Dubai

Another May bank holiday, another short break, but the trip to Dubai comes with a funny backstory…

Five years ago, we had planned to travel to Dubai from Greece, but we got stopped at the airport because our passports were expiring within the next six months (despite the online check-in, this was never flagged). So, we cancelled everything, and Dubai had to wait a few years until we could find the time to try again.

Dubai is a popular destination and a major hub for travellers to many other places. Skyscrapers, malls, and construction projects here are all on steroids…

Despite the heat, we tried to explore the city outside the air-conditioned malls. We walked a lot around the marina, the beach, Palm Island, and the old city. We took a boat tour through the floating Venice (Lido) and visited a couple of museums.

The highlight was the night visit to Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and cocktails at the rooftop.

The aftertaste I got from Dubai is that it’s a “copycat” city, replicating many landmarks found around the world, but done with an excessive display of wealth. If you ask me, I prefer the originals, but this place is definitely worth a visit…