Dubai Keeps Raising the Bar

Where the World Expo 2020 Will Be Held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai has multi-lingual robot police officers on duty. BBC News has a full report on it here "Robot Police Officer Goes on Duty in Dubai" So in Dubai, you can go up to a robot police officer to report a crime or pay fine. You can even get information from the touch screen computer on his chest. I wish we had this in the USA. The streets are safer because the robots are broadcasting what is happening to the police command and control center. I've lived in Manhattan, and I can say for sure, New York has nothing on Dubai. 

EXPO 2020 in Dubai

Dubai will be the Host City of the 2020 World Expo. What is the World Expo? You may have heard of the world's first expo held in London during the Industrial Revolution in the year 1851.

A Look Inside the Set Up for The World Expo: Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2020

At that time, Prince Albert came up with the idea to create and host this world event in order to showcase the economic and industrial power might and expertise of London at that time. There have been a little over 30 World Expos since then. Nations all over the world put in their bid to win the honor to be the host of the World Expo and in 2013, the BIE (Bureau of International des Expositions) in Paris awarded the United Arab Emirates to be the national host of the next World Expo. Naturally, Dubai is the city of choice in the UAE to hold the event. 

Where the World Expo 2020 Will Be Held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The World Expo starts on October 20, 2020 and ends April 10, 2021. This is an event the brightest and most creative minds in the world will not want to miss. This is a platform for the most cutting edge ideas to be shared and showcase for the newest technologies. I would start booking a hotel and flights for this event well ahead of time. 

DUBAI TESTS DRIVER-LESS HOVER TAXI

Driver-less Hover Taxi in Dubai, United Arab Emirates Test Flight Sept 2017

Still not convinced Dubai is the state of the of the future? In September of 2017, Dubai has successfully completed a test run of its driver-less hover taxi. This is basically a drone cab ride you can take around the state of Dubai. How does it fly? A German company called Volocopter created this drone that has 18 rotors run on electricity. It can fly for 30 minutes at a time and goes about 62 miles per hour. Those who are a bit afraid to try it can feel reassured because the drone cab comes with an emergency parachute just in case. 

7D Hologram Show in Dubai

Here's something I didn't get a chance to see myself while in Dubai simply because I didn't hear about it until I came back. I'm sure the video doesn't do it proper justice but even so, it is quite amazing. We did see a hologram in the Dubai Airport. There is a hologram of a customer service Emirati man dressed in traditional head gear and thobe. That was really cool to see, even for us adults. 

ASIDE FROM THE TECHNOLOGY, I TRULY LOVE DUBAI'S BEACHES

I had been hearing about this amazing dream land called Dubai for about 10 years now. 

If you're like me, you've poured over YouTube videos of the Burj Khalifa, gold souks (markets), The Dubai Fountain (water fountain show), camel rides and the amazing beaches with starry eyes. It seemed like such a far away place and impossible to get to. All that changed for me in 2016. On my second Umrah (visit to Makkah, Saudi Arabia), I flew Emirates Airlines so that I could see Dubai. I spent about a week there before going to Makkah, Saudi Arabia

In short, yes, Dubai is a fantastic family destination. I still picture myself on that beach, feeling the warm waters push and pull me in an endless ebb and flow. 
I'm still looking through that clear water down at my feet move over the soft sand of Dubai's beach. When I think of Dubai, my mind always goes to the beach.

UMM SUQEIM BEACH

We found out that if you go to a Umm Suqeim Beach, which is north of the Burj Al-Arab, you will see roughly 80% of the people are wearing clothes. This is important for a typical Muslim family. If you're not familiar with the Burj Al-Arab, it is one of Dubai's most iconic hotels out on the water. This is where you will see Arabs, Africans and many others but the majority of the people on this beach are definitely from the Indian subcontinent/Bangladesh/Pakistan. Umm Suqeim Beach has this rubbery walk way where you can go for a jog, public bathrooms and showers to get the sand off your clothes and my favorite, Filli Tea and Talk.

Filli Tea and Talk is such a popular place.There are more than a few locations around Dubai. So I was delighted to see a smaller version of itself at the beach. You can get all kinds of drinks and snacks like a refreshing mint and lime smoothie or a hot cup of Karak Chai with a couple of delicious potato samosas.

