The Divine Dubai and Sharjah

We were very fortunate in Dubai on Monday to have very good weather for our helicopter flight. Yesterday was quite windy and overcast and it was only in the last minute that their flights could go ahead.

Our transfer to the helipad took about 30 minutes and on the way we were able to get a good look at the huge array of buildings in this fabulous City. The highest building in the world, Burg Khalifa ( named after the ruler) stood out, but the design of these buildings are magnificent.

 The old QE2 docked in front of us and to be used as an International Hotel next year

 Beach, note blue and red lines, one for joggers and the other for cyclists.

 The  Burj Al Arab Hotel in the sea

When we arrived at the helipad we had to take a session on safety and then had to be weighed to make sure the helicopter was balanced. No telling what the scales said, not a pretty sight!

The weather was perfect, no wind, clear skies and we had a great view, although the area we really wanted to see most the Palm Islands was restricted due to some world skydiving champs.

The Palm Islands an amazing development

The World Islands, The one in the middle is Australia

We did get a good look at them just the same and then flew over the World of Islands although construction has ceased for the moment. There have only been 2 developments one for the ruler and one for Lebanon. It was a fabulous flight, very extravagant but we used up some free ship board credits to soften the blow.

 From the ground

The aquarium, note divers feeding fish

 How about this for a lolly shop!

The skating rink at Dubai Mall

The waterfall, goes right around.

After going back to the ship for lunch we used the shuttle to take us to Dubai Mall where access to the Burg Khalifa is located, we had intentions to go to the top but missed out on a time slot (booked out until Tuesday) but were not disappointed as we had a clear view earlier from the helicopter.

The Dubai Mall is really something, the most beautiful shops, all top of market, even an ice skating rink, huge waterfall and the largest moulded aquarium in the world. They sure do it big in  Dubai.

Yesterday we did an excursion to Sharjah another Province of UAE about 30 minutes from Dubai.

Spent some time in a small souk at the Sultans palace and then went onto see an amazing fish market where they were processing  and selling all types of fish, some of it live. Across the road was a fruit and veggie. market, where we could have bought a tray of lovely mangos for $4.

 Processed fish

 A vendor showing off his prawns

 Processing fish

 These are all different types of dates.

 There are our mangos

 The exterior of the Blue Souk

The interior.

Then onto the Blue Souk a well designed array of mainly gold and jewelry shops but a very modern building.

We left at 2pm, on our way for 2 days at sea, then docking in Mumbai, India for 2 days of sightseeing. 

Dohar - Qatar

We had a magnificent arrival this morning with the high rise buildings of Doha dominating the skyline.

Wow, what a place, these oil rich places are competing against each other to see who can build the best and most expensive developments to be seen anywhere.

 This building won best design for 2012

The time zone here is very ordinary, having trouble contacting our families as we both seem to be sleeping when the other is awake. Something like that!

So today after a bit of a bad start due to the guide being unorganised, we set of to explore the City of Doha.

Our initial visit was to a souq, with the usual stores and vendors flogging their wares and then to a falcon souq, where they sell falcons. Evidently the people here use them to hunt their food in the desert. It was a bit of an eye opener, even went to a falcon hospital where the sick are cared for and operated on etc. Wonder how the people are looked after as this hospital was as good as any hospital you would see. Over 4 stories high.

Arabian Horses, they have a narrow head with a curve at the nose

We then did a City tour and finshed that with a visit to the new development called The Pearl a massive complex built on water, with marinas and the most expensive up market shops you would ever see. Whacko!

 Bloody Gloria, bought these diamond studded high heel shoes. $2300

This is what I bought, price undisclosed!
Then to a Museum of Islamic Art, which was exhibited in a beautiful building and quite good if you are into museums.

Doha like Abu Dhabi has the most magnificent high rise buildings and they are all very new. Doha I think, is the fastest growing City in the World. As we know they out bid Australia for the 2022 Soccer World Cup.

Tomorrow we are off to Dubai for 2 days and we are going to do a helicopter tour for 30 minutes.
Woo Hoo, keep tuned for the next exciting episodes.

Abu Dhabi - What a Place

Well, the next inthralling episodes are going to be something, yes something like massive amounts of money created from OIL!

Friday was our day in Abu Dhabi where oil was first discovered in 1958, but it was in 1968 that the British who had controlled the Persian Gulf, that Sheik Zayed became the driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates. They gained independence in 1971 and the oil wealth soon had old mud brick huts replaced by Banks and high rise buildings.

Abu Dhabi is now the third most expensive City in the Region and the 26th most expensive City in the World.

So our day began with a visit to their newly constructed Grand Mosque where I’ll let the pictures tell the story and then a City tour showing us all their magnificent buildings, stadiums, water front beaches, beautiful roads and gardens and then onto the Heritage Centre.

 Gloria, dressed for the occasion

The Chandeliers, must have been about 20 like these, Magnificent!

Shoes off that's the drill!

After that we were driven to the new Saadiyat Island where we went to and exhibition building to see what they are going to develop over the next thirty years.

It is going to be a massive development far too hard for us to explain, over a huge area, best idea would be to Google it to see just what they are going to end up with.

A work of Art at Saadiyat Island, completely made out of chairs!

Abu Dhabi has been a marvelous experience and someday we’ll come back to see the finished project. We expect to see the finished articles in Dubai of their Palm Islands which were just being constructed when we were last here many years ago. 

Muscat Oman and Fujairah United Arab Emirates

Muscat is the largest City of Oman and is also the Capital with over 3 mill. inhabitants.

What a beautiful City we visited. It lies on the Arabian Sea along the Gulf of Oman.The rocky Western Al Hajar Mountains dominate the landscape, there are no high rise buildings and the economy is dominated by trade, petroleum and Port interests.

Our excursion took us first to the Grand Mosque which is quite amazing, the cost of constructing this must have been enormous. It is full of all different coloured marble and the Chandeliers in all the different prayer rooms were really something.

Incidentally they are very strict with their dress rules, women must be covered from head to toe, long sleeves and something over their head. Men must have legs covered but are not required to wear long sleeves. Unfortunately Gloria failed the test and was refused entry. No long sleeves!

We then drove to the Sultans Palace for a photo stop and this was very protected by a number of forts.  Then to another museum which was quite good and then to the Muttrah Souq, a large  array of small market stalls, all bidding for our business.

I found a barber for a $6 haircut which included a massage and even a shave if there had been enough time!.

A bit of a catastrophe here as I took off my expensive hearing aids and put them in my pocket, when I pulled out my money card, one came out without realising.

When we were about to board the bus Gloria realised I didn’t have them on and when I put my hands in my pocket ,there was only one.

We raced back to the shop and I had then remembered that something had fallen out and we were able to easily find it.

Phew!!!!!!!!!

But what a lovely clean picturesque City is Muscat. Highly recommended.

Today  (Friday 23 November, one week until Dylan is 6) we docked in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. It is the only Emirate situated entirely along the Gulf of Oman. Our excursion was very poor so we won’t highlight any features.

The only part worth speaking of was our guide who gave us a good insight into life in the UAE and several damming statistics about Muslims.

Tomorrow we dock in Abu Dhabi and we are looking forward to seeing this exciting CIty.