Dubai Expat Blog

Best Time To Be In Dubai

2012-02-09T09:46:00.000+04:00

So February has to be one of the best months to be in Dubai. Not only to you have some top sporting events, including the Dubai Desert Classic starting today plus the men's and women's tennis championships. There is also horse racing at Meydan every Thursday. Added to that there are a host of musical events and concerts with Kasabian playing the Rugby Sevens stadium tomorrow and the Jazz Festival, now in it's 10th year, starting in a week or so with a bunch of big names including James Morrison and Jason Mraz.

Because the weather is so great at this time of year there are many outdoor events although there is still a chance of some rain, and the evenings can still be a bit chilly, so make sure you bring something warm to wrap up in if you are out for the evening,

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2011-10-16T22:22:00.001+04:00

One event that I have gone to, at least for a couple of days each year, is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In the first year (2009) tickets were sold out pretty quickly but after a couple of years of recession they are now a little bit easier to get hold of.

As well as getting access to the Formula 1 race and practice sessions they also lay on concerts each night by top acts. I really think that the Abu Dhabi grand prix is an event worth going to but read my full review along with a bunch of photos in my article 'Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Review'.

Dubai Metro Green Line Now Open

2011-09-16T10:20:00.000+04:00

So the public transport in Dubai has expanded with the opening of the Green Line of the Dubai Metro. I think this is going to be most useful for the lower paid workers who live in the huge residential areas that are covered by the green line, as well as the people who live in Sharjah and commute to Dubai every day. So far that latter contingent has yet to be seen in force in the week of opening as far as I am concerned - the Etisalat metro station which is at the end of the line nearest Sharjah, has a car park that can fit about 2500 cars but I reckon it only had about 10% of that number yesterday when I travelled on it.

Iceberg at JBR!

2011-06-23T21:32:00.000+04:00

So what is with the iceberg that is floating out at sea on JBR beach? I am guessing that the iceberg is made out of polystyrene or something similar as in the current temperatures a real iceberg would surely melt pretty quickly? However, I wouldn't put it past anyone in Dubai to put a real iceberg in the sea at JBR, just like there was real snow on JBR beach a few years ago, with kids making snowmen! That time it was a publicity stunt by Red Bull if I remember rightly but I've yet to see any details about who came up with this stunt.

Having said that, there is a shop in Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates called Iceberg, so maybe they have played some kind of role in this stunt.

Summer - Do The Indoor Things!

2011-05-25T20:48:00.000+04:00

So as summer has crept up in Dubai maybe it is time to do all the indoor things that you don't want to do when the weather is perfect outside. There is the visit to the Jumeirah Mosque, or if that is not your thing then try Magic Planet with or without the kids or maybe Ski Dubai. If you have family over then you could try the afternoon tea at the Burj al Arab or else maybe go up the Burj Khalifa and see the view from the top.

Dubai - Summer is Here!

2011-05-16T09:08:00.000+04:00

Well the weather in Dubai over the last week or two has really hotted up! Yesterday it was 44 degrees and it's looking like similar temperatures today (and probably for the rest of the summer!). Spring had been pretty perfect in Dubai this year and I had been really enjoying the temperatures sticking in the 30's and even cooling down of an evening, but it was inevitable that the temperatures would suddenly jump as they had been so nice for unusually long. Oh well, lucky for me I am going to be spending the summer in the UK so I only have 10 more days of the hot weather to get through!

Briton Beaten To Death In Dubai or Not?

2011-04-14T16:06:00.002+04:00

So the main headlines about Dubai particularly in the UK press today are about the sad death of 39 year old Lee Bradley Brown who was on holiday from England and staying in the Burj al Arab. It has been alleged that he was beaten to death in the Bur Dubai police station by police officers after being arrested for being drunk and abusive to a member of staff. The conditions in the holding cells of the police station are notoriously grim and this is no the only allegation of mistreatment that has come out of them. Regardless of the truth of what actually happened, a full investigation needs to be carried out with complete transparency. Whether this happens or not is yet to be seen and no doubt officials will be involved from both Dubai and Britain. In any case my sympathies go to his family and what they must be going through.