DUBAI MARINA BEACH

One day, we decided to check out the beach near the Dubai Marina. The scene was beautiful. There are amazing shops everywhere, a huge white sandy beach with a backdrop of futuristic towers. When we walked out onto the beach, we were pretty stunned by the beauty of the scene. The colors are all so vivid, contrary to the the typical pale washed out beach scene we imagine in America. I took a picture of the camel on the beach with the gorgeous towers behind it and I still can't believe I took that picture with my cell phone.

It seems that most of the people on the Dubai Marina Beach are European travelers who may be staying in the hotels at the Dubai Marina. Whereas the people on Umm Suqeim Beach looked more like people who lived and worked in Dubai. For example, my sons made friends with a dark haired Irish man at Umm Suqeim. He had been living in Dubai for about 12 years already. The rest of the people really looked like they are the working class of Dubai.


Either beach you go to, you will notice that no one is tripping (caring) about how you look, dress, what color your skin is, what language you speak or where you're from. So whether you are black, white or anything in between, any beach in Dubai will be comfortable for you. ***For Muslims travelling to the beaches, I think you will be more comfortable at Umm Suqeim Beach because people are more clothed. My sons were a bit uncomfortable seeing so many people's behinds hanging out of their bathing suits. My oldest son cringed a couple times and asked my how anyone can be so comfortable so naked. Needless to say, after we patted the camel and took in the scene, we left.
A couple notes about Dubai Marina Beach, you will find a lot of fun activities here. You can take a camel ride along the beach, go water jet pack surfing, rent a kayak, beach chairs and much more.

THE DUBAI MALL, DUBAI FOUNTAIN AND THE BURJ KHALIFAH

The Dubai Mall is another winner. Don't be surprised to see Porches, Bentleys and Lamborghinis parked out front. If you love frozen yogurt in the States, you'll be happy to see familiar places like Yogurt Zone and other American restaurants half way across the world in the mall. If you or your kids feel like roller skating, there's an enormous skating rink inside the Dubai Mall. There's a beautiful aquarium in the mall and plenty of shopping. Just a bit on the shopping, if you have a lot of money to drop, this is definitely your place. All the high end stores are here. I'm including video clips I shot at the mall for you to see what I mean. My favorite section of the mall is called the SOUK. Its like you walk into this Arabian palace style shopping area. The gold shops inside really make you feel like Queen Sheba or Bilquis as she is known in Arabic.

Five Guys is also at the Dubai Mall but the meat is all Halal/Zabiha (slaughtered by Islamic Standards and much healthier)! After you have your Five Guys Burger, you've got to step out to see the Dubai Fountain. This water show is amazing. I can't say if it is more beautiful at night with the haze in the sky in front of the Burj Khalifah twinkling its lights in the background, or in the day with that beautiful enormous sun hanging there in the sky and the coral blue of the water in front of you. Just go see it at both times!

The Dubai Mall is right there with the Burj Khalifah which is itself another wonder of Dubai. It stands majestically as a tower among towers. It is currently the tallest building in the world. At night, it truly looks magical. They turn on these beautiful different colored lights and it twinkles as if there are stars all over it. Honestly, I had never seen a city so beautiful in my life. I'm from New York. I lived in Manhattan, so skyscrapers and bright lights are nothing new to me. This is different. When you step out of the mall in front of the Burj Khalifah twinkling at night with the water dancing gracefully to Celine Dion and you look around and see Black, White, and Brown people from all over the world smiling and enjoying the show, it really does overtake you. It is truly a beautiful place where everyone is welcome and enjoying themselves. 

WHERE TO EAT IN DUBAI

Okay, let's talk a little more about food.  You can find some things that are home in the US but they will taste 100 times better in Dubai. KFC's chicken in Dubai is truly finger lickin' good. I won't even go near that place in the States because I'm not into eating GMO chicken made in a petri dish. Sorry!

I'm someone who doesn't allow my family to eat at McDonald s but I let the kids try a halal burger in Dubai and they loved it. My absolute favorite food in the world is Indian food. So we found this amazing place. Hands down, it is the best Indian restaurant I've ever been to besides this special place in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

The ambiance, service and taste of the food just can't get any better than this place. It's called the Clay Pot. We had butter chicken, a leg of lamb and a few other items. Let me just say, there is no shortage of restaurants in Dubai. If you're in the mood for Italian or Chinese, you can easily find that as well. The best part is, you don't even have to go out to eat. You can get just about everything from restaurant food to fast food delivered to you on one of these little motor bikes you will see buzzing in and out of traffic. The fact is, the only issue is choosing what kind of food you want and how much you want to spend. If you're looking for seafood, I'd try Aprons & Hammers on Al Sufouh Road.

