NYE Festivities
Jan 2nd 2011, 5:56 am
#46
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: NYE Festivities
Escaped rainy Jeddah for a long New Year's week-end in Dubai.
Agree with many of the posts above regarding overhyped NYE - but decided to venture out this year, which merely confirmed why it's best avoided.
Got the metro from Union Sqare to Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa at 9pm with a friend. Whizzed past the traffic stuck on Sh. Zayed. However, serious congestion at the Dubai Mall metro station - I'm head and shoulders above the mainly Indians/Filipinos but still avery uncomfortable experience as everyone jostled through the turnstiles - if for any trivial reason a stampede had started, it could have turned out very nasty. The platform was barely clearing before the next train arrived.
Stroll round the mall and a bit of food - not my sort of thing really, but with good company so no matter.
Then outside sat on the pavement to watch the 'display'. Very spectacular, but also very brief and lacking in colour variety. I suppose the extent of a display is indicative of a places financial status - Dublin probably had a fellah waving a second hand sparkler about for a couple of minutes.
Decided to go to the metro station one up from Dubai Mall to avoid the crush - not the only ones heading that way. Then saw a taxi, got in and set off, but he didn't seem keen on going to Deira, and looking at the SZR traffic had to agree. Ended up nearer the desired metro station and bailed out agreeing nothing to pay for the short ride.
Big crush again at the metro - only letting 20 or so at a time through the turnstiles and on to the platforms. At least they were staying open. Eventually made it into an uncrowded train, which interestingly did not stop at Dubai Mall station on the way east - someone was obviously managing the situation.
Bottom line - it was the company I was with that made the evening, and that could have just as well been achieved with a meal and a few drinks at home.
Agree with many of the posts above regarding overhyped NYE - but decided to venture out this year, which merely confirmed why it's best avoided.
Got the metro from Union Sqare to Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa at 9pm with a friend. Whizzed past the traffic stuck on Sh. Zayed. However, serious congestion at the Dubai Mall metro station - I'm head and shoulders above the mainly Indians/Filipinos but still avery uncomfortable experience as everyone jostled through the turnstiles - if for any trivial reason a stampede had started, it could have turned out very nasty. The platform was barely clearing before the next train arrived.
Stroll round the mall and a bit of food - not my sort of thing really, but with good company so no matter.
Then outside sat on the pavement to watch the 'display'. Very spectacular, but also very brief and lacking in colour variety. I suppose the extent of a display is indicative of a places financial status - Dublin probably had a fellah waving a second hand sparkler about for a couple of minutes.
Decided to go to the metro station one up from Dubai Mall to avoid the crush - not the only ones heading that way. Then saw a taxi, got in and set off, but he didn't seem keen on going to Deira, and looking at the SZR traffic had to agree. Ended up nearer the desired metro station and bailed out agreeing nothing to pay for the short ride.
Big crush again at the metro - only letting 20 or so at a time through the turnstiles and on to the platforms. At least they were staying open. Eventually made it into an uncrowded train, which interestingly did not stop at Dubai Mall station on the way east - someone was obviously managing the situation.
Bottom line - it was the company I was with that made the evening, and that could have just as well been achieved with a meal and a few drinks at home.
Jan 2nd 2011, 5:59 am
#47
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Re: NYE Festivities
Jan 2nd 2011, 6:01 am
#48
Bored liberal
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Over there ----->
Posts: 13,713
Re: NYE Festivities
I guess a few of us were thinking the same thing...
Jan 2nd 2011, 6:23 am
#49
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Doha
Posts: 535
Re: NYE Festivities
The point I was making was that he didn't mind us not paying what the meter said given the journey wasn't on, even though he'd driven us about half a mile.
He and the waiting staff at the Mall did OK on New Year's eve - ironically, unlike many Brits, I always give something to service industry staff - I just was not presenting chapter and verse in the above post.
He and the waiting staff at the Mall did OK on New Year's eve - ironically, unlike many Brits, I always give something to service industry staff - I just was not presenting chapter and verse in the above post.
Jan 2nd 2011, 8:03 am
#50
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 5,965
Re: NYE Festivities
I have emerged from my pit of misery so Happy New Year all- glad its all over and done- I stayed at home- didn't leave my flat for two days. Feel all the better for just ignoring it. 
Now can we get the rest of January over with as quickly as possible please and move on to some happier months?
Now can we get the rest of January over with as quickly as possible please and move on to some happier months?
Jan 2nd 2011, 11:07 am
#51
why ayeeeee man!
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Disco Gardens...
Posts: 11,370
Re: NYE Festivities
as when I lost my cash, I thought someone might as well be happy so I gave the driver a 30 D tip on the way back, little fellas face lit up.
