Dubai and Its International Appeal, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

We waved good-bye to the Maldives on our way to Dubai located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf in the United Arab Emirates. Unfortunately, Emirates moved our flight back one hour from the original booking and in addition it was delayed due to congestion at the Male airport, so we only ended up with about 36 hours to explore the fascinating city. We certainly made the most of it.

From the airport we took a 20 or 30 minute taxi ride to our hotel, The Palace Downtown Dubai which was located across the man-made lake from the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. I’m thankful for a friend, Nilou, who used to live in Dubai, as she patiently answered all my questions about the city.

It was upon her recommendation that we stayed at the Palace Downtown Dubai which did not disappoint. Though pricey, it was conveniently located to many attractions in the city and frankly, it was luxurious! The lobby included a fountain with floating flower petals and beautiful flower arrangements. The long rectangular pool offered a limited view of the Burj Khalifa and fountain show from cushioned chaise lounges. I wish we could have spent a whole day just lounging in this magnificent place whose staff was as friendly as can be. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).