DRINKS IN DUBAI: 

My favorite drink in Dubai is camel milk. Camel milk is my favorite kind of milk. I fell in love with it unexpectedly on my first trip overseas in 2014 which I will tell you more about in another post all about Camel Milk. After camel milk, my favorite is a Strawberry Watermelon iced drink from Filli Tea and Talk. If you come to Dubai, you have to come to this chill spot. We went 4 or 5 times at night. We always sat outside to drink our favorite fruit juice drink and have a couple of piping hot samosas.
We are a Muslim family so we don't drink alcohol. Tourists who want to drink that can only do it in a place that is attached to their hotel. You can't drink in public.

DESERT SAFARI: DUNE BASHING, SUNSET IN THE DESERT, BELLY-DANCER, TANOURA DANCER, CAMEL RIDES, ARABIAN BUFFET, HOOKAH, SAND SURFING





You just have to experience this. While we were staying at the Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, a staff member mentioned this Desert Safari excursion where for about $55 USD per person, you will be picked up from the hotel and taken out to the desert where you will stay for a few hours.









You will enjoy the sunset out in the desert and dune bashing. Then they take deeper out into the desert to a camp spot where they have a nice outdoor set up for the evening. So you'll have a delicious Arabian buffet. 


They have a tanoura dancer who wears this double skirt outfit that lights up. It's actually pretty cool to see. A belly-dancer is also part of the show at some point. They have hookah for those that are into that type of thing. I passed on that. There's someone who will do henna for you, take beautiful pictures of you dressed up like an Arabian (they provide the clothes), lots of cute trinkets to buy, Sand Surfing station, and camel riding at night.

  It's so cool, I hope I didn't leave anything out. I did ride a camel. It wasn't scary at all. I will say you don't realize how tall those animals are until you're on one. My kids thought this was the most amazing part of the trip. It really is cheap for all you get. One of the merchants there gave me an I Love Dubai bag that I was eyeing for free after I bought my kids some Dubai hats. It was a great experience, I definitely recommend it.

                                                 ATLANTIS

We did not have it in our budget to spend a day at Atlantis but we had to go see it up close at least. We could see it from the Metro (Train) ride; it truly is a destination in itself. So we took a drive up to Atlantis. I would liken the drive along Palm of Jumeirah to how a child feels as he/she is driving up to Magic Kingdom at Disney in Florida. 

It is dreamy and beautiful. We were able to walk into the hotel itself and check out a few areas. You're immediately met with high end shops and hotel staff making sure no one wanders into the general areas of the hotel. Just outside is the beautiful beach and some seafood food trucks so you can sit down and eat along the beach. Next time, I'd try to budget to stay there for at least one night.

RIDE THE DUBAI METRO (TRAIN)

For a girl who grew up riding the Subways of New York in the 80's, this train was out of this world. The first thing you'll notice is the station itself. The entry way looks so futuristic. This is nothing like my walk-up to the Subway from Elmhurst Ave in Flushing, Queens! Anyway, the colors go right with the skyscrapers. It looks more like something out of a Star Wars movie than a train station.

When you go inside, everything is more modern and cleaner than anything I've seen in the US. So you pay for tickets with a credit card and hop on. Once you're on the train, if you pay attention, you will notice there are ever so quiet train attendants who make absolutely sure everyone is behaving. So don't expect to see people drunk, yelling or cursing anyone out for being from the wrong country or harassing women like so many YouTube videos uploaded from various public transportation across America.

Let me tell you a quick story about something we witnessed on this train. So we all got on the train just to get a different view of Dubai. The train car we were in was pretty empty at first so we all sat down. There was one man sitting across from us on the long bench-like seat. The train stopped and an Indian woman wearing traditional Indian clothing (a saree), walked into our car. A train attendant saw that a man was on that bench that could seat about 10 people and made him get up so that one lady could sit on it alone.

We were shocked. This is how much women are respected. If you are a woman, you won't even have to share a huge space with a man. No, that man will ride the train standing up while you sit so that he is no where near you, leaving no chance for him to harass you or speak to you in any kind of a way. I mean we have never seen anything like that. In America, 10 men will be sitting while women are standing and no one will get up. As far as harassment goes in America, you already know!

WHAT ARE ACCEPTABLE CLOTHING IN DUBAI? WHAT CAN I AND CAN'T I WEAR?

