Dubai city, a memorable travel experience shared by a Visakhapatnam girl

Dubai city has always been known as one of the commercial capitals of the world. However, there is much more to it than that. This superbly developed city has a lot to offer for every type of tourist. Aisha Agarwal shares her experience of visiting Dubai city.

A city built from scratch and a desert landscape transformed into something unbelievably beautiful. This is the exact thing I heard from almost everyone who recommended me to visit Dubai in United Arab Emirates. So, I finally decided to put a stamp to it and experience this magical city. I chose to visit it in the month of March and booked my flight from Mumbai with Emirates, which is known to be one of the best airlines. Even though I booked an economy class ticket, the 3-hour journey was quite smooth and the service was remarkable. I was surprised to know that they serve unlimited wine along with the food, all included in ticket fare. Also, the weather during my trip was very pleasant, during the day, and surprisingly cold at night.

It was a weeklong trip and I already had my itinerary filled with all the must visit places. Beginning from the towering and dazzling Burj Khalifa, the epitome of manmade beauty Miracle Garden, the adrenaline rush of sand bashing in Desert Safari, the thrills at Dubai Parks and Resorts, the cultural feast at Global Village, serenity at Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the never-ending shopping spree at Dubai Mall. All of these places gave me such a high, that they left an indelible imprint in me.

Global Village was an explosion of cultural extravaganza with pavilions dedicated to different countries from across the globe. Every country’s pavilion sells the respective nation’s specialty goods and their best produce. Right from the fragrance of Oudh, new age perfumes, exotic spices to the beautifully woven clothes, handmade pottery and many other endless items; everything was tantalizing my senses. It was feast to my eyes and soul. I wanted to buy everything and take a piece of it back with me.

Dubai, being a melting pot of cultures and with people here constantly craving for exquisite taste, there is no cuisine that you won’t find here. While one can get easily carried away with the numerous options, I opted to savor the native and more region-centric Arabic food. Being a vegetarian did limit my options but that did not stop me from enjoying the Arabic cuisine. The freshly baked pita bread, called Khubz, and the lusciously smooth Lebanese Hummus were my favorite. Apart from this, the flaky rice pilaf, kefta and veg kebabs were always on my table.

Before my visit to Dubai if someone would have asked me what comes to mind when I think of Dubai, I would have answered Sheikhs, Hookahs, skyscrapers and desert. But now I know how little I knew. Dubai is more than just about these things. It’s a gorgeous masterpiece that is built on a desert with every corner screaming about their beautiful culture and traditions. Dubai didn’t just live up to my expectations, It definitely exceeded them.