History
The ruler of Dubai is Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Vice-President of the federation of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is the second largest emirate in the federation after Abu Dhabi. The emirate is located on the Persian Gulf, southwest of Sharjah and northeast of Abu Dhabi.
Dubai Metro Launched On 09.09.2009
At the stroke of 09.09.09pm and the swipe of a card, history was made when the first Dubai Metro train pulled out of the station last night.His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and senior officials, boarded the first train at Mall of the Emirates station en route to Al Rashidiya.
"The Metro is Dubai's socio-economic future," Shaikh Mohammad said.
The maiden trip stopped at the Dubai International Financial Centre station, where a commemorative coin was launched.
The next stop was Khalid Bin Waleed station (BurJuman), and an etched poem was inaugurated. Then on to Union Square station where a Time Capsule - Message to the Future was installed.
At Dubai Airport Terminal 3 station a mosaic portrait was unveiled and at the last stop, Al Rashidiya station, a Lego sculpture of a blue Metro train was revealed.
The Metro will bring about a major shift in Dubai's public transport culture.
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) spoke at the launch of the Dubai Metro: "Dubai deserves this achievement. There have been serious achievements in this project. Strong hands and minds created, planned and executed. There was determination and support for this achievement.
"We in Dubai established 29 stations in four years: this is the achievement that Dubai deserves. First of all, this shows Dubai's ability to lead, whether there is a global downturn or not. We are happy to be pioneers in our region, to have achieved this. Our project has been launched with a strong resolution and strong determination, which we have obtained from Shaikh Mohammad's own energy.
"I thank everyone who has worked on the project. I pledge to you that we will continue the hard work without respite, to execute Dubai's strategic plan."
Shaikh Mohammad witnessed unforgettable moments during the process of construction of the Metro.
He laid the foundation stone at a glittering ceremony on March 21, 2006, while the contract was awarded in July 2005.
He inaugurated the tunnelling work of the Metro project, and pressed the button to start the giant tunnel boring machine.
The patronage of Shaikh Mohammad continued throughout various stages of the project, and on September 20, 2008 he launched the test run of the Metro by riding a train from Jebel Ali Station to the Ibn Battuta Station, covering a distance of 11 kilometres.
It took some 30,000 workers, five big contractors and 150 sub-contractors to make it possible to launch the project on schedule.
The RTA made some 50 to 60 per cent of changes in the original design of the Metro to cope with the changing development trends in the city and as a result the cost increased from Dh15.5 to Dh28 billion.
Dubai Tourism
Tourism in Dubai is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate. Dubai's lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions.
Dubai is the most populous emirate of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates. It is distinct from other members of the UAE in that revenues from petroleum and natural gas account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) Dubai Trade and now, increasingly, from tourism.
Going Out
Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque was only rebuilt in 1998 and boasts the city's tallest minaret, at 70m (231ft). Located on the Bur Dubai side of the creek, near the Ruler's Court, the Grand Mosque consists of nine large domes and 45 smaller ones. This huge religious edifice can house up to 1200 worshippersThe Grand Mosque, located in the city's Bur Dubai section, is actually a recreation of the original Grand Mosque, constructed in 1900. Traditional Persian details abound, such as domes, an inspiring sky-blue mosaic, sand-hued facades, handmade stained glass, and wooden shutters.
Dubai Creek
The natural seawater inlet that cuts through the centre of the city is the historical part of Dubai where visitors can take an abra (small water taxi) and view the old trading port and the dhows from the water. A cruise to Al-Maktoum Bridge will pass many of the city's historic as well as modern landmarks. A stroll around the wharf offers a picturesque glimpse of Dubai's trading heritage, where dhows bound for distant places dock to unload their goods.The Creek, a natural sea-water inlet which cuts through the centre of the city, is the historic focal point of life in Dubai. A stroll along its banks evokes the city's centuries-old trading traditions.
Al Fahidi Fort
A trip to Dubai is not complete without visiting the Dubai Museum, located in the newly restored Al Fahidi Fort. Originally built in 1799 as a defense against foreign invasion, it was transformed into a museum in 1993 and allows visitors to delve into the rich and unique heritage of the city. Exhibitions offer visitors an insight into desert life, depiciting traditional Arab homes, mosques, fishing, pearl diving and trade. One of the highlights at the museum is an exhibit featuring artifacts from excavated graves in the Emirates from the 3rd millennium B.C. Bruj Al Arab
Designed to resemble a billowing sail, the hotel soars to a height of 321 metres, dominating the Dubai coastline. At night, it offers an unforgettable sight, surrounded by choreographed colour sculptures of water and fire. This all-suite hotel reflects the finest that the world has to offer.With your chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, discreet in-suite check in, private reception desk on every floor and a brigade of highly trained butlers who provide around-the-clock attention, you can be assured of a highly personalised service throughout your stay.
