Good Bye, Dubai
Our Last Week
11.06.2011 - 13.06.2011
44 °C
After almost 2 months here our time is coming to an end. While this has been an amazing experience, both of us are anxious to return to our home and family. Besides the national sport of shopping, one of the really striking aspects of Dubai is its architecture. This must be architect heaven. There are no ordinary skyscrapers here - each one is unique and quite beautiful in design. Many of them are "twinned" and there are a few which feature 3 identical towers. We spent our last weekend capturing some shots of buildings we had not photographed before to show you a few which are not as famous as the Burj Khalifa or the Burj Al Arab.
Here is a shot of the skyline of Dubai from the Arabian Gulf showing the variety of buildings. 
Many buildings are still under construction and will be for a while because the economy has slowed here as it has around the world. Construction slows but does not entirely stop because if a builder stops work, the site is deemed to be abandoned and the investment is lost. The site below is likely a resort and is out on one of the crescents around the Palm.
Besides straight buildings
There are twisty ones
and circular ones
Some offer optical challenges or illusions...
Besides singles, there are lots of twins or double towers...
Some have holes in them...
and some are joined by little bridges...
Many have pictures on them of the Ruler or Rulers...
and
and of course
There are lots and lots of mosques in every neighbourhood both large and small...
and
Other historical buildings have a distinct architectural style featuring wind towers designed to cool the buildings.
and
And so we leave Dubai - a city of great contrasts - where East meets West, modern meets tradition, steel meets sand, abras meet 747s and abays meet mini skirts. Beyond all the sky scrapers and malls and high fashion lies a culture very conscious of its place as a center of peace and prosperity in the swirling Arab Spring - and a place focused on establishing itself as the true financial hub between East and West. It is a city of great safety, courtesy and welcome yet visa requirements are strict. It is indeed a place of contrasts and that is probably why it is so very facinating.
Good bye from Dubai!
Hi from the Arabian Gulf
Posted by DavidandHazel 14.06.2011 06:12 Archived in United Arab Emirates
Thank you both for sharing and see you later this year at the beach!
14.06.2011 by Dominique