Recent pic of Burj Dubai...

[TO City of Light]

I don't think too many people actually take a holiday in Dubai - yet, but that may well change as they develop their theme parks, museums, special events, etc. However, it is a great place place to change aircraft or take a break in the Europe/North America to Australasia trip, have a weekend get-away/shopping trip from Europe/Asia/Africa, or have a conference.

A lot of people from the region as well as Europe have bought apartments there.

While most of the city is modern and shopper-oriented, the area mentioned as looking interesting actually is. While it is not Cairo or Damascus, there are a couple of small original settlements at the head of the Dubai Creek with a gold souk that is considered to be the best in the Middle East as well as some interesting "traditional" neighborhoods, restaurants, cafes, etc. The Creek itself is a loading area for dhows that take goods around the Gulf.

Dubai has a restaurant/lounge/club scene that is actually quite good. I consider the Buddha Bar in Dubai to be as good as if not better than the original in Paris. If one is looking for a more seamy type of nightlife, while not Bangkok, Dubai has something for all tastes.

Finally, Dubai has a monthly Time Out magazine which is a level Toronto has yet to reach. I am referring to the magazine here and not the published guides which do include Toronto.

And, of course, you can ski!!!!

Oh, and also, it's easy to get a drink.

 

[Hydrogen]

Am I the only one who finds the idea of an indoor ski hill idiotic?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

^ Nope...check post #28.

 

[junctionist]

Am I the only one who finds the idea of an indoor ski hill idiotic?

What's idiotic about it? It can't be that much worse than other indoor sports facilities.

 

[marcus_a_j]

What's idiotic about it? It can't be that much worse than other indoor sports facilities.

How about keeping the building below the freezing point in a City where average monthly temperatures range from 24-35 C. I can't even imagine how much energy is required to keep it cold and make the 6000 tons of snow (skidubai.com). Now I love to snowboard and I'm on the hills as much as possible, but it's wasteful shit like this that will be the only place to go ski/board because all other resorts in actual cold climates won't be open due to lack of snow.

 

[junctionist]

How about keeping the building below the freezing point in a City where average monthly temperatures range from 24-35 C. I can't even imagine how much energy is required to keep it cold and make the 6000 tons of snow (skidubai.com). Now I love to snowboard and I'm on the hills as much as possible, but it's wasteful shit like this that will be the only place to go ski/board because all other resorts in actual cold climates won't be open due to lack of snow.

It uses a lot of energy, but so do jet flights from Dubai to mountainous regions. Fewer people notice the fact that you can play tennis, golf, soccer, golf and many other sports indoors in Toronto when it's five to minus twenty degrees outside. Then there's wasteful stuff like arenas in the southern United States thanks to the NHL. There's an NHL team in Phoenix of all places, a city that averages thirty degree temperatures at the beginning of the NHL season. Dubai took it a step further, but it's only a success because people have never questioned the wasteful facilities elsewhere in the world.

 

[TO City of Light]

Am I the only one who finds the idea of an indoor ski hill idiotic?

Probably about as idiotic as indoor hockey, tennis, track and field, curling, skating, etc.

Actually, if you check the website below, you will find dozens of indoor ski hills around the world. Dubai is just unfortunate that it has lots of money and therefore attracts loads of criticism. Japan has had indoor skiing for years - and surfing too.

There is a big indoor ski hill under construction just outside Newark New Jersey. Once New York area gets this facility can Toronto be far behind?

http://www.natives.co.uk/places/snowdomes.html

a

 

[casaguy]

Gotta admire his guts (or sheer stupidity)...


Base jumper aims too high at Burj Dubai

By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
Published: April 18, 2008, 00:28
GulfNews.com


Dubai: An ambitious base jumper who wanted to jump off the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai, ended up high and dry, in jail.

The unidentified base-jumper had made his way to Burj Dubai equipped with his parachute.

Security guards stopped him because he did not have the right permission.

The European national was not to be dissuaded so easily though, and he ran to the tower and proceeded to climb up. He said he wanted to jump off one of Dubai's landmarks.

Police were alerted and a squad was dispatched to Burj Dubai. He was caught before he could climb much higher.

Brigadier Abdul Jalil Mahdi, Deputy Director of Dubai police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for Preventative Security, said if the man had had permission, he would have been allowed to jump, but without permission, it wa a violation of safety and security procedures.

He said the man is currently out on bail, but the case will be referred to the Public Prosecution.

Base jumping is a sport using a parachute to jump from fixed objects such as buildings and towers.

 

[Hydrogen]

Maybe one day they'll build an indoor version of the Burj. Then people can jump off it as a form of recreation.

 

[MisterF]

Probably about as idiotic as indoor hockey, tennis, track and field, curling, skating, etc.

Actually, if you check the website below, you will find dozens of indoor ski hills around the world. Dubai is just unfortunate that it has lots of money and therefore attracts loads of criticism. Japan has had indoor skiing for years - and surfing too.

There is a big indoor ski hill under construction just outside Newark New Jersey. Once New York area gets this facility can Toronto be far behind?

http://www.natives.co.uk/places/snowdomes.html

a

One was proposed in Toronto years ago - near Downsview Station IIRC.

 

[Hipster Duck]

I consider the Buddha Bar in Dubai to be as good as if not better than the original in Paris.

I've heard that the Planet Hollywood at MTCC is as good if not better than the original on Sunset Blvd.

If one is looking for a more seamy type of nightlife, while not Bangkok, Dubai has something for all tastes.

Tee hee.

Finally, Dubai has a monthly Time Out magazine which is a level Toronto has yet to reach. I am referring to the magazine here and not the published guides which do include Toronto.

I'm not sure that having a Time Out magazine devoted to your city is a suitable indicator of your city's cultural proficiency. I've never been to Dubai but I'm willing to bet that I can have a better time this summer in Toronto than I can in a sprawling gulf state with a third of the population that was mostly built in the last ten years.

 

[casaguy]

Don't look down...

pic posted by ZZ-II on SSC

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

there seems to be a problem with the earth's curvature in dubai. they should let more oil out to deflate that bulge.

 

[khris]

Here's some crazy pics of this tower:
http://gizmodo.com/5038788/tallest-skyscraper-in-the-world-almost-completed-defies-belief

 

[unimaginative2]

But is there anything worth checking out? Of all the oodles of Dubai pics I've seen, I've never seen one depicting any street life.

There's lots of street life in Deira (the area in the foreground). There are more custom car rim shops and premium car stereo shops than I have ever seen in my entire life.