All that glitters – probably is gold.

3rd February, Monday. Our first stop of the day was – the roof! The hotel had a swimming pool on it. We had no costumes for a swim but the views were pretty good.

We went on the metro to Dubai Mall and walked around the base of the Burj Khalifa.

We were just in time for the water dance on the Burj Khalifa Lake.

The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest in area, with over 1,200 shops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dubai_Mall#Dubai_Aquarium_and_Underwater_Zoo

Almost the first thing you see is the aquarium, with its 32.88m wide × 8.3m high acrylic panels 750mm thick.

Walking around, you caught a whiff of Oud. This is a fragrance worn by many men in Dubai, expensive but long lasting and really good. I had a test spray of it and even after a shower, I could still smell it the following morning. I mentioned earlier about the kandura clothing worn by men. I never saw one that was not immaculate. They looked as if they were being worn for the first time, straight from the wrapper and often still with the folds, where they were packed. The women also were immaculately dressed and mostly more freely but modestly dressed, than the traditional abaya long, loose robes that cover the whole body and niqab, which covers the face.

We passed the waterfall on our way to try and book to go up the Burj Khalifa. The tallest building in the world (so far). We were told that it was fully booked for the next five days. Oh well, we’ll just have to come back another time (what an excuse?)

http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/ObservationDeck/ObservationDeck.aspx

Despite her experience of a few weeks ago, I don’t think Gill will try this though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD4qsWnjsNU

Then we picked up the Hop on Hop off bus for the other, more central route. The cold weather of last night had gone and it was a clear day. The ride yesterday, criss-crossed today’s route, so we had seen many of the places and knew where we wanted to get off to see more of.

 

The City of Dubai looks totally surreal but beautiful. There is so much money here, that it is like Disney world but it’s all real. If something looks like gold, it probably is!

We got off at Wafi City and the Wafi Mall. This is designed in the style of Ancient Egypt. Very impressively done but to me, it didn‘t feel right, especially inside and really did seem like a theme park.

On then to a boat trip, along the Dubai Creek. All part of the Hop on Hop off bus tour.

We finished the bus tour, ending back at the Dubai Mall. Where we did a tour of the aquarium, which included a glass bottom boat trip. It’s not often you get a boat ride in a fish tank!

 

It was early evening and we splashed out on a decent restaurant for a meal. We got an outside table, on a big veranda overlooking the Burj and the lake.

 

http://www.alhallabrestaurant.com/index.php/home/restaurant/1

It was now quite late and about a 1km walk to the metro station along the Metro-Dubai Mall Link.

And guess what? Shut! It was now after 1am but we found a taxi, with a sleeping driver, who got us back to the hotel.  What a busy day.