Heritage Village
The Hatta Village or Dubai Heritage Village is constructed around an old settlement and is a recreation of a traditional style mountain village set in an oasis. The Dubai Heritage Village helps you discover the old world charm of barasti or palm leaves and mud houses. There's a large central fort and tower which overlooks the Dubai Heritage Village. Other added attractions of Heritage Village are falaj, an oasis and vegetated seating areas where you can cool your heels.Signs in Arabic and English will guide visitors to various sections of the Heritage Village which includes an old mosque dating back 200 years and the Al Husen Majlis, where the governor of the Heritage Village received guests and visitors. Al Husen contains the conference room, the governor's living quarters and weapons room.
Water Park
The Wild Wadi Water Park is situated in Jumeirah, an area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates next to the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The water park is operated by Jumeirah International, a Dubai-based hotelier.Wild Wadi is an outdoor water park with a heated/cooled wave pool, multiple water slides and two artificial surfing machines. In addition, the park has the largest water slide outside of North America. Another feature of the park is an 18 m (59 ft) waterfall that goes off every ten minutes. The water park also has two gift shops, three restaurants and two snack stands.
It was featured in The Amazing Race 5 and The Amazing Race Asia 1, in which teams had to slide down a 21 m (69 ft) drop.
Ski Dubai
Ski Dubai is a in-door ski resort, a mountain-themed attraction that offers you the opportunity to enjoy real snow in Dubai all year round.There are 5 slopes, the longest run being 400 meters with a fall of over 60 meters, but there are also for beginner!. For snowboarders there is also a 90-metre long quarter pipe. and also a interactive Snow Park for kids.
If u don't have ski clothing (?!!) or equipment either, u can rent everything here.
In the ticket is included the use of quality equipment and clothing. If u need an instructor u can find it.
Sat to Tue 4pm to 10pm Wedn 4pm to midnight Thurs& Fri 10am to midnight
Dec 17 to 31 (Entire Slope) Everyday 10 to midnight
Ticket example Ski slopes for 2 hours DHS 130
Amazig Future Projects
0-14 Tower
This new tower, 0-14, was designed by Reiser + Umemoto RUR Architecture P.C. and developer Shahab Lutfi. The building was designed for Dubai's Business Bay and features 22 floors covered in a double skin facade. That is, outermost skin is constructed from 40c, thick perforated concrete. The one meter space between the skins creates a chimney effect, cooling the building. Dancing Towers
Zaha Hadid's "Dancing Towers" are planned to be located in Dubai's Business Bay development area. The plan consists of three buildings which rise up from the ground bending and intertwining with each other to create fluid animation of the forms. Even the buildings have started dancing now. Snowdome
Snowdome, previously referred to as Dubai Sunny Mountain Skidome, will be a gigantic indoor ski dome project, that will be part of the Attraction and Experience World of the mega tourism project, Dubailand. The AED 3.7 billion (US$ 1 billion) development will cover an area of 1.4 million square feet (130 thousand square meters) and contain a host of snow and ice based activities for children and adults. Metro
Dubai Metro is a driverless, fully automated metro network under construction in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. The network will have two third rail collection system powered lines that will both run underground in the city center and on elevated viaducts elsewhere on double tracks. The first phase of the network is being built by Dubai Rapid Link (DURL) Consortium which comprises Japanese companies including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation, Obayashi Corporation, Kajima Corporation and the Turkish company Yapi Merkezi. The Dubai Metro will be operated by the Dubai Road and Transport Authority. The Dubai Metro system will be the longest fully automated rail system in the world. Completion of the first section of the system is projected for 9-9-2009. Golden Dome
Golden Dome, with its 455 m height and its 2,2 million m² of total surface, will be one of bulkiest and highiest buildings of the world. It will shelter 500 000 m² offices, commercial spaces like 3,000 residential apartments etc. The Cloud
The Cloud is a speculative design for a resort city elevated 300 metres in the air above Dubai and is just supported on slanting legs resembling rain. It is designed by Nadim Karam, a Lebanese architect. It is a horizontal presence on an elevated platform, an antithesis to the sum of skyscrapers spreading over the entire region. Dubai Pearl
Dubai Pearl was originally conceived by the Omnix Group in 2002 but has since been taken over by a consortium of investors led by the Al Fahim Group. The 3 billion USD project overlooks the Palm Jumeriah and covers 1.4 million square metres of the Dubai Media and Technology Free Zone. Sports City
This immense sporting complex of 7.5 km² will accomodate sports such as the cricket, the golf, Rugby, football, the sports of ground, track, and interior (tennis shoe, handball, volley ball). Big Bus Tours Dubai
Dubai is a city of contrasts, where East meets West and old meets new. In less than a century it has been transformed from a small fishing village to a modern vibrant city where celebrities mingle with the crowds and the Dubai skyline competes to be the world's biggest, brightest and tallest.So whether you are staying at the Beach and want to visit the City or staying in the City and want to visit the Beach, Big Bus offers you the perfect solution.
