Tag Archives: United Arab Emirates

Dubai For 48 Hours: Dubai Marina Jumeirah

Posted on January 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

A ten minute walk from the hotel, the marina offers the spectacle of a calm urban jungle composed of towers and buildings quite similar (pictures 2, 3 & 1), in absolute contrast with the surroundings of the Deira Gold Souq. The streets are deserted except for a few tourists and workers. I feel like moving in a setting of manga in less saturated. I walked to the ultra modern subway towards Rashidiya to discover the famous Mall of the Emirates, “the largest mall in the world.” I’m enough intrigued by superlatives. Pictures 4, 5 and 6: Lakes Towers Station.

Dubai For 48 Hours: Burj Khalifa

Dubai For 48h: Dubai Creek, On My Way to Dubai Heritage Village

DESTINATIONS

Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach: A room with a seaview

Posted on January 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

Beautiful view’s room on the emerald sea of the Persian Gulf. Picture 1: right side of the panorama, one of the three artificial islands of The Palm or Palm Islands. Pictures 2 & 4: direct view of the public beach in front of Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach. Too bad the beach is separated from the hotel entrance by an incongruous parking. Otherwise the hotel is very well located for an express stay in the tourist area of Jumeirah Beach, in a pleasant long walk by the sea, including sidewalk cafes and restaurants, a few shops (like Boots, very handy) and close to the Marina Jumeirah, where you can find the Buddha Bar (coming up post). Picture 3: left side of the panorama from my room.

Dubai For 48h: Dubai Creek, On My Way to Dubai Heritage Village

Dubai For 48 Hours: Around The Deira Gold Souk

HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

Dubai For 48 Hours: Around The Deira Gold Souk

Posted on January 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

Quite far from Jumeirah Beach, I wanted more to discover around the Deira Gold Souk (the gold souk, pictures 1, 2 & 3) than the souk itself, in operation since the 40’s. Not very exciting, I love jewelry but not yellow gold! It would have 10 tons of gold in the souk. Okay. So after an express stop to the famous Mall of the Emirates (post to come), the taxi stops me in Sikkat Al-Khail Road in the Deira district, at the entrance to the souk. Most of the shops are closed and empty of tourists groups. Great. And I go to the docks where there are authentic colorful dhows (Arab traditional boats). Indian and Iranian crews load and unload goods (picture 4). Long walk on foot, followed by a short shuttle boat ride to Dubai Heritage. Along the way, I stumbled upon the Museum of Women (picture 5): Too late for a visit.