We left Laos yesterday (or maybe even the day before it’s so hard to keep track,) after having spent some time in Vang Vien. Unfortunately, Lauren and I have already encountered the first big mistake of our trip and that is not spending longer, much, much longer, in the jewel of Laos that is Luang Prabang and instead skipping onto the falaraki-esque chav-haven that is Vang Vien.

via blogs.bootsnall.com

After my departure from Morocco, I flew to Luxembourg to visit the two ladies (Kate and Danielle) I met in Santiago, Chile in March 2008. On my plane ride from Fes, Morocco to Luexembourg I thought, ‘great, this will be a chance for me to relax before heading to my next destinations (Egypt and Jordon)……..boy, was I wrong! From the point of pick-up at the airport the ‘festivities’ began!

via blogs.bootsnall.com

Zurich’s Dolder Grand Hotel, which has been closed for the last four years, reopened in April, returning a towered and turreted landmark to the city overlooking the Swiss Alps. But with a new look. The hotel was renovated for about $400 million by the acclaimed English architectural firm Foster + Partners. Stylish, contemporary interiors were created by United Designers of London.

via travel.latimes.com

Dubai is one of the countries that constitute the Islamic world. Though the emirate has risen to become one of the hot spots in today's world with its fast emerging cosmopolitanism, yet the fact remains that it still adheres to its roots in more ways than one. For those who are already part of Dubai and those who intend to do so, there are some things from the conservative capillaries of Dubai culture that have to be borne in mind.

In Dubai, Islam is something that is promoted and inculcated in children from a young age, wherein the basic tenets are the focus. Apart from this, all children have to learn Arabic. The bottom line is - Learn the rules of Dubai if you are in Dubai.

A few pointers towards general social etiquette and mannerisms are given below:

• Girls and women have to dress up modestly as the culture is mainly patriarchal.

• There is no compulsion for women to wear the traditional Arabic dress called "abaya" which is worn over normal clothing. But if they want to go for western dresses, the skirts, tops or trousers in question must not be revealing.

• Eating, drinking and smoking are strictly forbidden at public places during the Holy month of Ramadan, one of the major events of the year for Muslims around the world. The reason is that the daytime during Ramadan is devoted to observing fasts and praying to God.

via ezinearticles.com

The most impressive and incredible of any shopping mall in the UAE is The Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. It’s one of the largest attractions in the country and also one of the most exciting places for the ultimate in shopping trips. The multiple record-breaking Dubai shopping mall is the biggest in the world, excluding North America, incorporating the largest skiing dome on the planet and also the biggest indoor entertainment center in the UAE. There are dual Dubai hotels inside, more than seventy restaurants, two beautiful mosques and the Dubai Community Arts and Theater comprising an art gallery and a 500-seat theater.

Though all of the extras have taken the mall’s status from ordinary to extraordinary, the shops are still the main attraction for many visitors. More than 400 retail stores represent every household brand you can imagine and include a massive Virgin Megastore, Harvey Nichols and Debenhams. Other notables include Guess, Lacoste, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger and Pepe. The exclusive “Rodeo Drive” area represents some of the more upper crust boutiques and shops like Burberry, DKNY and Dolce and Gabbana.

via destination360.com

Dubai World Islands is one of the most incredible projects in Dubai to date. From the air it looks as if a mini was born, a replica of the real thing on a much smaller scale of course! Islands of the world, all arranged to create the semblance of our real world, including all the continents. The World Islands Dubai was an inspiring vision-cum-reality by the same company that created the amazing Palm Deira, Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali comprising the Palm Islands. Possibly some of the most celebrated real estate in the world, these man-made attractions have not only created more prime space for residences, business ventures and tourists areas, they’ve also added incredible value to Dubai’s economy.

Beyond the look of the World Islands, one of the most fascinating aspects of the entire design is how it was actually built into the ocean. Using gigantic machinery, massive amounts of sand were pumped from the sea floor and deposited into huge piles in the appropriate places. The sand is then mixed with fertile soil, creating a stable base, so it doesn’t wash back into the sea. A ton of vegetation was then added into the mix. As the vegetation takes root, not only does it evoke a more natural look to The World in Dubai but it also creates even more of a reliable foundation. At the end of the process the foundations of the coming infrastructure are laid.

via destination360.com

Dubai is a perfect holiday destination for family as well as business tourists. The cheap hotels in Dubai give royal hospitality to people who visit here. Dubai is a perfect destination for family holidaying. The world's richest horse race is held in Dubai where horses of different continents compete with each other; there are million dollar lotteries that are held at periodic pace, there are other more attractions such as international tennis, golf tournaments and months long shopping festivals. Dubai presents the most impeccable lavish hotel - the Burj Al Arab shaped like a billowing sail-perched on an artificial platform in the sea. Some of the sightseeing places noteworthy to mention are Creek side Park, Wild Wadi Water Park, bird sanctuary, an indoor ski resort and the gold souk.

