Dubai, the man made miracle, the city that never sleeps, the land of glitzy dreams, a rich man’s haven, where money is the local lingo ….
But fikar not, aam aadmi, some delights in the UAE come cheap & easy; Sit back, fasten your seat belts & allow yours truly, to whisk you away on a tour of the Emirates, janta ishtyle:
The tallest building in the world, the magnificent Burj Khalifa, which attained Hollywood status, with MI4 &Tom Cruise scaling its unbelievable heights; free, unlimited viewing by day or night – never fails to take my breath away!
Cruise along the stunning Dubai creek & Dubai harbour, in the only way it’s meant to be enjoyed – an abra ride! An abra is a small motorised water taxi, which used to be the main mode of transport, years ago & still sustains, survives & excites – for the princely price of a couple of dhirams, row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream ….
Dubai’s little sister, the pretty city of Alain, is home to a Guinness world record holding garden – apna “Alain Hanging Gardens”! It achieved permanent residence in the record books, for the highest number of hanging flower baskets … & I attained adulthood, without realising, that such a category existed! A visual treat, a great photo opportunity & your heart will really go ‘garden garden’! Entry – totally free!!! Just remember, the flowers bloom only for a month or so, in the spring!
First day, First show for movies – it happens only in the UAE! The movie buff’s paradise, where excitement is to check new releases on Thursday morning & watch ‘em before the rest of the world;
Food glorious Food! Even Oliver Twist can ask for “more” – you can pick up a wholesome & delicious Lebanese sandwich, feast your Indian souls on Gujju Thalis, South Indian fare, mouth-watering chatpata chaat, the best shawarmas in the world ….. for under 10dhs! For a little more, the world is your dining table, doston! You name the cuisine, UAE has it! Need to take a break now, because I am suddenly feeling hungry!!
UAE’s answer to Hyde Park & Central Park – ek, do, teen … lush green strips of heaven, scattered all over the Emirates, which beckon you to take long walks, chill with a book, have picnics ... you get the idea – simply enjoy! Most have free entry, but a select few, charge a couple or more dhirams; total paisa vasool!
Sure, Dubai Mall houses some of the best stores in the world, but I head straight for Book World by Kinokuniyastar – a treasure trove of the best literature in the whole of the Middle East; cheap skates like me, sometime don’t even buy – the store encourages you to kick off your shoes, sit down in a cosy corner & read – oooh, rows of glossy magazines, books, ripe for the picking … my little oasis in desert country & a day well spent!
A hop, skip & jump away from Dubai, is big brother Abu Dhabi; solid, soaked in culture & scenic, with its long, blue stretch of Corniche (where moi lives & the view from my living room is divine!);the awe inspiring Grand Mosque, which you can take a tour of, without coughing up a dime;
free concerts on the beach; the magnificent Emirates Palace Hotel; the action packed culture diary, which recently included a week-long celebration of Charles Dickens on film –
a surreal & exquisite opportunity – totally free, a gift of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival;
Much has been written about the fabulous Yas Marina circuit, which hosts the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – the tickets for the season are a whopper; but once a week, the circuit is open to the public at large, where you can go for an evening walk, jog, rent a bicycle, or simply soak up the circuit vibe, yep, FOC!
Where else will you find air conditioned bus stops, a store called “No Name” selling Arabic Abayas, or a sweet shop, inappropriately titled “Butt Sweet House”?!
The Emirates beckon, on a shoe string budget …
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