Dressed and Eaten: Dubai Photo Diary Part Two

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Dubai Photo Diary Part Two

And our time in Dubai continued. Now how could one mention Dubai without mentioning the shopping? Amazing! We shopped at Dubai Mall (the world's largest mall) and Emirates Mall. So many stores and so many sales. So overwhelming. It was the perfect time to be in Dubai.

The front of Dubai Mall. Make sure you observe the range of cars parked at the front. Delightful.

Young Emirati boys performing traditional music and dance at Dubai mall.

Dubai mall clothing policy. The policy doesn't seem to be followed but interesting to see.

Water display inside Dubai mall.

Burj Khalifa Lake outside Dubai Mall.

Dubai Mall Dancing Fountain set in Burj Khalifa Lake.

This is very cool fountain that happens each evening. Music comes on and the fountain does a dance. Good fun. It's the world's largest dancing fountain.

Forgot the name of this building, oops!

Burj Khalifa

As much as I loved Dubai if there is one thing that frustrated me about it was their... hmm let's call it "treatment" of women. As I've probably already mentioned on the blog, I have a Middle Eastern background. I've travelled to countries in the region and most things don't surprise me. I guess going to a place that portrays itself in such a modern way you come to have a certain expectation.

I had booked the hotel in my name with a credit card in my name at an international 5-star hotel (I won't rename the hotel but it's mentioned in my first Dubai post.). As is the usual course, at check in, as requested I provided my husband and I's passport for them to copy on file. During our stay, my friend Ms M telephoned the hotel while I was there asking for me. I had previously told her to ask for my name. She provided to reception my first name and my married name (the same name on my passport and credit card). She was told that there was no one under that name staying at the hotel. After some attempts for them to find my name, she then provided my husband's name. Immediately, they informed her that yes indeed they had my husband's name. WTF?! So during the period between check in and that phone call they decided to ignore my very existence. Thank you! Notwithstanding that, I would stay in that hotel again and again. Other than that the service and facilities were great.

Now this nonsense continued. At restaurants let's forget the fact that the bill is always provided to the male (that's fine! It happens in Western countries all the time) but when a card is in a female's name is provided to a waiter by a female, you would expect that they would provide it to you to sign. No of course it's the male's card. They give it to him to sign. I will shut up now.

City skyline in Dubai Marina

One of the highlights of Dubai was definitely seeing the manmade islands. We managed to sneak into the Atlantis Hotel to see the view from there. Amazing.