Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Flying to Dubai on Emirates
Flying to Dubai nonstop on Emirates, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, from Los Angeles to Dubai International Airport is a wonderful experience. The airline also flies nonstop from San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Washington, and JFK. They are the largest carrier in the Middle East and from Dubai International Airport (DBX), their hub, they fly to Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. In February of 2011, Air Transport World gave Emirates Airlines the title of "Airline of the Year" for 2011. We flew over in coach and came back in business and both were extremely comfortable (15 hours 50 minutes from LAX). In coach there was plenty of legroom, a wonderful entertainment system called ICE, attentive and gracious flight attendants who served wonderful food and alcohol. In business for their long-haul flights they have lie-flat seats which convert to beds at night with comfortable duvets and on their A340s that they use for short-haul flights, they have deeply reclining sleeper seats. Emirates also offers three types of first class seating: the full suite with doors, flat bed 'Skycruiser" seat (without doors) and 'Sleeper seats'. Whatever class you chose, as soon as you board, your Middle East experience begins as you can see from the pictures below. Doing a stopover is Dubai is a great experience and gives you a chance to see this amazing city that has risen from the desert.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Introduction to Dubai
In preparing for my trip to Kenya via the Middle East and Dubai, I read as much as I could so that I would have some understanding of this exotic region of the world when I first stepped off my 15 hour 50 minute nonstop flight on Emirates from Los Angeles (or you can fly nonstop on Emirates from San Francisco - 16 hours). Below are some of the things that I learned.
Dubai, the city, is located in the United Arab Emirates in the Emirate of Dubai. The Emirate of Dubai is located southeast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and is one of seven emirates that make up the country of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE borders the countries of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman and across the Persian Gulf is Iran. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE.
The city of Dubai was founded in 1833 by Shiekh Maktoum bin Butti Al-Maktoum when he persuaded members of his Bani Yas tribe, to settle with him by Dubai Creek. The Sheikhdom became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in 1892 and when it gained independence in 1971 it became part of the United Arab Emirates. The Emirate is still ruled by the Al Maktoum family. The government is a constitutional monarchy and the Ruler is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Crown Prince is Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. There are over 2 million people living in the Emirate and Dubai is now the 22nd most expensive city in the world. Dubai is known for being the "biggest and the best" and it is here that I will see the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa; the best hotel tower, Burj Al Arab; and the three largest artificial islands in the world, the Palm Islands. The Palm Jumeirah is the only one open and the others are incomplete - Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira, and "The World" islands.
Dubai, the city, is located in the United Arab Emirates in the Emirate of Dubai. The Emirate of Dubai is located southeast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and is one of seven emirates that make up the country of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE borders the countries of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman and across the Persian Gulf is Iran. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE.
The city of Dubai was founded in 1833 by Shiekh Maktoum bin Butti Al-Maktoum when he persuaded members of his Bani Yas tribe, to settle with him by Dubai Creek. The Sheikhdom became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in 1892 and when it gained independence in 1971 it became part of the United Arab Emirates. The Emirate is still ruled by the Al Maktoum family. The government is a constitutional monarchy and the Ruler is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Crown Prince is Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. There are over 2 million people living in the Emirate and Dubai is now the 22nd most expensive city in the world. Dubai is known for being the "biggest and the best" and it is here that I will see the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa; the best hotel tower, Burj Al Arab; and the three largest artificial islands in the world, the Palm Islands. The Palm Jumeirah is the only one open and the others are incomplete - Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira, and "The World" islands.
Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East" and it has over 70 shopping malls, including the world's largest, Dubai Mall. The Mall of the Emirates has the world's only ski resort in a mall. Dubai is also known as "the City of Gold" and the Gold Souk in Deira (sister city to Dubai) houses nearly 250 gold retail shops. The world's largest natural flower garden in the world, the Dubai Miracle Garden in Dubailand, is now open although not complete. When it is done it will have over 45 million flowers.
To learn more about Dubai you can go to: http://wikitravel.org/en/Dubai. Check our blog to see photos of the interesting things you can do when you are in Dubai:
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