Three Towns Forum

Members' Lounge => Travel => Topic started by: hollins on November 27, 2011, 05:42:08 pm

Title: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 27, 2011, 05:42:08 pm
I have been shopping today.......in Dubai!
Here are a few snaps of things which you can see and do in a Dubai mall including ice skating and skiing.
Crazy but fun!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 27, 2011, 05:44:16 pm
A few more.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Hugo on November 29, 2011, 03:31:05 pm
It must be an incredible experience to see all that Hollins, if you're staying at the Burj Al Arab Hotel I'll be even more envious of your holiday.          ;D
Hope that you enjoy your stay out there.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 29, 2011, 04:49:15 pm
Thanks Hugo. No I  am not at the Burj!
I am at the Royal Mirage. It is hard to imagine the bad weather you are having over there. It has been 30 degrees and blue skies here today. Here is a lunch photo, sorry everyone!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Blodyn on November 30, 2011, 10:20:16 am
Looks a nice lunch, Hollins (rather better than my cheese sandwich). 

The snow scene seems a bit bizarre amongst all that sun and sand!

Have a lovely time - don't worry about us here in the cold, gales and rain!   ;D
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on December 17, 2011, 01:29:15 pm
I thought this comparison might be of interest.
I have just found this photo of the beach at what now is the Royal Mirage Hotel in Dubai.
I took it in 1996 when there was nothing there.
The second photo is what it looked like about a year ago.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 21, 2012, 05:18:03 pm
I am on my annual trip to Dubai.
I had lunch at the Rivington Grill and they gave me Welsh bottled water.....how daft is that!
Then I popped into Waitrose,(yes Waitrose and a really big store too) and admired the selection of about 10 different kinds of mango.
Then up in the lift to to the 123rd floor of Burj Khalifa and then down again to watch the dancing fountains doing their bit to the sound of Lou Reed.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: DaveR on November 21, 2012, 07:48:10 pm
The looking down photo is very impressive!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 21, 2012, 08:12:05 pm
Hi DaveR, The building that I am looking down on in the middle of the lake is the hotel where I am staying.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Travelbat on November 23, 2012, 01:50:21 pm
Hey Hollins,

I greatly enjoy travelling, Dubai has been a little ouf of my reach still, but your images prove me that I should finally make those plans a reality.

That image of the waterall is great. Am I correct in guessing, that they keep the statues of the divers in such position by having some sort of connection towards the wall behind the waterfall coming from their chest, or is there any other method used? You may not have looked at it this closely, but you were closer to them, thus I was wondering  ;D

Thank you for sharing these!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Yorkie on November 23, 2012, 04:05:41 pm
You can see the supports on the two figures on the extreme left of the picture.   ZXZ
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on November 23, 2012, 04:08:20 pm
Hi travelbat and welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do but it is rather addictive.
I am glad you liked the divers in front of the fountain. I think that is my favourite bit. I think you must be right about the supports although it is very cleverly done.
Here is another photo which I took yesterday.
I have had a very unusual day for me today. I went to the pictures and saw Skyfall which was very entertaining. Not been to the cinema for years!
Then tonight i bought myself a bag of pecan popcorn and sat and ate it watching the fountains. This girl knows how to live it up!
My photos are hopeless of them though, where's DaveR when you need him?
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Travelbat on November 23, 2012, 05:44:24 pm
Hi hollins,

Thank you for the upload which is even better! I understand this being located in some shopping mall, maybe  not the bestest of the places for such creative composition in my opinion, however I am certain that it does attract visitors. Being an amateur photographer I try to take a photo everyday, and can only image the possibilities where you are now. How do you even find time for a movie, I would spend all my time just soaking all of the different surroundings into me (BTW, I thought that Casino Royale was slightly better than this version of Bondiana). Keep on snapping!

Yorkie - thank you for noticing! My laptop was not exactly in the perfect settings to see that side of the photo, now I got it...it's just so eye catching. I guess I could spend the entire time observing it while my fiance is shopping  :laugh:
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Fester on December 03, 2012, 04:46:16 pm
Now will you believe me when I tell you that Tick is merely spamming the Forum??  &shake&

...and wasting my time too.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: DaveR on December 03, 2012, 05:45:31 pm
Now will you believe me when I tell you that Tick is merely spamming the Forum??  &shake&

...and wasting my time too.
You have plenty of time to waste....  :P
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Michael 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
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: DaveR on December 12, 2013, 10:58:17 am
Looks a spectacular place, H.  $good$
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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/ (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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Blongb 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.  $sunny$
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Blongb 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 (http://www.dubaiasitusedtobe.com/menuimagegallery.shtm)
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Blongb 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.  $walesflag$
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: craigollerton 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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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 (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 (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.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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 (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/middleeast/dubai/11133811/Dubai-old-and-new-incredible-pictures-of-the-changing-skyline.html?frame=3066397)
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins 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!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on December 12, 2015, 03:05:29 pm
Balloon fly past today.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on December 15, 2015, 12:33:56 pm
Dubai xmas style!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on April 01, 2016, 11:04:15 am
Ideal weather for a roast beef lunch. Only problem is I am in Dubai. Hope you are all enjoying that lovely Welsh sunshine!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on April 01, 2016, 11:07:01 am
Sorry about upside down photo. Trying to be clever with my phone! Maybe Ian could turn it around for me please?



Glad to help! Ian
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Hugo on April 01, 2016, 11:10:14 am
That wine must be pretty strong over there Hollins to take a photo like that!     ZXZ
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on April 01, 2016, 11:21:16 am
I was expecting that comment! I would be bankrupt to get that drunk at the wine prices over here. Had one glass= 80 AED = £16! Cheers!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Hugo on April 01, 2016, 01:21:48 pm
I hope that you made it last a long time at those prices.      :o

Enjoy the rest of your holiday and bring some sunshine back with you.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Nemesis on April 01, 2016, 02:09:18 pm
Ideal weather for a roast beef lunch. Only problem is I am in Dubai. Hope you are all enjoying that lovely Welsh sunshine!

Perishing cold and windy here. Sausage and Mash on our table tonight. Would that do? ;D
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on April 01, 2016, 02:22:22 pm
Sausage and mash sounds great but I am full up with a roast beef lunch thank you. Friday is their Sunday here and a traditional Sunday (Friday) lunch was on the menu so how could I resist!
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Hugo on April 01, 2016, 03:31:19 pm
Are you sure that it was roast Beef out there  Hollins?     
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: hollins on April 01, 2016, 03:36:37 pm
It certainly looked and tasted like it. It was yummy with Yorkshires and horseradish sauce.
Title: Re: Dubai
Post by: Hugo on April 01, 2016, 04:00:49 pm
Sounds really nice Hollins, I'm pleased that you're enjoying the food out there