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From the timeless
tranquillity of the desert to the lively bustle of the souk,
a Dubai holiday offers a kaleidoscope of attractions for visitors.
The emirate embraces a wide variety of
scenery in a very small area. In a single day, the tourist
can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring
sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty
villages to luxurious residential districts and from ancient
houses with windtowers to ultra-modern shopping malls all
combining to make Dubai travel both stunning and diverse.
The emirate is both a dynamic international
business centre and a laid-back tourist escape; a city where
the sophistication of the 21st century walks hand in hand
with the simplicity of a bygone era.
But these contrasts give a Dubai holiday
its unique flavour and personality; a cosmopolitan society
with an international lifestyle, yet with a culture deeply
rooted in the Islamic traditions of Arabia. Since earliest
times, Dubai has been a meeting place, bringing together the
Bedouin of the desert interior with the pearl-diver, the merchant
of the city with the sea-going fisherman.
Dubai City
At first glance, the city presents a predominantly modern
face, an ever-changing skyline of new developments, from striking
glass and concrete towers to gracious modern buildings incorporating
traditional Arabian architectural motifs and features.
The annual Dubai Shopping Festival extravaganza
has rapidly become an internationally-known event, with thousands
of bargains, draws, shows, promotions and some of the world’s
lowest prices. In addition, the hotels and furnished appartments
complexes offer reduce accommodation rates.
Dubai Dining
If you travel to Dubai be aware that alcohol is not available
in every restaurant as in Europe. In Dubai, alcohol is only
available in restaurants and the more expensive hotels. Traditional
Middle Eastern cuisine consists of the staples 'fuul', made
from broad beans flavoured with lemon juice, garlic and spices;
and 'felafel', which is fried chick pea paste and lamb or
chicken served in pita bread and sold as 'shwarma'. Houmos
is a widely available local speciality and tastes delightfully
different from the westernised mayonnaise emulsion version.
Of course, it is very easy to find all the old favourites
in this cosmopolitan city: pizzas, pasta, steak, salads, shellfish
platters, Indian cuisine and fast-food burger bars, but the
country's traditional dishes are well worth sampling. Fresh
produce stalls in the souks contain an extraordinary variety
of highly exotic, colourful fruit, begging to be tried.
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