Dhow Trip at Dubai Marina

February 10, 2009

Our weekends in December and January were jam-packed with activities.  Partly because my sister was staying in town for a month and partly because I felt that I needed to have more activities.  I’d already listed several things including go karting, paintball, airsoft, hot air balloon, desert safari, quad bike safari, scuba diving, etc, etc.

 

Anyway these pictures were taken on a Dhow, a traditional Arabian boat.  There’s a lot of places where you can go on a Dhow but this one specifically starts from the Dubai Marina, goes out into the ocean just outside one of the fronds of the Palm Jumeirah and then back.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour and costs about 30 dirhams per person, I think.

 

You don’t really do anything but sit down and have a few drinks.  For the price, it’s something I would actually recommend if you’re just looking to pass the time and relax.  Would have been great if they had sheisha on board.  The Dhow trips on the Dubai Creek may be more worthwhile though if you want to actually see something other than buildings and water.  There’re also night trips which cost about 150 AED and come with a full dinner.

 

Sean happily pointing

 

Orin with Bianca and Sean in the background

 

 

Family Pic

 

Orin again

 

Another Dhow

 

This is probably Jumeirah Beach

 

A speedboat hauling some tourists

 

Parasailing - I’ll do this some day before leaving Dubai

 

The latest victims of the real estate bubble?

 

The Dubai Marina

 

Dubai Marina

Here’s another trip, this time to the famously posh Dubai Marina, which at one time was also infamous for its sewage-infested waters.

 

Here just a smidge of that sewage I was talking about.

 

Part of the Marina skyline around dusk 

 

The same skyline in the early evening

 

From another angle 

 

Just some fountain

 

The following are pictures of Sean and Orin being all giddy about the fountain.

 

 

Souk al Bahar

February 5, 2009

This is my only my second trip to Souk Al Bahar in the Old Town, right next to the Burj Dubai.  There’s really nothing to go there for except for some very limited shopping and eating - especially with the Dubai Mall literally just next door.

 

As usual, I took the opportunity to take some pictures of what currently is the world’s tallest man-made structure.  I envy the photographer, who just today, was featured in the papers for being the first one to take pictures from the summit.

 

 

 

The Burj Dubai

 

 The leaning tower..

 

Sean looks like he’s just coming out of the pot

 

A lot of construction is still under way, the Burj is set to open at the end of the year

 

I hope they have a viewing deck

New Year 2009

Just some shots of our New Year celebration in Dubai.

 

The boys in their cool outfits

 

Orin giving Sean a hug 

 

Orin kissing Sean 

 

 

The Vidals and Lancins