This story just reasserts that anyone visiting Dubai needs to be aware of the rules and regulations that are often stringently upheld in this Muslim country. Although it is advertised widely as a great holiday destination it still comes under Shariah law and for that you need to be respectful and follow the customs and traditions of the country.

Check out my guide to what you can and can't do in Dubai for more info. There are too many cases of Brits being arrested in Dubai so know what the laws are before you go.

Iceland Waterpark, Ras al Khaimah

2011-04-11T20:06:00.000+04:00

So a new waterpark has opened in addition to Wild Wadi, Aquaventure at Atlantis and Dreamland Aquapark. This one is called Iceland Waterpark and it i a bit out of Dubai in Ras al Khaimah. Take a look at my review of Iceland Waterpark and see what you think...

Alcohol Laws In Dubai

2011-03-08T19:47:00.000+04:00

Drinking alcohol in Dubai is a bit of a grey area as far as the law goes. There are laws in place obviously as it is a muslim country but these can be confusing. I have written an article the describes the situation as I understand it about drinking in Dubai.

Something you must do in Dubai

2010-04-18T21:33:00.000+04:00

One thing you must do if you are visiting Dubai or even if you are living here is to take a balloon ride over the desert. There are a few companies that do this I think including Balloon Adventures. Take an amazing ride over the sand dunes and see the desert from above whilst spotting the native wildlife.

Dubai Waterparks - Which Is The Best?

2010-04-15T14:31:00.003+04:00

I have just posted a webpage on this subject which gives you my view on which is the best. Also it has videos of Aquaventure and Wild Wadi so you can see some of the rides.

Buying and Selling Property in Dubai

2010-04-08T15:22:00.001+04:00

So yesterday I sold my flat and I may well have to move out by Monday! Property sales and purchases work quickly here in Dubai with lawyers not often involved and no surveys and the like. Most properties are less than 5 years old that are being sold anyway so maybe things will change as they get older. Buyers also tend to know what they are getting due to most apartments in the same development being standard designs and so the same as all the others.

Decency Laws in Dubai

2010-03-23T09:31:00.000+04:00

Although Dubai appears to be a modern destination trying to attract tourists and foreign residents, it shouldn't be forgotten that it is a Muslim country with laws that can to others seem strict and that quite often the authorities turn a blind eye to. However, in light of recent cases of, in particular, a British couple caught kissing, tourists and residents alike can get caught by these laws and so should be aware of them. Detained in Dubai have published some information about these rules here

Crossing the Creek on an Abra

2010-03-17T17:21:00.001+04:00

Another thing that you must do if you visit Dubai - or somewhere to take your guests, is a trip across the creek on an abra. For the princely sum on 1 dirham you can cross the creek on these boats that have been used for decades to transport people back and forth across the creek. Take the abra from the Bastakiya side (after having a look round the textile soukh and the art galleries) and head to the gold soukh. I have a complete video of the abra crossing on youtube.

Markets in the UAE

2010-03-17T15:36:00.000+04:00

There are quite a few markets happening in the UAE these days so whether you are a tourist or a local check out some of the markets around your way. Whether you are looking for some second hand gear to set up home, a new painting for your empty walls, a gift to take home whilst visiting or some designer fashion then there is something here for you.

Things to Do in Dubai - Jumeirah Mosque

2010-03-16T16:28:00.000+04:00

One essential place to visit in Dubai whether you are a visitor on holiday or a resident, is the Jumeirah Mosque. It is open for tours Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10am. Call 04 353 6666 for details. You get an insight as to what happens in the mosque and why and also about UAE culture.

Getting Certificates Notarised

2010-03-11T17:38:00.000+04:00

One thing you need to do if you are planning to come to Dubai and work, is to get your certificates notarised. It is much better and easier to do this in your home country before you arrive especially as you will probably need it all to be complete to get your work visa. There are 3 parts to the procedure of notarising them. Check for up to date policies as these change all the time in the UAE. A lot of jobs require a degree certificate so make sure you get this sorted!

