Dubai

Greetings! Or, تحيات in Arabic. 

I was in Dubai for a few days last week for work meetings.  Tough gig, I know. 

But let me start by saying that I wasn't excited to go there, and I normally am excited to travel ANYWHERE!  Why?  I think because I'm not a Disney or a Vegas person, and my impression of Dubai was that it is a combination of the two.  I like authenticity.  I like crumbling buildings, old cafes,  & mixing in with the culture.  I like grit!  And in Dubai (and Disney & Vegas for that matter), it's all about "new".  It's bright & shiny & clean, and everything is manufactured to look like the real thing.  I know a lot of people love that & loves those places.  It's just not my thing.

So how did I like Dubai?  Well, I hate to admit it, but I want to go back with Pat during the Russian winter - to be warm, to be pampered, to eat well, to shop, to relax on the beach, and just do nothing.    Yes, it's a blatant display of what oil money can buy.  But, the food was amazing, the sea was warm, and the service was the BEST I have ever had!

The tall building is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 830 meters

I never actually left our hotel complex - I stayed at the Jumeriah Beach Hotel and we had a dinner event at the Jumeriah Burj al Arab.

The Beach hotel was great!  Located right on the beach (Persian Gulf), 3 pools, 14 restaurants & bars, shopping, a great gym and running track.  What else do you need?

 

My room

A few more pictures of the hotel.  The lobby.....

View from above

 

Me and my assistant Marina with the Burj al Arab hotel (4th tallest in the world) in the background.

Marina insisted on a few bikini shots after we took a swim in the sea.  I reminded her that I am 13 years older than her.  We compromised by making sure the picture was a distance shot :)

 

The hotel marina

 Me, at night, at our dinner at the Jumeriah Burj al Arab

So, the Burj al Arab is known as being the 1st "7 Star" hotel.  200 suites, the smallest being 1850 square feet!  Room prices apparently start at $1000/night, and the Royal Suite (8400 square feet) goes for $28,000/night.  Lots of money in this place!

It's built on an artificial island, and to secure the foundation, the builders drove 200+ 40 meter concrete piles into the sand.  It's connected to the mainland by a bridge that is only accessible if you are staying at the hotel, or have a dinner reservation, or are willing to pay the 50 Euro entrance fee

The atrium is 180 meters tall. 

Gold plated elevators

Big fish tanks!

We held our customer event in the garden of the hotel.  This is Olga & Kirill, two of my work friends.

Marina, me, and a famous (or so I'm told) Russian comedian Dmitry Khrustalev.  I Googled him, and his name came up under several TV shows and recent movies.

Did you know Russians love to dance?  I'm not sure if it's a universal thing, but I can tell you that every event we have results in crazy dancing.

 

Pretty view from my hotel's rooftop bar.