I’m feeling overwhelmed by what we have seen so far in Dubai. I didn’t really know what to expect from this city built in the desert, on the Arabian Gulf. We arrived in the early morning of Friday 25th and Ally and Cat hired a car and took us to the Frame. It’s such an impressively simple structure, golden in the morning light, towering over parkland filled with birdsong. It was a great way to look at the layout of the city, hazy with suspended sand in the atmosphere. Then we had lunch in our gorgeous Fairmont Palm hotel, sitting outside in the shade with a backdrop of sea and city, the towering buildings on the other side of the water dark blue-grey against the blue sky.
Later we headed to the Burj Khalifa. The tallest building in the world, I had expected it to be an amazing example of architecture, but it was so much more. It towers over everything of course, but it also feels very much a part of the surrounding city, in particular the beautiful harbour area beneath it. There are promenades, little bridges over the water, boats, play areas, seating areas, bars and restaurants. In the centre there are the fountains, which display a water and light show every half hour in the evening. Each is different and accompanied by different music. The one that we watched after dinner was “Time to Say Goodbye” which I first heard in an episode of the Sopranos many years ago. In those days of less sophisticated internet searches it took me many months to find out what it was and it has always been a favourite of mine. So there we were, standing beside the water, watching the fountains display, the keys of water towering above us as the music reached its crescendo. I was so happy and moved that I burst into tears and Cat had to give me a hug!
When we ascended the Burj Khalifa earlier we had to queue to get to the lifts but luckily Ally and Cat had already booked our tickets. The views were stunning all the way around, and we were able to watch the sun setting into the Gulf, like a ball of fire.
Later we headed to the Burj Khalifa. The tallest building in the world, I had expected it to be an amazing example of architecture, but it was so much more. It towers over everything of course, but it also feels very much a part of the surrounding city, in particular the beautiful harbour area beneath it. There are promenades, little bridges over the water, boats, play areas, seating areas, bars and restaurants. In the centre there are the fountains, which display a water and light show every half hour in the evening. Each is different and accompanied by different music. The one that we watched after dinner was “Time to Say Goodbye” which I first heard in an episode of the Sopranos many years ago. In those days of less sophisticated internet searches it took me many months to find out what it was and it has always been a favourite of mine. So there we were, standing beside the water, watching the fountains display, the keys of water towering above us as the music reached its crescendo. I was so happy and moved that I burst into tears and Cat had to give me a hug!
When we ascended the Burj Khalifa earlier we had to queue to get to the lifts but luckily Ally and Cat had already booked our tickets. The views were stunning all the way around, and we were able to watch the sun setting into the Gulf, like a ball of fire.
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