Burj Al Arab

2010-02-28T16:25:00.002+04:00

One place you have to go whether you are a visitor to Dubai or you have lived there for years, is the Burj al Arab. Of course it is known as the only 7 star hotel in the world and it certainly lives up to that reputation. The cheapest option is to go for drinks in the skyview bar. You need to have a booking to get in and the minimum spend is 275 dirhams per person (which gets you about 3 drinks - ouch!). But the views you get from the bar and the ambiance of the hotel itself are also what you are paying for - the hotel has indoor fountains and amazing decor. Another thing to do is to go for afternoon tea there - you get the most amazing selction of teas together with sandwishes, cakes and scones, all totally delicious!

Dubai's Waterparks

2010-02-17T12:08:00.000+04:00

So I have been to all 3 of the waterparks in Dubai - Wild Wadi, Aquaventure and Dreamland Aquapark and to be honest they all have their place and perhaps their own niche so it depends on what you are looking for. My preference I would say is Wild Wadi just because it has some great surf board type rides which the others don't. Dreamland is great if you have small kids or are on a budget and Wild Wadi and Aquaventure could get either vote otherwise I would say. In any case get yourself an Entertainer book to get a 2 for 1 voucher. Have a look at some of my videos on bother Aquaventure and Wild Wadi on youtube

Dubai International Jazz Festival

2010-02-13T17:09:00.000+04:00

So the Dubai Jazz Festival is back on agian and this year it is even bigger and better. There are 10 nights of musicians playing at Dubai Media City, culminating in 3 big nights on 16, 17, 18 February with Brand New Heavies, David Gray and James Morrison. More info at www.dubaijazzfest.com

Dubai Shopping Festival at JBR

2010-02-06T15:14:00.000+04:00

So Dubai Shopping Festival has started and there are plenty of things going on to entertain everyone. Down at Jumeirah Beach Residence there is a funfair on the beachfront as well as the market, which normally opens at weekends, but is now open every day during the Dubai Shopping Festival. The Dubai Jazz Festival has also kicked off at JBR with performances on a stage there during the evenings. Plenty to do for the family!

Learning Arabic

2010-01-28T14:36:00.002+04:00

So, having been in Dubai for 5 years I have tried on a couple of occasions to make the effort to learn Arabic. Before I came here I did some evening classes and managed to learn the alphabet and how the letters were written in addition to some basic phrases.

What I should have done really was to do an intensive course like this one! I feel like maybe it is a bit late for me now as I may not stay much longer in the UAE but I really wish I had done this at the start...maybe you can rectify my mistake!

Dubai Metro

2009-09-14T09:19:00.004+04:00

So they Dubai Metro was launched with a loud fanfare on 09/09/09 at 9.09pm (or pretty close to it!). So many people have tried to get on the metro since it was launched (110,000 in the first 3 days) and this has caused all sorts of problems as they had not anticipated such a response. There were bound to be some teething problems at the start and I guess it will take them a few weeks or months to sort out, but it has the potential to be a really useful and effective means of transport for the Emirate.

To get all the information you need about ticket prices, nol cards, feeder bus routes and timetables, and Dubai Metro by-laws as well as having a discussion forum, then go to my website at www.dubai-metro.me

Dubai Metro

2009-09-06T10:07:00.004+04:00

So the Dubai Metro starts in 3 days time. A lot of people are very excited about this (including me!), others are saying it will just be another thing Dubai has that doesn't get used. In any case, people seem to be searching for information about it and sometimes getting nowhere. If you google dubai metro ticket prices you will eventually find a site that actually tells you them but it's not the RTA site. Why did the RTA not build a site that would help the users of the Metro? Their site just seems to have information about the construction of it which, quite frankly, I am not that interested in.

