THE SPECTACULAR IBN BATTUTA SHOPPING MALL

During my past travel to a few countries, I would say two impressive shopping malls I had visited were Harrods in London and Queen Victoria Building. However, Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, is beyond comparison. It would be alright if you go there not to shop because you can feast your eyes on the magnificent work of art throughout the building.

This huge mall was divided into different sections according to the countries/places that had been visited by Ibn Battuta, namely: China, India, Tunisia, Andalusia, Egypt and Persia. In other words, you will be put in different places under one roof. It is also holding the record for the largest themed shopping mall in the world. This is another proof how the Emirates government has gone all out in developing the tourism industry and with a lot of money in hand, you can simply do anything you want.

going Indian for dinner

So I guess that's the end of the story of my 4-day visit to Doha and Dubai. It is a once in a lifetime experience and never have I dreamed of going to these places. And I have to thank my friend, Mr. Mohd. Razib Nordin, for making this possible and I can't thank you enough. Thanks a lot for everything and only Allah can repay your kindness.

Goodbye Doha, goodbye Dubai.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow"

~ from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" ~

IBN BATTUTA EXHIBITION AT IBN BATTUTA MALL

This was the last venue we visited before heading to the airport. We had a lot of time to kill here as my flight was at 4:00 a.m. and the mall closed at 12 midnight. The place was just a perfect spot to hang around. The first thing that impressed me besides the beautifully designed building was the exhibition they had all around the huge shopping mall. It was about the great Muslim traveller, Ibn Battutah, and this mall is also named after him.

So it was like a museum in a shopping mall. Not only you could shop and spend your time admiring at the surrounding, but you could also learn so much more about this great man who had travelled further than Marco Polo.

Ibn Batutta reporting to the King of India

I thought only Leornado da Vinci experimented flying, the Arabs did that as well.

I did some reading on this man who had been devoting his life to travelling around the world and there was even a book about his experience called "al-Rihlah". I wonder whether there is an English translation of the original book for people to read.

Please visit this amazing website on Ibn Batuttah http://www.ibnbattuta.tv/home.html because the story of his life journey is told in the form of animation. Truly educational.

"Never, if possible, cover the same road the second time"

Ibn Battuta

VIDEO: DUBAI SEEN FROM A TRAIN AT NIGHT

Video recorded from the metro train at night, somewhere near the area of Marina Bay, Dubai.

VIDEO: A PARADE IN A SHOPPING MALL

The Emirates Mall was suddenly awakened by the sounds of drums and whistles, and there was some sort of celebration going on. People were seen magnetized by the commotion on the ground floor. There it was: a group of people parading around the mall in bright colourful costumes, the men playing the drums and the girls dancing to the beat. Why was there a parade in a mall, I really did not know but the crowd looked excited with the free entertainment.

And the group just paraded round and round the shopping complex three times (I counted just by listening to the approaching and disappearing noise) before I left the place.

SKIING DOWN THE SNOWY SLOPE OF DUBAI

Can people really ski in Dubai when there is no snow? The answer is YES if you have the money to pay for it.

Ski Dubai is a spot in Emirates Mall, an indoor playground which enables people to ski all year round. It is equipped with all the an artificial hill and slope for people to surf down the icy ground and then climb up back to ski down again. When the weather outside is too hot, I guess this will be the perfect place to let the steam off.

As for me, I just enjoyed myself watching these people having the fun of their lives through the glass panel. The entrance fee must be too expensive for a tourist like me. At the same time, I do not ski and I do not want to get myself killed - there are still too many places in this world that I have not visited.

VIDEO: OUTSIDE DUBAI AQUARIUM

Seen from OUTSIDE the Dubai Aquarium in Dubai Mall - free for all to see. This place holds the Guiness Record for having the largest acrylic viewing panel in the world. The view from inside must be more spectacular.

IN AND OUT, AND ALL ABOUT - DUBAI MALL

Surprisingly, there are similarities between Dubai Mall and Kuala Lumpur City Centre. If you are familiar with KLCC, you know that there is the Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, a Suria KLCC Park and from the park, people gather to admire the Petronas Twin Towers. That is what that you will find if you visit Dubai Mall. [Oh there was a Kinokuniya Bookshop too there.]

From the Metro station, we just walked to the mall. We did not want to wait for the shuttle bus and at the same time, we were excited to see and get nearer to Burj Khalifa. At the same time, we could observe a more modern side of Dubai which was very different from the earlier part of Dubai we saw in the morning.

a late lunch - Arab style

finally, I managed to get myself photographed in front of my dream car (dream on... )

If we have Aquaria in KLCC, they have Dubai Aquarium in Dubai Mall. Now I start to wonder why are there too many similarities between these two places. However, passers-by had the chance to enjoy the spectacular underwater view of the fish swimming FOR FREE. This was because the aquarium glass was actually put in a way for the people walking in the mall to see. I guess no one who would not be attracted by the FREE display (unless you work there) and in the end would pay the ticket to get into the Dubai Aquarium to see more. Hopefully there will be some other time for me to do that.






One outside, there were a lot of people, just lazing around or taking photographs of the Burj Khalifa and other beautiful buildings surrounding the park. I always saw the foreign workers doing that in KLCC Park but I myself did that when I was in Dubai Mall. Oh, I forgot I was once a tourist there.

NEXT POSTING: video of the Dubai Aquarium. Come back soon and you will be amazed.

BURJ KHALIFA - THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD

Tourists flocked to this very spot to witness the tallest building in the world. It is compulsory for everyone to observe and admire this mega structure from the nearest distance possible. And I was contented with what I saw but there was a price to pay for it: a stiff neck.

Visitors could go up the building by purchasing tickets. When we were there at the ticket counter [it was a Wednesday], all the tickets were sold out and the next trip available would be on Monday, the following week.

Other than being known as the tallest in the world, this building also holds these records:

Tallest free-standing structure
Highest number of stories
Highest occupied floor
Highest outdoor observation deck
Elevator with the longest travel distance
Tallest service elevator in the world

I don't think there will be a building that will break the records hold by Burj Khalifa in many more years to come.

SEEING MORE OF DUBAI ON FOOT

Seeing more of Dubai on foot. Let the pictures do the talking.

a Dubai cat :)

a ministry building


MOSQUE #1
[cannot remember the name]

MOSQUE #2

in the water taxi

THE HERBS SOUQ [MARKET]