Well, let me be blunt. I saw a blonde gay man with tiny cut-off jean shorts sashaying right passed security at the Dubai Mall. In the alley behind my hotel, I saw a tall Barbie looking European woman in a tiny dress walking freely with no fear at all as if she was strolling down the street. Obviously, she ain't from NY because I don't care where I am, I'm never walking down a shadowy alley by myself. My point is, no one is going to bother you here. You will see Arab women wearing black abayas, the traditional long loose black dress of the Arabs and Philippine women in mini skirts. But what you won't see, is men whistling or harassing women in any way.

I've never seen a place where everyone is completely comfortable being who they are, and I'm from America. Go figure. Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about the weather. It is really hot in Dubai. If you go in the Spring or Winter, it is really tolerable. Their spring is between the 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 

It's warm enough to swim everyday. The summers are hot like you are sitting on the surface of the sun. The air conditioners everywhere are turned down so low, that you will need to keep a light jacket for when you walk into buildings.

WHAT WILL GET ME ARRESTED IN DUBAI?

Extra-marital sex
Public display of affection
Flipping someone the bird and other obscene gestures
Cursing at people
Harassing women in any kind of a way
Video taping police and citizen incidents and posting to social media
Drinking alcohol outside of designated areas
Drugs
Sharing a hotel room with someone from the opposite sex who is not a family member or spouse

SHOULD I RENT A CAR OR TAKE A TAXI?

I strongly suggest you rent a car to save money. I have been to Dubai twice. The first time, I took a taxi everywhere. You might think like I did at first. Hey, the taxi ride is convenient, cheap and this way I won't get lost. Well, I found out the hard way that those taxi rides add up. My taxi bill was at least $30 a day- not a smart way to spend your money. The second trip to Dubai, I rented a car. So, my husband rented a car at the airport easier and faster than we have done in the States. They have car rental companies that we are familiar with in the US like Hertz, Budget, Avis, Dollar Rental and more. You can rent a car for about $25 USD a day. Trust me, your taxi bill will end up being higher than that. All you need to show is your US Drivers Licence. You don't need a special licence. By the way, they drive on the same side of the road as Americans. But how they drive is a bit different from us. Which brings me to the next topic, driving in Dubai.

DRIVING IN DUBAI

So they drive a bit different in Dubai. They can drive fast during the busiest time of day on the busiest roads. This one fast paced city. There's a lot going on and everyone is trying to get to it. There is a lot of businesses here, people rushing off to work, people commuting into Dubai etc so people just don't have time for all that slow pokin' around. You will see people weaving in and out of lanes like you never seen before. They come to very fast stops and jump right in front of you. It can be a bit tense but after a couple days, you get accustomed to it. The good news is I didn't see any accidents. It's more like a well orchestrated symphony. However, I noticed when you're driving on the roads that run along the beach, or anywhere not during rush hour, it is pretty calm. 

I didn't see the aggression and road rage you see in the States. I don't know if they all had some kind of stunt driver training but they drive fast and efficiently over there as opposed to a more reckless, rubbernecking too-busy-texting-to-look-before-I-change-lanes  and  let-me-blow-your-head-off-for-cutting-me-off kind of driving you see in the US. Yep, it's different. But you will adjust pretty easily.

RADIO STATIONS

It was so nice to get off the plane, hop into the rental car and listen to the Quran on the radio! You can check it out online here: Quran Kareem in Dubai. That was amazing. There are also Indian (Bollywood) radio stations, Arabic of course and some English stations like this one: English Radio Stations in Dubai.

KALEMAH INSTITUTE

One of the people my family loves to listen to for Islamic lectures Muhammad Tim Humble. He works at Kalemah Institute in Dubai. He is a revert to Islam from Britain and a graduate of the University of Madinah. He has a clear speaking voice and some great lectures on various topics you can watch for free on YouTube. I love his series on the Names of Allah.

THERE ARE MASAJID EVERYWHERE

Anywhere you go, whether you are at the mall, strolling along the beach or in the Souks, you will hear multiple adhans echoing from masajid in the neighborhood or over the loud speaker inside the mall. If you're in the mall, there are separate musallas for women and men. The adhan at the DUBAI MALL is quite beautiful, I must admit. We were out gazing at the scene by the Dubai Fountain when the adhan went on. It's mesmerizing.

DUBAI's DXB AIRPORT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AIRPORT I'VE EVER SEEN!

