A Reflection on the Tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi UA Emirates - The Land of Allah, Almighty
- Part 1 -

Nongthombam Mangi Devi *

A Reflection on the Tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi UA Emirates

One may say, it is a wonderful dreamland in the country of desert. The specific quality of Dubai is the presentation of artificially made thing and situations at a very much like natural settings. Excellent utilization of modern architectural and technology to satisfy the human aspirations can be perceived.

I just wish to present a brief on the places of interests and amusements during my ten days stay at Dubai though it may be incomplete.

December is the best time to visit Dubai. Landed in Dubai by Indigo flight on 02 December morning. It is a 5 hours non-stop flight. After aligning from the aircrafts, we boarded a metro train (4-5 minutes ride) to go to the lounge to collect the checked-in luggage and Exit the Airport terminal. Sheetal and Sarat welcomed us to Dubai.

On 2nd December 2017 at 3.30 pm, we are at the gate of the Miracle Garden - written on the extended space by letters of flowers.

No doubts, it is unique by itself. In the middle of the entrance the flower bedded design of a big turtle having a height of 20 feet welcomes the visitors. It signifies endurance as if the hard-shell of ……… the dry and hot climate of the country. Then row of carved throughout their bodies by distinct colors standing on the sides of the road of the garden upto the cemented point of the garden.

It is surprising how does they made unique designs of diverse colors and hues of flowers - red, blue, white, green, violet in different shades in many designs of birds, animals like camels, elephant, tombs, aircrafts etc, all are full of flowers, cemented roads are all around the gardens area. We could move around by battery run cars and wheel chairs are also available on payment. Resting places and smacks are available here and there, we can enjoy them by payment.

The whole areas are neat and clean. Thin clothes canopies are hanging over the seats of the resting sitting places. Pointed pillars fully covered by the flower plants, small huts and chimneys on the road side of the garden. At the Centre of the garden, lake and garden’s boat is glittering and attracting the visitors. It is dazzling to look at and how did they make and manage? It may involve a lot of skilled hands and a high-class technology to water those designs of flowers. A good specific technique of irrigation must have applied to look the flowers ever fresh and alive.

The next day of evening

Then drive to Qudra Lake - the artificial lake at the outskirt of the city. It is nothing to be a lake in comparison with natural lakes. Any how it is an improved lake to be enjoyed by the people in that part of the globe. Of course, it has its own beauty, it stretched around 5 to 6 kms meandering like a river with no running water amongst the dry sand and scanty tree growth.

At the weekend on Saturdays and Sundays lot of peoples goes and enjoys the pleasure of replenishing clod breeze that touches the heated bodies of the crowded city of Dubai. The sands spreading on the roads sides and banks of the lake, the small twinkling waves endlessly dancing at the rhythm of the cold wind. Small bushes and thorny plants are seen throughout the banks of the extended long lake.

By chances, it was an occasion for the observation of the national Day United Arab Emirates 46 Spirits of the Union. At 5.00 pm, Dubai Festival city was celebrated by Light and Water show with magical human action that can be seen on the big screen displayed high above the water front below so that everyone can see the show from all around of the festival area. It is an exquisite can see the show and crowded the whole areas as it looks like moving swarm of ants. It goes up to 10.30 pm. The style of enjoyments and names of the events are unfamiliar to us. Though the presentation of the show is good enough to appreciate but that was not appealing to me. The visitors are more outsiders rather than the locals Emiratis. Yet there was not much noisy and aloud.

On the 4th December 2017, I, my daughter Dineswori and Vijaya Lakshmi took the BIG BUS for the Dubai City Tour. We start from DEIRA CITY CENTER at 7.15 am. The bus is a Hop-On-Off double decker which has access to individual audio commentary of the language of our choice. We also visited the PALM JUMERA which is an exclusive residential set up for the rich and affluent society. The sea view along the PALM area is very crisp and beautiful. Witnessed the BURJ ARAB which is the Seven Star Hotel in the world, its usual architecture is appealing to the eye viewer. The other places covered are DIERA CREEK, MUSUEM, Mall of EMIRATES.

On the 5th December 2017 I, my daughter Dineswori and VijayaLakshmi boarded the private carrier for the Abu Dhabi City Tour. It is for panoramic sighting tour. The bus passed through SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD lined with magnificent grand buildings and towers and then drove to Abu Dubai. First, we all got down at the gate of Sheikh Zayed Mosque which is made of white marbles. It took 11 years to construct and open to the public in 2007.

We are asked to change our attire into their conventional wear (Burkas), otherwise no one is allowed to enter the mosque. Burkas provided by the tour operator thus save time and convenient. Tombs and tall pillars of white marbles are gracefully stands at spacious areas of the mosque. It is calm and quite a big prayer hall and inspiration of prayer are craved inside the prayer hall. The hall is covered with the Persian carpet which was specially woven by 2000 craftsmen.

Then we visit iconic Louvre Heritage Museum, where we saw the special carpets woven in golden thread with cost starting from 5 lakhs onwards. Had a glimpse of the Emirates Palace and the Royal Palace, iconic Etihad Towers. Visited the Heritages Villages and the Marina Mall.

On the way back, we step into the Ferrari World for a look. The broad roads in the wide plains of land touching the sea at this or that corner is breath taking while we did drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and back.

Culture of Dubai is reflected at the display of the museum, cultivation, handicrafts work jewelry and fishing was common using woods in building the boats.

Magnificent big and tall buildings are the primary features of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Lots of tourists from all over the world largely from South east Asia like Philippines, Malaysia, China, Japan are seen here and there.

On 6th December went to AQUARIUM DUBAI I could see only the images on the big screen at the entrance down to the water as they did not permit old person to experience the underwater activities, for security and safety reasons. Dineswori and VijayaLakshmi entered and have enjoyed the experience of both the Aquarium and the underwater zoo.

We roam in and around the Dubai Mall. I and Dineswori go for BURJ KHALIFA. It starts to build in 2004 completed in 2010 and operated. 12,000 skilled laborers worked for it. It is Super tall skyscraper of the world 245 floor which is 830 meters to top. Tourists are usually allow to go up to 125th floor “At the Top” and 148th floor “At the Top Sky”. We have to pay Rs 3300 per head upto the point of 125th floor.

Particulars of types of materials used and amount of their money as recorded
BK Crystal Town AED 875
BK Tower Crystal Gold AED 999
BL Tower Crystal Silver AED 975
33cm BK Tower AED 429
22cm BK Tower AED 274
BK Tower Box AED 138
6’BK Tower AED 104
4’’ BK Tower AED 65

I took wheel chair to climb the Tower 125 “At the Top”. It hardly took 1 minute to reach the point. No movement no indication of switch or otherwise. We could see the whole view of Dubai from all sides and sunset image can be seen. There are shops for books, clothes, like cap etc. but mainly of souvenirs.

To be continued....