Mariner Barca, Dubai May 2013

2nd day in Dubai, and Maz took us all over.
From the sand dunes miles out along the road to Oman, to the top of the Burj Khalifa.
After a lovely breakfast at Paul's cafe on 'The Walk' we set off across the city to the Meydan racecourse, it is an amazing place, with an hotel and racecourse combined.
If you booked a room overlooking the winning post you could sit on the balcony and watch the Dubai Gold Cup while sipping champagne, that's if you could afford champagne after paying for the room.. Lol
One saving grace is that you wouldn't lose a any money on the horses as there is no gambling in Dubai, well no official gambling.
Btw I forgot to mention that the temperature at this time was about 40°C, so hot that in just about 5 minutes of taking pictures my camera was red hot.
As it was a blisteringly hot morning we then drove about 70km out in to the desert to see the sand dunes, as you do... Lol.
Then we drove back to the city, and stopped at the Dubai Co-op for some provisions, and Maz's favourite freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, which I must admit is beautiful.
Then it was off to the Burj al Arab, famously known as the sail hotel, for some photos.
Next to the Burj al Arab is an other hotel, who's name I can't remember, but it has a beautiful souk and canals like a small Venice but with little dhows to take hotel guests from the souk to various parts of the hotel.
Later that evening we went to the Burj Khalifa for our trip to the top, which we had booked online before we came away.
After a bit of a nightmare getting a parking space we met up with Ken and Denise for our ride to the top.
Well I say the top, it's actually the 126th floor, the Burj goes up a further 12 or 13 floors.
Anyway the view from the 'top' is brilliant, you can see the whole of Dubai and beyond.
When you think that only 20 or so years ago most of what you can see as a massive sprawling city, was just desert.
It makes the whole thing that much more unbelievable.
After the Burj, Ken and Denise went back to their hotel, as they had been sight seeing all day and they were knackered.
Maz, Sue, Sheila and I went down to watch the dancing waters, then to a lovely restaurant in the Souk Al Bahar and had some more amazing Arabic food.
I must say that the food we've been having has been brilliant.
Last year our hotel was in the old town and we had all our meals in the hotel.
It was OK but it was English food and not the traditional Arabic food we've been having this time.
When we got back to the apartment it was straight to bed as it had been a long, but brilliant day.Læs mere