Dubai

This first picture is of the loooong corridor in the airport hotel. A few laps would keep you fit. There were also loooong lines in checkin as the bulk of the passengers from the A380 stayed there.

Dubai was about 35 degrees celsius and about 41% humidity, so while it was warm it wasn't uncomfortable. We took a 2 hour tour that went around the modern buildings of Dubai. The four hour tour that would have gone to the old part of the city wasn't at a good time for us unfortunately. 'Next time', as the tour operator said.

The Blue Mosque with a footpath vege garden opposite and, by the waft over the fence, livestock, which seemed a bit out of character in what was a fairly up-market area. 

Blue and white always looks good. The decorations were very pretty.

That hotel with the tennis match.

Mum has now visited both Atlantis Hotels and hasn't been impressed with the decor of either.

Yes, it is quite tall.

Fascinating to see the way a desert city is developing. 80% of water is desalinated seawater. For a place with 1.8 million people, there seem to be an inordinate number of skyscrapers. 

Other impressions:

Clean (as pointed out by guide)

Tourism is BIG.

Malls are BIG.

Hotels are BIG.

Sheiks' compounds are BIGGER than BIG.

The Palm Jumeira is a city in itself with its own monorail. Rather pastiche with all the rich people concentrated together.