Around Middle East: Part Two

In which I explored Downtown Dubai

12.12.2024: Tour Day 1

The United Arab Emirates is a country located in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It's a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. On this trip, I would be exploring two emirates as mentioned in the above picture. I woke up at 7am and had breakfast at 8am. 

We left the hotel at 9am for exploring Downtown Dubai. It is a vibrant and iconic area in the heart of Dubai, a major tourist hub and a symbol of the city's modern development. At 9:30am we passed by the Dubai frame.

The Dubai frame is designed to act as a metaphorical "frame" showcasing both the old and new sides of Dubai. It's a massive rectangular frame, standing 150 meters tall, constructed from glass, steel, aluminum, and reinforced concrete. It includes an observation deck at the top, offering panoramic views of the city. It has a glass-floored walkway, providing a thrilling view of the ground below. It serves as a cultural landmark, highlighting Dubai's transformation from a traditional town to a modern metropolis. 

We drove towards the Jumeirah beach and reached at 9:45 am. We clicked a lot of photos with the Burj Al Arab hotel in background till 10:15 am. 

Jumeirah Beach is a symbol of Dubai's luxury tourism and its beautiful coastline. It's a white sandy beach located along the Persian Gulf coast. 

The Burj Al Arab is a prominent landmark visible from the beach. Its distinctive sail-shaped design makes it a prominent landmark on Dubai's skyline. It's built on a man-made island, connected to the mainland by a private bridge. I am sharing video links from the vlogs I follow, so that you get a better picture of the sightseeing.

Video of Burj Al Arab

Then we drove for an hour through the Palm Jumeirah property. It is a series of artificial islands created through land reclamation, shaped like a stylized palm tree. It consists of a "trunk," a "spine," and "fronds," all surrounded by a crescent-shaped breakwater. It is home to numerous luxury hotels, resorts, and residential properties. It features attractions like the Atlantis, The Palm resort. It has a monorail system that facilitates transportation within the islands. The View at The Palm is an observation deck located on the 52nd floor of The Palm Tower. It offers stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the Palm Jumeirah, including its unique shape, the luxury resorts and villas lining the palm fronds, and the expansive beach.

Video of The View at the Palm

We were back from the Jumeirah district at 11:15 am and had a photo stop at the Museum of the Future till noon. We did not visit the museum. Visiting the complete museum will easily take three to four hours. 

The Museum of the Future is a unique and innovative building dedicated to exploring the future of science, technology, and innovation. The building is torus-shaped with windows in the form of a poem in Arabic about the future. It has 7 floors, with 5 floors dedicated to exhibits based on different themes. The museum takes visitors on a fictional journey to the year 2071. It has exhibits such as an orbital space station, a digital rainforest experience, and AI-powered exhibits. It has a section dedicated to children, called "Future Heroes" that focuses on future skills.

Video of the Museum of the Future 

We had lunch at 12:30pm at the sthan restaurant. I had lunch with Neha, Kshama Nimbalkar and Mangla Ingle. There was old bollywood music playing in the background. 

Done with the food and washroom break, we were excited for the most iconic sightseeing for the day. More of this in the next post.