UAE (Dubai)

Benefits: Service; apart from the new constructions everything is new and really clean; nice place for working (no personal taxes!)

Concerns - During my visit every day with a temperature above 40 degrees during the day (one of them it even reached 46!!!); with so many buildings they forgot to build a pedestrian road along the beach; sometimes it looks like Disneyland

Places visited (& days): Dubai (6) from the 8th May till 14th

Transport (time or distances): Flight from Beirut to Dubai (2h 15 min)

Currency: Dhs (Dirhams): 1 Euros = 4,9 AED ;

I heard so much about this city that I was really curious to visit it. It is so difficult to express what I felt, because on one hand everything is brand new but on another hand there are still so many projects going on that all the city is still under a massive construction program (just as an example today Marina Walk has already 40 buildings and in the future it will have 200!)

 Construction around Marina Walk

Burj Dubai, the future highest building in the world.

Ohter Projects going-on so far: The Palm Island (three artificial islands with apartments, hotels and shops); The world; Dubai Sports City; Dubailand Ski Dome; Madinat Al Arab (waterfront); Hydropolis (underwater hotel); Space Science World...

Shelked Zayed Road with all its brand new buildings

The main sights visited were the souks (spices, gold...) in Deira and the Bur Dubai, the Dubai Museum, some mosques, Burj Al Arab hotel, the Palm Island (some of the building are already finished but the architecture is really disappointing), Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Madinat Jumeirah, and of course some shopping malls

Creek between Bur Dubai and Deira

Burj Al Arab (the splendid 7 star hotel!)

For the first time since I left Lisbon, I had the pleasure of not sleeping in a hotel and hear those repeated statements ("hello sir; may I have your passport please; breakfast is till 10.am and check-out time at 12.00...")

.

Why? Because my friend Nuno Rebelo de Sousa, suggested that I contact a very nice Portuguese guy (Antonio Carvalho) who was working in Dubai.

In fact I did it. When I met Antonio I had an immediate good feeling while we were talking. Probably because we have so many things in common (age, management consulting work, a passion for travelling, having climbed the Kilimanjaro and also being a Sporting supporter).

I stayed at his nice apartment, very well located (at the Marina walk) where for the first time since I left Portugal, I could enjoy a real Portuguese meal (food, wine and a friendly community - Eunice, Sara, Markos...)

View from Antonio's apartment (Marina Walk)

Pedro, Eunice and Antonio enjoying a Portuguese wine

 

We also had a great night during the weekend at one of his colleagues, who organised a great party for all the company and their friends. People from all around the world (as everywhere in Dubai).

From Dubai I flew to India