People using it want to know things like - where can I get my Nol card? How much is each journey? Which stations are opening? Which buses feed the stations and how often? Well, in light of this lack of information all in one place, I decided to build my own site without any of the spiel, news about who is going to use it on their birthday, which retailers have pulled out etc, just the cold hard fact that people want to know.

I also wanted it to be interactive so that users could add extra information if they knew it or just contact me to ask me to add/change things. And so www.Dubai-Metro.me was born. Have a look and tell me what you think and if you think something needs changing then let me know.

Dubai Football Challenge - AC Milan v Hamburg SV

2009-01-08T08:57:00.004+04:00

This took place at the new Sevens Ground down the Al Ain road. Despite bad organisation with traffic queuing for hours to get in, no marshalls in the huge car park etc, attendance was high at 17,000. The big names were in force from AC Milan particularly with the much publicised debut of David Beckham who was on a 3 month loan from LA Galaxy. In addition there were the likes of Ronaldhino and Shevchenko in the Milan squad. The match was goalless in the first half and after a Ronaldhino penalty and a Hamburg equaliser 5 minutes later, the match ended 1-1 at full time. This lead to a penalty shoot out which AC Milan won 4-3.

Awesome landscape

2007-07-20T18:29:00.000+04:00

Took a drive over to Ras Al Khaimah recently and got some great dunes pictures. It's good to take a day out now and then and appreciate the awesome scenery around this area. And I love to see the camels :-)

Red Bull Air Race - 6th April 2007

2007-07-20T18:12:00.000+04:00

Once again Abu Dhabi was packed to bursting with spectators for this now annual event. Albeit it was nearly impossible to park, this is a spectacle worth going to see. The tricks that these guys do are pretty amazing and it's really a great day out.

Dubai International Arabian Horse Championships

2007-04-26T10:55:00.000+04:00

The place to go if you want to see some of the top arabian horses in the world. This is an annual event, one of the many that is free to spectators. See www.diahc.ae for details.

Dubai World Cup 31 March 2007

2007-04-26T10:51:00.000+04:00

As usual this was a great day/evening out and the numbers seemed to be well up on last year. Lots of racing and lots of fashion and the one event on the social calendar that is a must!

Jumana, Secret of the Desert

2007-04-26T10:44:00.000+04:00

Head out to the Al Sahra Desert Resort to go and see this spectacular production. Loads of special effects with fireworks, lighting, fire etc make this a must-see. The production is just over an hour so it is worth going out to have some dinner there first - they also have a shisha area and the whole resort is lit up with what must be thousands of flame torches (it must take someone all night to light them all!). www.alsahra.com

Jazz Festival 8-10 March 2007

2007-04-26T10:39:00.000+04:00

The Jazz festival was great with loads of beanbags to lounge around on (although there were almost fights breaking out to keep hold of them!) and great music to listen to, art to buy and plenty of liquid refreshment.

The highlight was Jamie Cullum on the last night but Dubai Drums came in a close second.

Old and New

2007-04-26T10:35:00.000+04:00

I just liked the contrast between the camels on the beach tethered up next to a bedouin tent and the new buildings going up around Jumeirah Beach Residence...

Doing the Tourist Thing

2007-04-26T10:30:00.000+04:00

It's great to have visitors over to stay because it gives you a good excuse to do the touristy things that you might otherwise not take time to do. I had a friend visiting and we took an abra across the creek to the gold souk. When we came back we walked around the Bastakia area, took in a few galleries including the Majlis and then stopped at the Basta Art Cafe. Great.

Golf Challenge Match - 30 Jan 07

2007-04-26T10:24:00.000+04:00

What a great way to get up close to the stars. This is the event prior to the Dubai Desert Classic that pits 8 players in pairs against each other for charity. All are top players and the number of spectators is low so, as you can see, you can really get a good view of your favourite player.

