Our Journey on the Journey to West Africa - Anyway we Wanted it, But didn't Stop Believing

[The Salties]

If you go on the roll call for the trip down in Nov. there are a lot of posts about it. I went onto the travel section but I am sure you will be ok after reading all those posts. If not come back to me and I will follow the chain I did last time. Poor old brain doesn't retain as much as it once did. Probably due to resting on too many holidays.

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, The Salties said:

If you go on the roll call for the trip down in Nov. there are a lot of posts about it. I went onto the travel section but I am sure you will be ok after reading all those posts. If not come back to me and I will follow the chain I did last time. Poor old brain doesn't retain as much as it once did. Probably due to resting on too many holidays.

I just found it - it’s on a South Africa travel & tourism website.

As far as I can see we should be OK for Senegal.

[SailorJack]

On 8/9/2023 at 9:08 PM, Miss L.A.P. said:

After not being on this site for 3 years, the only thing I could think about was "I wonder if SailorJack has written any reviews?".  I certainly wasn't disappointed.  Thank you for always making me laugh and bringing us all along on your adventures.

 Just got back from a long absence and just saw your post. Glad you enjoyed the review. Thanks for posting.

 

Upcoming cruises: Barcelona to Dubai on the Oceana Riviera and a 31 day roundtrip from LA to the South Pacific on The Sapphire Princess. Our first time on Oceana and looking forward to visiting Dubai again. Probably won't review the Oceania trip but should review the Princess one. So my next review should be on the Princess board.

 

Again, thanks for your comments.

[Host Jazzbeau]

No agenda here, just confusion:  what is the appeal of Dubai?

[Riocca]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

No agenda here, just confusion:  what is the appeal of Dubai?

No, it’s a very good question, I started going to Dubai in the early 1990’s on business and it was a totally different place then but still vibrant and exciting and at the start of this sustained period of growth. I can remember going to the opening of the first large shopping mall but then as now I much prefer Deira the old part of Dubai. If you stay somewhere like the Radisson in Deira which incidentally was the first 5* hotel in Dubai you can sit on your balcony overlooking the Creek and watch the dhows being loaded with goods as they have for centuries, although the goods being loaded have changed a lot since then.

There’s a souk for everything, tourists head for the gold souk but wander a bit further and you get to the spice souk which overloads the senses. There’s even a material souk where you can buy cloth and silk at a fraction of the price you would normally pay and the choice was amazing.

New Dubai is amazing to see and it’s incredible to see what they have managed to build in a desert, it’s glitzy and glamorous but for us at least not that interesting, to be honest we prefer Muscat in Oman as it’s more authentic.

[SailorJack]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:14 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

No agenda here, just confusion:  what is the appeal of Dubai?

 

If you have not been to Dubai, I really recommend that you put it on your bucket list.  To us, it is sort of like Hong Kong - the city never sleeps! From a cultural perspective it really is where east meets west - where Arabic culture blends with Western culture without a Hick-up. .And it is constantly changing and growing. You know those huge cranes that are used to build skyscrapers? Twenty-five percent of the world's supply are in Dubai!

.

And there is so much to do there.  Time and space does not permit a full list - but some of our favorites:

 

Visiting Dubai Mall - the largest in the world with 1,200 retail stores. After shopping we go snow skiing inside the mall. (Younger enthusiasts go snowboarding.  Even younger ones go tubing.). Also ice skating - $40 our last time there. While at the mall you can also visit the aquarium and underwater zoo. We usually have lunch there as well as there some great eateries at the mall.

 

High tea at Burj Al Arab Hotel. A bit pricey at nearly $200 each (with champagne, of course.) It is an experience that cannot be matched (google it:)

 

Visiting the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world at 163 floors - slightly over a half mile high.  From the observation deck on the 124th floor you can Iran 95 miles away. (Also a very nice place to stay!) 

 

Dinner cruise on a Dhow on Dubai creek. With all of the Dhows outlined in a kaleidoscope of colors it is more about the entertainment than the food  -which is always good.

 

Souks - soak up the culture of Arabia by visiting the many souks. You can take a HOHO bus that drops you off at each souk so you can shop and marvel and then catch the next HOHO to the next souk (or to the Burj Al Arab for high tea.😀)

 

Did I mention how rich the country is? The police in Dubai drive Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Bugattis. In fact the Bugatti police cars are rated at over 200mph. The joke is that people beg to be arrested so they can ride in one.

 

As I mentioned, there is so much do there and each visit we find other things to experience.  Which is why we are looking forward to being there in a couple of months.

 

Jack

 

 

[Traveling Fools]

50 minutes ago, SailorJack said:

From a cultural perspective it really is where east meets west - where Arabic culture blends with Western culture without a Hick-up.

Dubai's old airport was in deed a cultural melting pot.  For many coming from remote, rural areas it must have seem as if they had passed thru a time warp.

 

On 9/15/2023 at 7:49 AM, Riocca said:

to be honest we prefer Muscat in Oman as it’s more authentic.

Very true.  And you don't really require a lot of time to visit some of the nearby sites.  While visiting some of the old forts, I kept looking for a charge of the either a light brigade or encounter of a French Foreign Legion type of event to happen.

[Traveling Fools]

Great review Sailor Jack!

 

[Mackdogmolly]

On 9/18/2023 at 12:06 PM, SailorJack said:

Visiting Dubai Mall - the largest in the world with 1,200 retail stores.

That sounds like my worst nightmare 😂

[SailorJack]

On 9/15/2023 at 4:49 AM, Riocca said:

No, it’s a very good question, I started going to Dubai in the early 1990’s on business and it was a totally different place then but still vibrant and exciting and at the start of this sustained period of growth. I can remember going to the opening of the first large shopping mall but then as now I much prefer Deira the old part of Dubai. If you stay somewhere like the Radisson in Deira which incidentally was the first 5* hotel in Dubai you can sit on your balcony overlooking the Creek and watch the dhows being loaded with goods as they have for centuries, although the goods being loaded have changed a lot since then.

There’s a souk for everything, tourists head for the gold souk but wander a bit further and you get to the spice souk which overloads the senses. There’s even a material souk where you can buy cloth and silk at a fraction of the price you would normally pay and the choice was amazing.

New Dubai is amazing to see and it’s incredible to see what they have managed to build in a desert, it’s glitzy and glamorous but for us at least not that interesting, to be honest we prefer Muscat in Oman as it’s more authentic.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up on the hotel, but a little late for this trip. Our traveling companions, however, are staying in a hotel in Deira and I'll ask them about the area.

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

On 9/18/2023 at 10:05 AM, Traveling Fools said:

Great review Sailor Jack!

 

Glad you enjoyed it.  I also agree that Muscat is a fun port, but I also think there is a lot more to do in Dubai. In any event, both places are great to visit.

 

Jack

[JakTar]

Ah. How nice to see that, post-Covid, you're travelling again, and posting again. This might be of interest if ever you're thinking of trying a British cruising experience -