This is the largest fountain in the world at over 900 feet long. It shoots jets of water 500 feet into the air and has 22,000 gallons of airborne water….
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The United Arab Emirate is a federation of seven emirates, or Islamic kingdoms. It is located on the Arabian Peninsula and has boarders with Saudi Arabia and Oman with Iran just across the Persian Gulf. The climate is harsh desert and has sustained a semi nomadic culture since pre- historic times along the coast and at several oasis. Islam was introduced in 630AD by a letter from Muhammad to the nearby Oman king.ad what all I did there in my blog posts located below the video.
Helpful Info
Population – 9,270,000
Money – Dirham (US$1 = 3.67 dh)(Fixed)
Language – Arabic, English
Religion – 76% Muslim, 12.6% Christian, 6.6% Hindu
When to go – Oct-Apr is pleasent, summer is very hot
World Heritage Sites – 1 – Al Ain
Country formed – Independence from the UK on 2 Dec 1971
Traditional Summer House as seen inside the Dubia fort.
The British had a significant influence on the emirates of the UAE starting in the 17th century. Britain formally signed a treaty by 1820, with the local sheiks, in order to combat piracy and later treaties were meant to keep other European powers out and guaranteed Britain would protect the emirates. The primary economy started off with pearls grown on the coastal areas and later oil, both of which Britain has exclusive rights to.
Britain decided not to renew the treaty expiring at the end of 1971, due to the high cost of protecting the emirates. Led by the sheiks of Abu Dhabi and Dubai the seven emirates formed an independent country. Each emirate has significant autonomy with each other, but work together for the better of all. It is interesting to know that expats and immigrants account for 88.52% of the population while Emiratis only make up 11.48% of the population.
Burj Khalifais the tallest building in the world.
My Visit
My sole visit to the UAE so far has been a 12-hour layover in 2015 at the Dubai airport on my way to Kyrgyzstan. I was determined to squeeze in as much as I could, so with my backpack in tow I rushed around seeing most of the city.
Likes, Dislikes, and Recommendations
Dubai is a very modern city and is a regional hub for aviation, shopping, entertainment, etc. While there is much to see in the new section of town, I also enjoyed the old part of the city with the souks (markets) and fort. I did not make it into the desert or over to any of the oasis, but when I return those will be high on my list.
Spice Souk in the older part of Dubai
Even with the UAE appearing quite western and modern, remember you are still in a Muslim country. You should refrain from displays of affections in public (I met someone who said they almost got arrested for sitting on her boyfriend’s lap), drinking alcohol outside of hotels and clubs, and wearing swimsuits at public beaches (a private or hotel beach would be a better choice).
Below you can get even more helpful hints by watching the travel video I made for UAE and by reading the blogs I wrote for the UAE.
All Blogs From United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Dubai is a shoppers haven and boosts several of the largest malls in the world. Each of these malls has come up with unique attractions to draw people in besides…
In Dubai the markets (or souks) are divided up based on the type of products. My favorite was the spice market, which had so many spices displayed in bulk that…
The tallest building in the world open in 2010 in Dubai and is called Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) and is named after the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It…
When I looked out my window on the flight to Dubai I saw this amazing sunset.
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Before I tell you how to spend 11 hours in Dubai I want to tell you about the 15 hour flight I had on a Emirates Airlines A380…