The Dubai Difference
Malls are standard in any big city. Many malls across Canada and America are like huge mega cities filled with stores for miles, food courts for all and even fairs wheels and roller coasters. The Dubai difference is that you will find a mall with its very own indoor ski resort. Ski Dubai, located inside the Mall of the Emirates is
22,500 square metres covered with snow all year round. Ski Dubai has 5 runs that vary in difficulty, height and gradient, the longest run being 400 meters with a fall of over 60 meters.
For those who have never woken up to fresh Canadian powder this snow experience is unforgettable. The students in my class come back from Ski Dubai raving about their snow adventures. When you check in at Ski Dubai you are given all necessary equipment to ski, snowboard or sled (toboggan). Funny to think that a snowsuit is considered necessary rental equipment but that is just another part of the Dubai difference.
In many cities you will find gorgeous condos and rows and rows of luxury hotels but only in Dubai do you find these condos and hotels on a giant man made island, shaped like a perfect palm tree created by drudging up desert sand. Palm Island, Jumeriah defines the what make Dubai so different, so over the top.
Dubai is a Middle Eastern city that not only welcomes the tourist but is prepared for them. We spent the better part of the day viewing the sites on Dubai Big Bus, a hop on hop off tour bus. Being a welcomed tourist in the Middle East is a lovely aspect of the Dubai difference. Why being able to sit back, relax and be spoon feed city facts I didn’t even mind that a large number of bus stops were to super malls.
For me, because I live in Kuwait, a place currently without a real big fantastic book store, the difference I might have loved the best was going to a Borders book store. Now I do believe in all due time many major stores, in shallah a bookstore, will eventually arrive in Kuwait. Why Dean and Dulca and Payless Shoes have come to Kuwait within the last year. However a large scale bookstore isn’t here yet, maybe because of the issues around oh say book and magazine censorship, so the Dubai difference that thrilled me the most wasn’t the big buildings, the feats of incredible architecture and design but just reading and buying books and magazines without the giant black censorship marker! Hanging out in the bookstore was Dubai difference that I enjoyed most, well that and real red wine.
So on the weekend of the 27th of March, two thousand and nine I spent two days learning some of the differences in the city of Dubai. A wonderful fact is that I think I have only seen about 1% of all the difference and wonder the city of Dubai has to offer.
I am looking forward to one day taking another trip to this huge Arabian playground.
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!