Green Community Roundabout

2006-12-19T09:23:00.000+04:00

What a disaster this roundabout is - you basically take your life in your hands every time you go on it. Most days I end up in some kind of truck sandwich which can be quite scary. It's easy to blame the trucks (especially when you are coming out of Green Community and they don't leave any gaps for people to get out) but it also the cars driving at stupid speeds on what they obviously don't remember is actually a roundabout and not just a continuation of the road. Whatever you do, don't go on the road from SZR to Green Community at peak times - it will be quicker to turn back and go up Al Khail Road. When are they going to do something about this???

Global Village back on

2006-12-19T09:19:00.000+04:00

So Global Village is back on again. Personally I think it is a great place so I will be heading down there in the next few days. I have a few friends who have stalls there so I will see how they are getting on. I think I have posted before about Global Village and the kinds of things you can get there and I'm sure it is no different this year. It's not on for quite so long this year, I guess they didn't get the visitor numbers they expected over the 5 months last year. For those who don't know it is on Emirates Road, pretty much signposted from most places in Dubai.

Summer in Dubai

2006-08-13T11:11:00.000+04:00

For those who complain that there is nothing going on in Dubai in the summer, I think they need to look again! OK, so most of it is centred around the shopping malls but who can blame them to focus on air-conditioned comfort when the temperature is in the forties outside. There are lots of activities for children but also a huge number of genuine sales on. You can really grab a few bargains out there without looking too hard. It also seems that the place is not so quiet when it comes to ski Dubai. If you are able to even get a spot to watch the goings on in the snow park then you will see how many people are happily playing in the freezing temperatures on the many rides and runs they have to offer. If you are brave enough to face the heat then a trip down to the beach in the early morning can be pleasant enough for an hour or so, and a nice change from the noisy buzz of the quad bikes and jet skis that usually take over in the winter.

Dubai World Cup

2006-04-09T13:36:00.000+04:00

Well the Dubai World Cup was once again an excellent day for racing and partying. International Village was full of people who were not interested in the racing and also a few who were.

The racing was great with the big race being a very exciting battle finally won by Frankie Dettori on Electrocutionist, despite coming from the much maligned stall one. It seemed like the whole of Nad Al Sheba erupted with joy when the Saeed bin Suroor trained horse passed Brass Hat to take the glory for Godolphin.

Of course there was the obligatory trademark flying dismount from Frankie (see picture, taken by Brian Fleischman)

Dubai Tennis Championships

2006-03-15T08:04:00.000+04:00

I got my tickets early this year as by half way through the tournament last year the tickets for the finals had sold out and as there was an even better cast of players for this year I didn't want to miss out ont he possibility of a Nadal v Federer final. As luck would have it, I wasn't to be disappointed as this is exactly what we got. But more than that it was a fantastic match with some awesome and unbelievable shots being played and the match swinging from being a one-sided Federer affair in the first set to a thrilling 3 setter. In the end it was Nadal's day but you couldn't help thinking it could have gone either way and each one of them would have deserved it.

We shouldn't forget the women, who also had a great tournament albeit with a few stops due to rain. There were also big names here and both tournaments seem to be going from strength to strength no doubt with the help of the large pot of prize money from dubai Duty Free.

Dubai Racing Carnival

2006-02-03T17:07:00.000+04:00

The Carnival is well under way for 2006 and having gone to the first meeting I also went to the third meeting last night (Thursday 2nd Feb). It is a great opportunity to get up close to some top quality horses and jockeys for free. The adverts imply that the admission price is 60 AED but if you are happy to muck in with the masses then there is no admission cost. Last night bore witness to Frankie Dettori's first win of the year which was celebrated with his trademark flying dismount. This is all a lead up to the big day on 25th March when the Dubai World Cup is run which I'm sure will be a huge event like last year. Of course there is also the chance to win a car each night which last night was a Tiida for a 10 AED ticket price. One thing, you have to be there at the end to claim your prize when the ticket is drawn...

Presotto Furniture

2005-12-22T12:58:00.000+04:00

I went to Presotto for an exhibition of paintings by 5 worldwide artists - all very beautiful pictures, mostly abstract. Presotto is full of lovely furniture and accessories that would look fantastic in any Dubai home and their prices are very reasonable. It is located near Marina furniture in Al Quoz, between the Sheik Zayed Road and Emirates Road. If your home needs furnishing or decorating I would recommend a visit.

