Sand castles

Before arriving in Dubai for a stopover I admit my knowledge about the financial jewel of the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf was limited.

I’d seen Tiger Woods belt a golf ball into the Arabian Sea from the helipad of the distinctive Burj Al Arab hotel a few years ago and had heard from some expat mates about them enduring a “dry” AFL Grand Final because it fell during Ramadan in the Muslim emirate. I had also read about a British couple being sentenced to a one-month prison term earlier this year for kissing in a beachside restaurant. And in May Dubai was again in the headlines when the UAE banned Sex and the City 2 for its “anti-Muslim” views.

Oh, and my wife may also have mentioned something about the shopping on offer.

So it was with this rather narrow view that I arrived at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, after a quick taxi ride from the airport.

The 36-floor, 498-room hotel overlooking the Dubai Creek, a marina and adjoining shopping mall opened two years ago and still feels like it was unwrapped yesterday.

Our suite on the 15th floor offered panoramic views of the surrounds, which provided evidence that most of this city has literally emerged from desert over the past 30 years … and is showing no signs of slowing down. The suite also had broadband internet access, an iPod docking station, a flat-screen Plasma TV, and DVD player, but if, like me, the bathtub plays a big role in your holiday experience, you’ll be impressed. This freestanding, designer tub is the first I’d seen with a waterspout in the ceiling.

Add a 25m outdoor pool, a gym, luxurious spa treatment facilities and direct access to the shopping mall and its 550 retailers and it was difficult to drag ourselves away from the hotel and Festival City precinct.

But after a jetlag-curing soak in bathtub, our plan to head downstairs and travel up Dubai Creek to the traditional shopping souks at its mouth was stymied by the Floating Bridge. The helpful hotel concierge told me the temporary bridge, which opened three years ago to ease congestion, splits the lifeblood of the city from 6am to 10pm, and it is still a sore point with local boat owners. He suggested we catch a taxi instead.

We arrived at the Gold Souk on the Deira side of the creek by taxi and were immediately set upon by persistent street sellers: “Watch? Bracelet? Necklace?” Being one of the biggest gold markets in the world, the array of jewellery for sale in the hundreds of shops is bewildering. While bargains can be found, much of it is tacky, none more than the world’s heaviest gold ring - a 58.68kg, 21-carat monstrosity that even Mr T would turn up his nose at.

The nearby Spice Souk was once the largest in the region. Most traders will gladly let you taste or smell their wares, from nuts to saffron, as they have done for centuries. But beware, you won’t be able to leave without buying something. Just remember to barter.

So with our bag of lemon-scented pistachios, we finally made it on to the creek for a 30-minute ride in an abra (water taxi). Despite the modern buildings flanking its banks, this is as close as you’ll get to the ancient heartbeat of the city. Magan ships from 3000BC once sailed from here trading pearls from the mouth of the creek. Now wooden dhows line the wharf, loading and unloading their bizarre cargo from exotic locations, as they have since the early 19th century.

We finished with a step back in time in the old Bastakiya quarter on the opposite side of the creek. Dating from the end of the 19th century, the preserved limestone buildings, complete with wind towers, form a maze of lanes that are now home to art galleries, cafes and boutique hotels. 

Back at the InterContinental we are spoilt for choice for dinner. The hotel has four restaurants and two bars. It is also home to the “Best Restaurant in Dubai 2009”, the French fine-dining Refletts, run by Michelin starred chef Pierre Gagnaire. Our taste buds are eventually drawn to Anise, an open-air all-day restaurant off the lobby. The aromas were too much to go past. As well as the homely wood-fired oven churning out fresh pizzas at the entrance, it features six cooking stations where chefs can prepare a dish, be it a curry, stir-fry or pasta, to your liking. We were fortunate enough to be there on seafood buffet night and dined out on lobster, prawns, oysters, mussels and fish fresh from the Arabian Gulf. And leave room for dessert.

The next day we headed to the beach, with plans to visit the Burj Al Arab hotel. The 321m-high hotel, which has become synonymous with Dubai since opening in 2003, was built to resemble the sail of a dhow. Unfortunately, we were stopped by security at the gate and informed we needed to phone ahead to make a booking, and were not dressed appropriately. Unperturbed, we headed next door to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and marveled at the architecture of the Burj Al Arab as we walked with the sand between our toes.

Then it was time for some retail therapy at The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping centre in the shadow of the world’s tallest building, the 828m Burj Khalifa. This is modern Dubai at its most grandiose: big, brash and oozing cash from every nook on its four levels. It is home to 1200 shops over 55ha, but dare I say, shopping is almost a sideshow to its other attractions. The Dubai Aquarium houses 33,000 marine animals in 10 million litres of water behind, you guessed it, the world’s largest viewing panel at 32.8m wide by 8.3m high. Best of all, it’s free to stand outside and watch the sharks swim by. There’s also an Olympic-sized ice rink if you’re feeling active. Once night fell, we stepped outside to see the Dubai Fountain spring to life thanks to more than 6000 lights, water jets and music. 

Later we settled in at the Vista lounge at the InterContinental for a light dinner. Overlooking the marina and city skyline, the stylish bar seemed like an ideal place to reflect on our stay. Had it opened my mind to Dubai? Yes. While there is no denying it is a materialistic, tax-free business haven where corporates come to play, scratch the glimmering surface and you’ll discover a city rich in Arabian culture and history. And yes, according to my wife, the shopping is something else.