Travel to U.A.E. Dubai: Dubai 07 Update

The pictures in the previous folder were taken in 2004; here and in the following Dubai folders the pictures come from 2007.

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There's not a lot of public beach left in Dubai, but here's the way to a bit.

Pretty, too, but we're mostly interested in the background, with its highrise lineup along Sheikh Zeyed Road. We'll go over there and take a drive down the street. Go ahead and touch the water if you have to!

Gulp. Driving while holding a camera!

OK? I pulled over and stopped. On the left is one of the two Emirates Towers, equilateral triangles completed in 2000 and designed by Hazel W.S. Wong of NORR Group. For a moment, this was the tallest office tower in the Middle East. The Marina Tower is next down the strip; in between, in the distance, is the Burj Dubai.

One of the Emirates Towers is a hotel, the other an office tower.

Looking back to the Marina Tower at the left but with the Rose Rotana Tower, which claims to be the world's tallest hotel, in the center. The sand is free.

The Chelsea Tower, a Crimson hotel.

Heads up.

The Burj Dubai.

It's hard to get a sense of the how much taller it is than everything around it.

Another go.

You hardly notice these buildings at its base.

Upcoming: an instant downtown, which is to say more shopping.

Hard to say what's for sale.

Coming soon.

For now, the Mall of the Emirates will have to do. That white freeway overpass sticking out of the roof is the hyped indoor ski slope.

Looks like an old postcard, but that's because the photo is through a pane of glass. Lots of visitors to the mall take pictures like this.

The mall itself is huge.

Italians must feel flattered.

Mall-walkers are more likely to be simply pooped. Seats are hard to find.