day before smoking a good sheesh apple (the 4 seasons restaurant is one of the few bars to economic affrire a wide range of tastes ...), a nice walk in the souqs of gold and perfume is a must. ..
The second day the tour begins at the
Dubai World Trade Center, the first skyscraper built in the city and from where a huge avenue along which a myriad of crystal towers, more or less doubtful beauty, have been built in recent years and how exemplified by the countless cranes, others will be in the future: this is where Miami meets the desert!
A note worthy of the Emirates Towers, one of which is a luxury 5-star hotel, where ferrari, lamborghini BMW and "download" rich businessmen. Tip: you pretend to be interested in a room and you can wind to 6 meters per second up to 52simo floor and admire the interiors of this building, totally in the crystal and offering incredible views!
A taxi then it is essential (ca.Dh60 by the creek ...) to reach the Burj Al-Arab, the only 7 star hotel in the world, where E.40 and after booking, you can visit the excesses of this world, including such as the interior gold and restaurant under the hotel is now a must in
Dubai.
... the third day, if you walked km like us, and everything has been seen, we can devote to shopping for choice and for economic reasons, me and Michael the shopping we did Deira, although most that in
Dubai seems to be in New Delhi, try to believe! i