Forget everything you have ever experienced in an American Airport. DXB, the Dubai Airport, is a destination in itself. You will find musallahs for men and women to pray in and a long list of places to eat and relax. Here are just a few of the restaraunts/ eateries in the airport. Get there a few hours early before your flight out and explore!

Some of the Eateries/Restaraunts at Dubai Airport (DXB)
CNN Traveller
Coldstone
Thai Express
Jones the Grocer
Taqado Mexican Kitchen
The Noodle House
Baskin Robins
Bombay Chowpatti
Burger King
Subway
Mary Brown
Chowking Orient Restaraunt
Cafe Nero Coffee Shop
Starbucks
O'Briens
Taste of India
Texas Chicken
The Rupee from Express
Shawarmanji
Rossovivo Artisan Pizza

WHAT ARE THE VISA REQUIREMENTS?

If you're a US Citizen travelling from the USA to Dubai, you don't need to make any VISA arrangements in advance. The process is so simple. You fly into Dubai and will get a VISA in the airport which will be valid for 30 days with a 10-day grace period. It is possible to get an extension up to 60 days from your date of entry into the United Arab Emirates.  It is not an intimidating process at all. In fact, the people who check your passport and give you the VISA are all dressed in gleaming white Emirati style head-wraps and thobes (long Arabian style dress). They are very friendly and quickly give you your VISA. Now Saudi is a different story. It is military style and quite intimidating. In my opinion, this is why Dubai is doing better with tourism than Saudi. 

WHAT TO WEAR IN DUBAI

For women, I strongly suggest you take into consideration the heat. The heat in Dubai is nothing like the heat in the US. Unless you lived in Arizona or Nevada where we have an intensly hot and dry desert like cliamate, this will be a new experience for you. I would wear light colors and cotton as much as possible. I made the mistake of wearing a silky long shirt and couldn't stop sweating. I would go for long dresses or tops with a long skirt. If you wear pants, get those very loose palazzo style pants in a cool cotton material. Think over your hijabs. Don't bring a thick hijab. Your head will be super hot. The Emirati men and women (natives of the United Arab Emirates) wear very thin material over their heads.

SHOES:

Bring comfortable walking shoes for the whole family, even the kids. Their feet will hurt too! At the beach, wear flip flops or sandals you don't really care about getting sandy.

BAGS:

Bring along bags that you can wear on your back so that you are not stuck walking all around with something to carry. Your kids can wear them too which will help. I love using those sport-packs with drawstrings for bags. Pack healthy snacks and water bottles for the day every time you go out. Fruit and protein bars, figs or fig cookies...whatever your family likes. Just imagine you are watching the sunset at Umm Suqeim Beach, it's beautiful, you're making dua, and you think to yourself, it just can't get any better than this. Then  your kids start hungry and agitated, whining and begging for something to eat or drink. Plan ahead and save yourself the headaches!

HOTELS:

BE WARNED! DON'T STAY AT THIS HOTEL!

EASY HOTEL AIN'T SO EASY!

There is a hotel we tried because it had okay reviews and the price was amazing. I thought to myself, "It can't be bad if its in Dubai because everything here is new and amazing." I was so wrong. The the hotel is called EASY HOTEL in an area of Dubai called Jebel Ali. Oh how I regret staying there! It was built like a prison. I'm not kidding. The rooms look like grey concrete walls and floors. They are so small, and really made me think this is the size of a room for a prisoner to stay in. The water smelled so bad, I would gag when I'd brush my teeth. There were brown stains from the water in the sink. Just take my advice, don't stay there. It is so far from everything too. You can't even get free WIFI at this place!

HOTELS IN DUBAI I STAYED AT AND LOVED

How do I choose my hotels? I use Booking.com. I've been using them for about 3 years now for my domestic and international travel. I prefer to use booking.com because I can trust what a 6,7,or 8 means. The guests are pretty spot on about their reviews. I always try to leave a review for others to benefit from.

Pearl Bay Marina Apartments

What I loved about it

-On Destination Location: This hotel is right on the Dubai Marina, a beautiful scene right outside your window. So there's a Marina where boats leisurely ride up and down. There is a beautiful walk way where you can take a boat ride up and down the marina. They have lunch and dinners on the boats. At night, its nice just to watch the little boats all lit up lazily moving up and down the marina. Check out the video I snapped on the Marina.

-Staff: The staff here are so sweet and professional. I can only praise the customer service here.

