Dubai – Uninspired and unimpressed, there is no culture here.
No culture. No alcohol is allowed other than at hotels. Good family destination. Great climate. Unwelcome to gays. No one is equal with clear discrimination towards Asians and lower classes.
A tall building not visible from 40 km away because the air is dusty and unclear. Everything is a long journey, too far, but taxi offers the best transport option.
Food is safe but not spectacular. There is nothing genuine about the cuisine nor is it inventive. It is as western as can be and offers little in terms of local specialities.
Reminds me of packaged holidays in the Caribbean, which isn’t my thing. Four days was far too long. Good transit hub, but wouldn’t do more than two days here again.
What to see? Dubai Mall is a must just for the size and attractions there including the dancing fountains, which only last about 5 minutes, and Burj Al Kalifa the tallest building in the world.
The rest is malls and more shopping malls, open till bout 1 am, with shops found in western Europe and North America and brand names familiar in the rest of the world.
Uninspired and unimpressed, there is no culture here.
I ordered my mojito with an extra shot, of lemon of course, since alcohol is only served in hotels. The experience is more about the hotel than the destination, which I can’t fault at all from my stay at JA Ocean View. Dubai caters to those who prefer a hotel stay vacation because beyond that is nothing more than malls and desserts.
Still, early days for Dubai as it continues to build outrageous and ambitious projects, but it lacks a soul. Though in another 50 years this part of the desert will be ruled by the towers that stand on them and the desert will become made of concrete.
From the ground, Dubai appears vast but from the sky, it appears rather bare. A feeling I had while my feelings were firmly on its ground, a nothingness to a place, and as cold and conservative heartless destination for any cultural traveller.