Africa

After a slack morning and a nice sleep in, i headed toward the old town of Dubai at about 2pm. This was a unique experience and not something I expected to find in Dubai. Although I enjoyed a slightly different experience in Dubai, I couldn't help but feel as though this was slightly put on. Something about it didn't feel particularly legit. A lot of the buildings were in perfect condition, with little artefacts sprinkled about (like mule carts), that kind of made it feel tacky and fake. I'm unsure if that's true, but that's kind of how it felt. Regardless, it was cool to walk through, though some of the salesmen were a bit pushy and, somehow, I was talked into overpaying for some tea. I felt like a fuckwit. Although I was just keen to walk around, the people just keep convincing you to come into their store and then harassing you. I just wanted to look, but that's not an option to them. When you walk away the price drops significantly. The bartering capacity is reflected by a man being talked down from 480 Durham's to 70 for a scarf. I still didn't take it. Some other stores were quite cool, selling cool and interesting artefacts and figures but I was done with shopping after my stupid tea purchase. I went to the Dubai museum but that was closed. I was also keen to see the global village but this is also closed in Dubai at the moment. After a bit more wandering, I headed back to the train station to go to the Dubai Frame.

Another thing worth mentioning is the transport system in Dubai. Dubai hugs the coast, and as a result, there is a simple train system that follows the 14-lane highway that the city seems to emerge from. It hurts to see a city built so heavily around cars, but that's the world we live in now. It does mean that the public transport systems can mirror the highway and provide access across the city relatively quickly and easily. That being said, it is a massive and hot city, so any bit of walking you have to do, sucks a lot.

Getting to the Dubai Frame is quite easy however, and I arrived maybe 15 mins later. The trains run every few minutes. This was a cool experience as it is a huge monument that stands out from miles away. The purpose of it? Tourism I guess as it is simply a viewing point of the city. I decided it would be sufficient to see the building as the view. I walked through the park that is shadows and enjoyed the view of the monument. It wasn't incredibly expensive for Dubai standards but I wasn't overly excited to pay money for the view. In the end, the best view I got of the city was the Uber to my accommodation from the airport. Dubai at night is truly the personification of human' domination of mother nature. A landscape that should be little more than desert has found a way to become the most awe-inspiring collection of lights and buildings. I had very little desire to see New York in my life, and I still don't. But the appeal of the city of lights makes more sense to me now. Dubai was colourful, joyful, magnificent, and truly one of humans' most remarkable achievements. I would always choose Dubai over New York for a few very clear and obvious reasons that anyone should consider before choosing New York. Safety. I would regularly see people leaving cars running while they would disappear for 10/15 minutes, leave macbooks in public places, and even wallets in open top cars. I was shocked how this was possible. Secondly, cleanliness. The condition of the streets and pathways was always immaculate. The amount of public servants paid to clean every part of the city was astonishing, and it's reflected in how clean it is. Third, Plazas. They have built the city revolving around the plazas that each block contains. 5 or 6 skyscrapers would occupy each block of land. But in between, there would be social areas with places for kids to play, pools, barbers, restaurants, and more. It doesn't mean that it is a city that caters to a suburban lifestyle, but it does a fairly good job of maintaining social connections amongst the citizens, and it was nice to see people using it every afternoon. Planning. The city is incredibly well planned and funded, so getting around is easy and efficient. This doesn't even mention the streets have character that I'm not sure you get in New York. The streets that surround major tourist attractions are not boring, which is something I never thought I'd say. But with starlit trees, sports cars, skyscrapers in the background, and unique parks and artefacts around it really creates a unique experience I don't think you'd get in New York. Finally, culture. Many may not like the Islamic beliefs or norms, but I think it makes the people and city beautiful. There are parts of the city that the religion really brings to life. Whether through the Mosques or prayer rooms. The people are incredibly friendly and love to talk to you.

After the Dubai Frrame, I went to the encapsulation of Dubai itself, the Burj Khalifa. The first feeling when you look up at it is incredible. It really does take your breath away. It just goes up and up and up, towering over all the other enourmas skyscrapers. After some time pondering the scale of the building, I figured I'd head inside the Dubai mall and try to find the fountains that only improve the view of the building. The problem is that I did not take the walkway from the train station, and because of this, I entered from the road, nothing made sense in the shopping centre. I spent about half an hour walking around and simply could not find my way to the Fountain. I was quite tired and desperate to get home and have something to eat, as I had no eaten all day. But even finding the exit took me about half an hour, and I was very done by this point, and I just wanted to go home. Although I got a good tour of part of the shopping centre I was mostly keen to see bed. Eventually, I found the exit and made my way to the train station, and eventually home. Tonight, dinner was maccas as it was once again affordable, quick, and easy. Tomorrow, I was sure to provide myself enough food to fuel a biggish day and not tire out.Read more