Day One in Dubai

Part Three - Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is the world's largest shopping mall based on total area and thirteenth largest by gross leasable area. Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, it is part of the 20-billion-dollar Downtown Dubai complex, and includes 1,200 shops.   It certainly impressed me.

   

 All the big brands are there.   Ruth walked around the isles of Bloomingdales so that she could say that she has shopped there.   The prices here are for the rich and famous.

Arabian coffee :)  Very nice, weaker than Turkish coffee but with a similar flavour.

 Which famous brand is this?

I got the pretty one :)

Part Two Shopping

We went across the road this morning to the "City Center Deira" one of the many shopping malls in Dubai.    I've got to say that prices are very good compared to Australia.   Again, once you are inside the mall, apart from the Arabic writing, you could be in any mall in the world.

Architecture is quite grand, open and airy.

Of course, you don't need to look far for Islamic architecture.    Whatever your beliefs are about Islam, the buildings and art are beautiful.

This mosque  is hidden between larger buildings just around the corner from the hotel.

Part One Accommodation

Some photos of our room.   Basic but nice and comfortable.   Clean bathroom, colour TV etc.   The usual fare.

Bathroom

View of Dubai from Our Window

My social secretary (aka Ruth) hasn't decided where we are going today.   I'm guessing that we will be looking at one of the huge shopping malls that they have here.    From the window, this could be any city in the world.   The drive from the airport felt a little like the drive from the airport into Melbourne except they drive on the wrong side of the road.

Speaking of airports;   Wow!    You have to take a train from arrivals to immigration, baggage pickup and Customs.   Immigration doesn't require any paperwork other than your passport and they take a photo of you as you enter the country.    The immigration officer on the desk was singularly uninterested in his job.    "Mrumfp, ff, ruff ruff, mrumpf...." was the conversation I had with him.   I said "shokran" (thank you).