Cela roams around: I'm sitting on top of the World

Last weekend I’ve finally completed all must see in Dubai. I had a friend visiting me over the weekend and basically except going to the beach, resting and relaxing we did not do much. The only remaining touristic attraction was to go to Burj Khalifa. Finally!

I’ve booked tickets on-line a week before already, if you want to buy them at the entrance it costs 400Dh (sic!), although if you book them online you pay only 100 Dh.

We went there on Saturday after being at the beach, where we did some running, and trespassed from the Jumeirah Park Beach to the Kite Beach and then back, which was more risky as JPB is closed beach. Of course when we were coming there we’ve paid for the entrance, but we did not take tickets with us when we jumped over the fence to get out from there. Luckily we’ve managed to get in easily again without anyone noticing us jumping over the fence.

I was also lucky enough to spot two women in the water who were completely dressed with their heads covered, as this is the picture that I want to bring from here. Group of women in the sea wearing black robes and shawls. Unfortunately they were not wearing abayas, but at least they had their heads covered. I guess that to be able to shot such photo I should go to the beach on Monday, which is women day at the Jumeirah Beach Park.

This is where our luck was gone. Fog has come, we would not get dry after running and swimming in the sea, we went to the top of Burj Khalifa and did not see too much. What I was hoping to see was The World and Palm Jumeirah and airport maybe. I dunno how far it reaches, but I saw only the closest surrounding. It was cool too, although not that impressive. Even though cars were of the size of match boxes and we could see roofs of all buildings round it did not feel that high. We were at the 124 floor, so at the height of more than 400m. Burj Khalifa itself is 828m and more than 160 stories and is world’s tallest building. It was built in little more than 6 years. It was named Burj Khalifa – Khalifa’s Tower for the sake of Abu Dhabi sheik who helped Dubai when they were in some financial difficulties. It was to honour him and express gratitude for his help.

Burj Khalifa was expected to bring a lot of money from rental fees, but apparently these are apartments around it that bring money to their owners. Price of apartments with the view over the tower doubled at least, whereas probably more than half of the office and apartments spaces in Burj Khalifa is still unoccupied.

Having a guest also pushed me to go out for the dinner during the week. Usually I’m too lazy to go out somewhere during the week or even on Saturday evening, but with Pedro every evening was planned and we were meeting friends and having very nice dinners. House warming party of a German friend in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, dinner in Social House in Dubai Mall with two lads from France, dinner with German crew in Indian restaurant Manvaar (good, but Mumtazmahal in Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa was so much better) and finally oysters, french fries and beer in Warehouse in Le Royal Meridien with the French guys again. I’ve never been any great fan of beer and oysters, but that was fun! Especially that apparently I’ve never had oysters prepared like that and I never knew how to eat them properly, i.e. that you use the shell like tweezers to pick meat from oysters. Travelling broadens horizons ;-)