All tours have the hop-on, hop-off facility and tickets are valid for 24 hours.Tickets cost:
Adults AED 200.00 ($55)
Children AED 100.00 (5-15 incl.) ($27)
Family AED 500.00 (2 Adults and 2 Children) ($137)
OR - you can qualify for AED 10.00 ($3) discount off each adult ticket by booking online right now!
http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/dubai/default.aspx
Road & Transport Authority
Since Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in today's world, making the provision of high quality infrastructure facilities absolutely imperative, and since providing an advanced transport network for the people of Dubai has been high on the government's agenda, which is evident from its initiatives to enhance the public transport facilities and improve roads across the emirate to make travel safer and smoother, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) was formed by the decree number 17 for the year 2005.RTA is responsible for planning and providing the requirements of transport, roads & traffic in the Emirate of Dubai, and between Dubai and other Emirates of the UAE, neighboring countries in order to provide an effective & an integrated transport system capable of achieving Dubai's vision & serving the vital interests of the Emirate.
RTA responsibilities also include:
Buses Roads & Parking Roads Engineering
Taxis Rail Project Registration & Licensing
Inter-City Transport Marine Transport - Abra Traffic Safety
Commercial Ads on the Right of Way Public Buses
Roads Beautification
www.rta.ae/
Things To Watch
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If you are seated on the floor, make sure that the soles of your feet (with or without shoes/socks) do not point towards anyone. Either sit with your legs crossed, or one leg propped-up & one tucked under, or both on your side, etc. It is considered extremely rude to point the soles of your feet towards anyone in the Muslim religion & Arabic culture.If you reach for food with your left hand, your Arab hosts may feel extremely repulsed & offended!It is not permissible to eat with the left hand
Some Arabic words :
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English is widely spoken around Dubai, even in the souks. But here are some Arabic words often used.
Marhaba = Hello.
the correct response to this is: Marhabtain.
Asalamwalaikum = Hello ("I greet you with peace")
the correct response to this is: Walaikum-asalam.
Shuhkran = Thank you.
Shu? = What?
Min fadlak (to man) = please.
Min fadlik (to woman) = please.
Maas-salaamah = good bye.
Naam = yes.
La = no.
Sadiqi = my friend (male)
Shwaye Shwaye! = slow down / be patient / wait!
The numbers from 1-10 in Arabic:
One: Wahid.
Two: Ethnan.
Three: Thalatheh.
Four: Arbaah.
Five: khammsah.
Six: settah.
Seven: saba-ah.
Eight: th-maniah.
Nine: tiss-ah.
Ten: ash-rah.
Dress Code In U.A.E :
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The national dress for men is the dishdasha or khandura, an ankle length robe, usually white. Dishdashas are usually worn with a white or red-checkered headcloth (gutra) and a twisted black rope-like coil (agal) which holds the gutra in place; under the headdress is a skull cap (gafia).
In public, women wear a black abaya, a long loose black robe that covers their normal clothes, plus a head scarf, called a shayla. Some women also wear a thin black veil covering their face, while some older women wear a small mask made of fabric known as a burkha, which covers the nose, brow and cheekbones.
You could wear anything from full-sleeved to half-sleeved to mega-sleeved to sleeveless tops (but please keep your tops on) and nobody could care less. While trousers, long skirts, knee-length skirts, minis, micro-minis, micro-micros and shorts are all the done wear, restrict the bikinis to the beaches, or you could land yourself in some trouble.
Behaviour towards Arabic women :
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Women can shake an Arabic woman's hand, but men should not attempt this. The lady may offer to shake hands, do so, but leave the decision up to her as many Muslim ladies do not want to be touched by other men in even the most harmless manner. Vice-versa, some Arabic men will refuse shaking hands with a Western woman. Do not take pictures of Arabic ladies. They can get quite upset about this
Banks, exchange houses, etc. often have Ladies sections, where women can sit seperately & have their own queue. Do not sit or stand there, or you will be asked to move by a security guard. If there is no ladies queue, you will notice that the counter clerks will usually call the woman forward to be served first, and men should let her pass. ask: "how is your wife?". This may be perceived as intrusive. Rather ask "how is your family?". Women may ask about the wife with no problems.
"Wudoo" in Islam :
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When you're in Dubai, you'll see signs for the ladies/men's room, ladies/men's prayer rooms, and also for "Abulution Rooms".
The religion does not permit praying in the toilets (i.e. in a shopping mall, etc.), as this would not be "clean", so there are always separate prayer rooms for men & women, as you can't well go home or may not have the time for the mosque for all 5 prayers.
Wudoo is the Muslim ritual washing before each of the 5 daily prayers.
(In the Arabic Language: Wudoo is the action, and Wadoo the water used therefore)
Types of Abulution:
1. Partial Ablution or Wudoo - Consists of cleaning parts of body that are exposed to dirt or elements of nature.
2. Complete Ablution - Consists of performing complete Bath followed by Wudoo. It is required after intimate intercourse or menstruation period for women.
3. Tayammum (Dry Ablution) - Tayammum, in certain circumstances can be a substitute. It is done by touching on clean earth, sand or stone and then wiping the face and then both hands to the wrists, when water is not available or is not practical to make use of water.
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Visit Dubai
Most Popular Books
Lonely Planet Dubai Encounter
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Dubai Complete Residents' Guide
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Reader Feedback
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- moraldo moraldo Nov 29, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
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- moraldo moraldo Nov 29, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
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