A1 GP in Dubai

2005-12-12T13:15:00.000+04:00

The inaugural A1 GP in Dubai was held over the weekend. As this was the brainchild of Sheik Mohammed it was always guaranteed to be a well organised event, even if the attendance was predicted to be low due to it running on a Sunday and the general lack of interest in motorsport in Dubai. However, after what I heard were disappointing attendance figures for the Friday and Saturday, I was pleasantly surprised to see a few thousand people at the main event. The atmosphere was great and ear plugs were required but overall it was a spectacle worth attending if you do have the interest in motorsport of any kind. They also had a first (of course they had to) which was a helicopter rescue vehicle for the cars which was used to great effect to winch a stranded car off the racetrack and deposit it back over near the pits. Given the wide-ranging nationality profile of Dubai residents, there was pretty much some support for all teams which was good.

Global Village - worth a visit!

2005-12-05T17:54:00.000+04:00

I went to Global Village on UAE National Day and it was pretty buzzing. There were not a lot of expats there it seemed but it is certainly worth a visit. Of note were the Pakistan area where they had loads of nice leather jackets and wooden furniture at very good prices. Also worth a look was the Iraqi area where they had a predomination of oil paintings a lot of which were done by obviously very talented artists. I think the village has improved from last year with more products that were relevant to the country although of course there were still some exceptions. If you have a spare evening, take a wander.

Soy chinese restaurant

2005-11-23T18:55:00.000+04:00

I went to the Soy chinese restaurant at Ibn Battuta shopping mall a few days ago and I can heartily recommend it. The food was delicious and the service was excellent with the waiters and waitresses looking extremely smart and being very helpful and friendly. We had crispy lamb beijing style and, from the Wonder Wok (you can choose which meat and which sauce to put together) lamb with spring onion and oyster sauce. The price was very reasonable too!

Dragon Mart

2005-11-19T11:17:00.000+04:00

Dragon Mart - what a great place! You can get pretty much anything there that you might want at very cheap prices. Whether it is bathroom fittings, childrens clothes and toys, jewellery, crystals, machinery, bedding, bicycles, furniture etc! It is located off Interchange 5 on Emirates Road, heading towards Hatta. It is really starting to get popular there so can get a bit busy at times. Make sure you have at least a few hours spare for browsing as you will need it to cover the whole place.

Market at Green Community

2005-11-17T19:50:00.000+04:00

The Market at Green Community is finally getting going. At last the Choithrams is open and it's pretty big and not nearly as crowded as Geant at Ibn Battuta. There are also a lot more shops there than I thought. I can't find a website link for it but a few examples of shops are Ace Hardware, Beyond the Beach, Green Community Pharmacy, Emirates Bank. Anyway, there are 54 retailers so it is quite sizeable (for anywhere other than Dubai :-) ).

Accommodation in Dubai

2005-11-07T19:23:00.000+04:00

A good source of information if you want to find accommodation, whether that be on a short-term or long term basis is www.expatriates.com. Once you have a place you can also use this to look for possible flatmates etc. In Dubai you tend to have to sign up for a year if you want to rent a place and you also have to pay the whole year up front, although most landlords will accommodate a few post-dated cheques so that you can pay in up to 4 installments. This still means finding a reasonavle chunk of money in advance as you also have to find a 5% deposit and 5% agency fee.

Arts & crafts group

2005-11-07T19:21:00.000+04:00

If you are an artist or crafter in Dubai then you may be interested to join this group:
http://groups.msn.com/dubaiartscrafts
here you can find other like minded people, details of craft fairs and also where to buy supplies.

About me

2005-11-07T19:19:00.000+04:00

A short bit about me. I am a Brit who has been living in Dubai since December 2004. I have created this blog not only to supplement my failing memory but also to help any other expats or potential expats find information about Dubai!