-Room: So the reason I would want to stay here again and again is that this is actually an apartment. So there is a kitchen equipped with eating and cooking utensils. This will save you some money while staying in Dubai if you can just grab some eggs and bread etc from the store around the corner. There is a microwave, stove top and fridge and even a washing machine and dryer for your clothes. The room and bathrooms is beautiful and clean. The bed is super comfortable and the view of the Marina at night is just dreamy!

-Buffet: We didn't even set foot into their restaraunt onsite but it sounds great. They are open from 7am to 7pm and serve breakfast, snacks sandwiches and deserts. Their restaurant boasts eating with a view of the beautiful marina.
What I didn't love about it

Nothing to say here. It's the bomb.

Golden Sands Hotel Apartments

What I loved about it

-Location:  The location of this hotel is near some great restaurants and 12 miles from Umm Suqeim Beach. The Clay Pot is nearby. Check out my pics and video from this place. I wish I could let you taste the curry and hot naan bread!

-Room: These are also hotel apartments. Staying in a larger hotel like one of these apartments makes it really difficult to go home. There is a fully functioning kitchen complete with a stove top, microwave, fridge kitchen sink. There's cupboards furnished with dishes, eating utensils, pots and pans. There's also a washer and dryer for your clothes. I love the built in wardrobes for your clothes. 

-Staff: The staff was very friendly. I did notice they let you run out of towels so you have to ask for more whereas other places stay on top of that situation better. Not a big deal for me though. They were very nice and prompt at getting you anything you asked for. 

-Buffet: We never even ventured into the restaurant area so I can't tell you about that. We chose to walk around the corner do fill our hotel with groceries. I cooked eggs and paratha  or naan every morning. We also had bread and fixings to make sandwiches with. I kept noodles soups and snacks handy in the room as well. For dinner, we just ate out every night. I have to show you the eggs though. I don't know why but in Dubai, they are a bright, beautiful orange and a little bigger than I'm used to. I don't know why but I can tell you they looked more appetizing and tasted delicious.

What I didn't love about it

The bed was not comfortable. It was making our backs hurt. The mattresses were just a bit too slim. That's the first time I've had an uncomfortable mattress in a hotel. I wrote that in my review on Booking.com so the hotel reached out to me and offered to give me an upgraded room next time I come to Dubai. So I would stay there again, I would just tell them to make sure I have a comfy bed. 

Orchid Vue Hotel

What I loved about it

-Location: This hotel is walking distance from restaurants and shopping. It feels like you are right in the thick of things. You are a short walk from a grocery store and the Dubai Metro (Train station). We walked across the street to the grocery store to stock up on drinks and snacks. For meals, we chose to walk around the neighborhood and eat at restaraunts. There's a mall across the street which had KFC, MacDonalds, Bryers Ice Cream and more. There are plenty of Indian and Chinese fast food restaraunts in that mall. I can't tell you how good KFC tastes overseas.

-Room: This room is so beautiful. They have a gorgeous purple and gold theme. There are beautiful mirrors in the room. Everything is modern and pretty. Extremely clean. 

-Staff: Very friendly. When we arrived to check in, they brought each of us a glass of mango juice on a silver tray. Can't say that's ever happened to me while checking into a hotel before.

What I didn't love about it

-Buffet: Not so good. They seemed to have a great deal to offer on the spread but for an American appetite, it wasn't very appetizing. I eat a variety of foods from other countries, but I think the issue is they tried to make an American or European style spread and it utterly failed. The meats just didn't look right. Sausage, cold cuts...uhhh I don't even want to think about it. They had some delicious dark wheat bread, lovely honey and jams so I made it off of toast. My family ate the omelette and was happy with that.

SHOPPING IN DUBAI:

There's no shortage of shopping options in Dubai. You can find pretty much everything you're looking for at the Dubai Mall or the Mall of the Emirates. However, there are some other options like the souks.

Dubai Gold Souk: Even if you're not shopping for gold, just go to see it.
Spice Souk: We did buy some spices in Dubai from here like star anise and saffron. It's an experience it itself. A merchant gave us some saffron in some hot water to try. He said it gives you energy.

Perfume Souk: Ohhh my husband bought some Arabian men's cologne called Black Oud. If you like Oud, you will love this one. Every time I smell it, I'm back in Dubai.

Overall, this is a great destination for families and single people from every race and creed. I hope you found this guide informative and helpful. If there is anything you want more information on or think I should add, please leave me a comment.


 

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