Author Topic: Dubai  (Read 20111 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2013, 05:03:17 am »
Had a rather surreal experience last night. I went for a meal in a restaurant on the Palm. I remember watching the ships laden with huge rocks dumping them in to the sea to make the Palm. I remember thinking how can that work?
I suppose this is the answer....here are some photos of the present skyline and my transport for the evening.

Offline Michael

  • Ad Free Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1623
Re: Dubai
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2013, 10:10:55 am »
I flew right over the whole area of Dubai about six weeks ago. It took quite a time, over fifteen minutes at a guess. But despite good visibility and just about daylight I couldn't make out the palm, nor see the highest building in the world. I suppose we were too high


Offline DaveR

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 13712
Re: Dubai
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2013, 10:58:17 am »
Looks a spectacular place, H.  $good$

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2013, 02:50:23 pm »
ormegolf, Here is a photo I took of the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa as the sun was setting.

http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/

DaveR, Yes there are some amazing sights but it isn't everyone's cup of tea. One of my main reasons for coming is the gorgeous weather at this time of year. Couldn't stand it in the summer though.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #19 on: March 27, 2014, 04:47:32 pm »
Back from my latest jaunt so here are a few snaps which maybe of interest. I stayed on the palm this time for the second part of my stay.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2014, 04:54:30 pm »
Here are 3 more, an antique shop, more flash cars and trying to sweep the rain away yesterday morning.
On the way to the airport the road signs were flashing, "Reduce your speed and watch out for water ponds."
The roads were badly flooded. I don't think they have grids.

Offline Blongb

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 1077
  • I love living in Llandudno.
Re: Dubai
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2014, 07:15:55 pm »
Its changed just a bit from when I first went out there in 1969 Hollins. In those days there were only two Hotels, The Bushtan which was out by the old Airport and the Carlton which was on Deira Creek just in front of the Gold Souq. To get back to Sharjah where I was stationed, you left the back of Deira and chose one of the three sand tracks. It didn't matter which one they all finished up at the same place. What a difference 45 years can make.  $sunny$
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #22 on: March 27, 2014, 07:40:32 pm »
Have you ever been back Blongb?
Our memories only go back as far as the early 1990's. My husband remembers the time when the World Trade Centre was the only building on the other side of the creek. I wish I had taken more photos then because the then and now ones are so interesting.
Here is mine from 1996 on Jumeirah beach with the Hilton hotel in the distance. The next two photos are of the same Hilton hotel taken this week but now shrouded in skyscrapers. I don't know if you can see the big screen near the hotel but that was showing English premiership football at the time of the photo.
Do you have any old photos Blongb? It would be fascinating to see them if you had.

Offline Blongb

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 1077
  • I love living in Llandudno.
Re: Dubai
« Reply #23 on: March 28, 2014, 02:59:03 pm »
Have you ever been back Blongb?
Do you have any old photos Blongb? It would be fascinating to see them if you had.

Hi Hollins

I passed through in June and July 1978 and spent the night with work colleagues in Deira both going out and returning from Australia.
 
In December 1978 I collected a Helicopter that had come off contract with the Dubai Petroleum Company which was in a thousand pieces. I put it back together over the next two weeks and then flew with my pilot to deliver it to Indonesia.
 
Just transited the Airport during a transfer back to Manchester from Bangkok in December 2009

Called in and spent a day exploring during our Cruise to Singapore on the Oriana in January 2012

Can’t help with my pictures of Dubai all tucked away somewhere but this might help

http://www.dubaiasitusedtobe.com/menuimagegallery.shtm
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #24 on: March 28, 2014, 04:35:42 pm »
Thank you for the link. I will have a good look later. You must have had a very interesting job Blongb.

Offline Blongb

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 1077
  • I love living in Llandudno.
Re: Dubai
« Reply #25 on: March 28, 2014, 06:29:22 pm »
Aviation was a wonderful mistress, for 32 years. She took me to some very interesting place around the world but I gave it all up to run a small hotel with my lovely wife, on the Promenade at Llandudno and never rerated it for a minute.  $walesflag$
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

craigollerton

  • Guest
Re: Dubai
« Reply #26 on: August 01, 2014, 11:08:15 pm »
The Burj is a truly remarkable feat of engineering. There is talk of it being able to go higher than currently. I've only transited in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but saw it from above not quite the same I know. How much time would you recommend to get a broad sense of the place and see a good handful of its attractions? Maybe I can stop there longer next time.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #27 on: August 02, 2014, 10:29:01 am »
It is a difficult question to answer. A lot depends on your interests and what time of the year you are going. 
For a first time I would suggest exploring the old and the new in two areas.
The old being the souks on either side of the creek and the new being what they call the Downtown area which includes the Burj Khalifa, Fountain show and Dubai Mall.
A good place for info is the tripadvisor Dubai forum.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g295424-i872-Dubai_Emirate_of_Dubai.html
Here is a description of a walk around the Old Town by a contributor on there.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g295424-i872-k6625955-A_Jaunt_Through_Old_Dubai-Dubai_Emirate_of_Dubai.html
If you were stopping over in Abu Dhabi I would recommend a visit to the mosque there.

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #28 on: October 09, 2014, 05:00:42 pm »
The changes to Dubai were being discussed on here in March by myself and Blongb. Here is an article with some interesting pictures on that subject.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/middleeast/dubai/11133811/Dubai-old-and-new-incredible-pictures-of-the-changing-skyline.html?frame=3066397

Offline hollins

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 3411
Re: Dubai
« Reply #29 on: December 11, 2015, 12:14:59 pm »
Dubai Xmas festivities, all a bit surreal listening to "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" and being offered mince pies in bright sun and 25 degrees!