The “salting” on the “desert” cake

“Dubai is for me the ‘salting’ on the ‘desert cake’. This is where the future and the past, modernity, history and adventure merge with high-class shopping and pleasure.” These are the first impressions that Muhammad tells us of his ‘city’. He especially likes the many different facets and possibilities offered by the metropolis on the Persian Gulf. Opera visits, boat trips, discovery tours, desert adventures, skiing or climbing the tallest building in the world, Dubai has it all and there is something for everyone. Although we could fill a whole magazine with great stories about Dubai, we will limit ourselves to Muhammad's insider tips and recommendations.

Almost everyone knows the first and only 7-star hotel in the world. The hotel, a recreation of a huge sail, is 321 meters high. This makes it one of the highest buildings in Dubai and one of the four highest hotels in the world. If you want to spend a night in Burj Al Arab, you need to plunder your piggy bank. The cheapest room is around 1,400 euros per night. Muhammad says: „No Dubai trip is complete without a visit to this hotel!“

An absolute must in Dubai is the visit to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Muhammad’s tip: “Definitely do the ‘At the Top’ tour and learn all about the construction of the building. You will be rewarded at the end with a breathtaking view at 828 meters above sea level. One of the highlights of every trip to the Middle East!"

Breathtaking, unique, surreal, incredibly beautiful ... for the largest fountain in the world there are many suitable labels. 800 million euros construction costs, 6,600 lights, 25 colored projectors, 275 meters in length and the water is ejected 152.4 meters up into the air. Impressive numbers for a fountain...But see for yourself!

One of Muhammad’s recommendations for a relaxed Dubai vacation is the well-known Palm Island. Palm Jumeirah is actually an artificially created island in the form of a giant palm tree. In addition to numerous hotels and tourist attractions, the island also offers a variety of shopping opportunities.

Here, the sea water makes its way right through the heart of Dubai. The area around the bay is the historic center of Dubai and forms an antithesis to the modern age. Muhammad recommends taking an Abra (small water taxi) and visiting the old trading port and the dhows (ships).

Of course, you should not miss one of Dubai’s highlights: the ski hall. Presumably, due to the blatant contradiction of a ski slope in a desert, the first indoor ski hall in the Middle East is already one of the first associations when one thinks of Dubai. In the morning, you can lie on the beach and in the afternoon you can go skiing. Dubai makes it possible. Some members of the PUMPS editorial team have already visited this “bizarre” place in October 2017. Together with Muhammad and some colleagues from the global marketing and sales team of the ANDRITZ pump division, a snowman competition was held and the activities in the Snow Park, the largest indoor snow park in the world, were subjected to a “stress test”. Conclusion: It is definitely worth to pay for an entrance and not just marvel at this winter wonderland from the panoramic windows.

Dubai offers a lot and can be incredibly demanding. To recharge the batteries, our colleague has some restaurant tips for us. In addition to restaurants several hundred meters above the sea level, in the bay or in a restaurant directly above the sea, Muhammad has a special recommendation for us: Nusr-Et. Since the videos of Salt Bae, the nickname of the owner and chef Nusret Gökçe, the restaurant is one of the most famous in the world. Muhammad’s tip: “Reserve well in advance and save enough money. The restaurant is one of the most expensive in Dubai.”

Fashionista, adventure vacationer or those who are looking for relaxation, Dubai offers something for everyone. I hope I could give an impression why I call Dubai “the salting on the desert cake” and give you, dear readers, an understanding of some hotspots of this metropolis. The best way to discover the city, however, is on your own. But, of course, I would be very happy to help you with this!