Dubai - Excessive and Fabulous!

My dad lives in Dubai, so I am lucky enough to go and have a free place to stay! It is one of a kind, everything is extravagant, and shiny and brand new.

Some of you may know about the Burj Dubai, a skyscraper under construction at the moment. It is in fact the tallest building in the world, rising high into the sky at a colossal 818m. I had the pleasure of seeing it last year and it towers above the other "tiny" skyscrapers. I took the very top picture on my phone which is why its not the best quality, but you can tell from the skyscrapers in the foreground the sheer scale of it. The picture above is a recent image, as you can tell its almost finished.
When it is complete, the Burj will be a residential building, with luxury apartments and brilliant views. The building is part of a huge project to create downtown Burj Dubai, complete with shopping mall, more residential buildings, and the Armani hotel. Excessive really can't describe this project!

Another landmark Dubai is known for is the Burj Al Arab. This is a luxury hotel designed to look like a sail on the sea. Its contemporary, and beautiful in its own way. The fact that it is on its own little island in the sea makes it even more striking.

Other interesting projects under construction and completed are the Palm (two of them), and the World. All these islands have limited access. The World requires a boat to get to each island. I read that there are financial worries over it due to the recession, and clients have been backing out, so work on the World has ground to a halt.

Dubai is a land of excess and money. I once read someone call it the Vegas of the Middle East, and I agree! There isn't anywhere else like it (except for perhaps Vegas), and I find it amazing how fast they put up buildings, expecially compared to the UK when it takes a year here to do up a normal sized house!