From attractive and enormous shopping malls to active and pulsating souls... shopping in Dubai is quite an incredible experience. Dubai Shopping gets you the best deals at affordable prices. Be it high fashion merchandise, most modern of all gadgets, home appliances, jewelry, furnishing products or any other products and manufactured goods available you will get the best of products. The two central attractions of Dubai Shopping consist of Dubai Summer Surprises and Dubai Shopping Festival. Being shopping oriented these festivals attract millions of tourists and visitors predominantly during the months of July and January, February. Boasting of several shopping malls, Dubai's cater to each shopper's requirements and need.

via travel.resourcesforattorneys.com

Dubai's Palm Islands are the world's largest man-made island clusters. Sometimes they are also called the eight wonder of the world. These are located at three different places across Dubai's coast, namely Jumeirah, Jebel Ali and Deira. These islands, which are also known as The Palm Dubai or Dubai Palm are layered with rocks and sand upon a ten meter deep seabed. Sand meant for laying down these sites is obtained by dredging in the nearby sea. The Belgian dredging firm Jan De Nul and its Dutch counterpart Van Oord have been supervising the whole operation. Work is in an advanced stage in Jumeirah and Jebel Ali while it has also picked up in the Deira section.

Dredging ships propel sand over an area, which is decided by the coordinates of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). This process is called rain-bowing; the name is indicative of the arc which is created due to the falling sand here. Each Dubai Palm has a breakwater constructed at its periphery, which provides it a separation from the murky seawaters. These breakwaters are constructed by laying down several layers of rocks over the seabed by sea vessels. These vessels are called pontoons and the split-hopper barges. The Jumeirah Palm alone required a staggering 7 million tons of rocks to construct its breakwater.

via justarticles.net

Jumeirah Beach is situated in a very well fostered area of Dubai with plenty of excellent amenities for tourists and locals. The beach occupies a sandy stretch of oceanfront property flanked by a series of lavish gardens. Jumeirah Beach is a highly social area and extremely family-friendly. For those looking for UAE seaside vacations, with the exciting twist of everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer, the Jumeirah beach resort is an ideal choice. Read a book under a shady coconut tree, enjoy local barbeque for lunch or just relax and enjoy a languid sunbathing session.

The Jumeirah beach resort is home to a number of world class Dubai resorts and hotels providing a wide array of choices for travelers. In a country where Islam is prevalent, Jumeirah beach resort accommodates women with designated “women only” days so they can enjoy basking in the sun while still adhering to their conservative ways. Jumeirah Dubai has many attractions for tourists to explore. The Emirates Dubai Golf Club is located in Jumeirah Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road which is the same avenue visitors take to the Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai. Safa Park, Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai Internet City and the Camel Race Track are also situated in Jumeirah Dubai.

via destination360.com

Mohammed Al Habbai, CEO of Dubailand, a member of Tatweer officially announced the 180,000 sq ft Dubailand headquarters is now open to public, providing a preview of the architectural and landscape marvels at the region’s largest tourism and entertainment project.

Mohammed Al Habbai, CEO of Dubailand said: “It was the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed that began this road to a world of fun and leisure. The concept of the headquarters is unique with scale models that reflect the innovation and creativity of Dubailand.

“The headquarters will set new benchmarks for such sales offices in the region in providing investors and visitors with a glimpse of the project’s offerings.”
Situated on the Dubailand roundabout on Emirates Road, the headquarters, now open to the public, is uniquely designed as a mini Dubailand, featuring a 3,200 sq ft scale model of the entire development.

via wayfaring.info

A new luxury cruise service between Dubai and Karachi has begun this month. The service, provided by Gulf Dream Cruise, offers fun and entertainment much like any other cruise ship, and is not designed to be simply an alternative means of transport. It takes five days for a round trip and the ship has a theatre, games, other entertainment facilities and restaurants with a 400-strong crew and a capacity for up to 1,250 passengers.

via aluxurytravelblog.com

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Sports City, the world’s first integrated sports city and corner
stone project of Dubailand.Arabtec-Max Bogl, a joint venture partnership, has been contracted to design and build a 60,000-seater multi-purpose outdoor stadium and a 10,000-seater multi-purpose indoor stadium.
The contract, worth 830 million Dirham, would see the indoor stadium completed in April 2009 and the outdoor stadium by the end of that year. Designed by gmp, the architectural practice made famous for its work on the Olympic Stadium in Berlin and the Commerz Bank Stadium in Frankfurt, both stadia are set to be recognised internationally for the elegance and ambition of their design.Taken together, they will become key venues at Dubai Sports City, capable of hosting the most prestigious sporting and entertainment events and firmly positioning Dubai Sports City, and Dubai, as a leading sports and entertainment destination.

via wayfaring.info

"I took a quick trip up to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates 3 weeks ago in the midst of the annual Shopping Festival. Thirty years ago this was a local regional city. Today its an international nightmare, depending on your perspective. Perhaps it is a city that will cause you to have a strong visceral reaction. Lots of craziness with the terrible traffic, inability to get taxi's, frustrated drivers, construction zone garbage dumps, and high prices. It is a city for exclusivity, a city full of money, and ground zero for service oriented jobs. Compared to other Arabian area cities, Dubai is remarkably open. Clothing is a mix of Islamic and western, depending on where you are from - shorts are fine to wear in the city".

via davestravelcorner.com

Abu Dhabi Holidays are Holidays to love and remember. Located in the Persian Gulf, bathed in endless sunshine and with miles of clean, empty beaches and shimmering blue seas, Abu Dhabi represents the heart of the United Arab Emirates...

via libraholidays.co.uk

The latest soon-to-sprout architectural bewilderment in Dubai is the Dubai Pearl.

It's hard not to be entertained by Dubai's fetish for constructing (well, wanting to construct) rare-shaped buildings: a cube, a chess piece, a tulip, numbers (1 and 2), a wave, a sail and an iPod, are amongst some of the 'only-fathomable-in-Dubai' types...

via gadling.com