United Arab Emirates

[cgr]

I’m not that good at writing, so I’ll keep it to bulleted points with ratings and short notes where applicable.

Background: This trip was based around cheap flights from MLE to DXB to JFK that Dan posted. We travelled in late August 2017, and spent 4 days in Singapore, 5 days in Maldives, and 3 days in UAE.

Flights:
•   MLE to DXB to JFK (3 day stopover in Dubai) with Emirates Air

• $144.13 per ticket (Thank you, Dan!

Hotel:
•   Dubai: Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah- 5/5

• They kept our frozen pom meals in the general freezer and provided us with a microwave.

Method of Transport:
•   Car Rental with Avis

• The roads are comfortable, wide, and safe
• We drove from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and didn’t encounter any problems

Food:
•   We schlepped along plenty of dry packaged food as well as frozen POM Meals.

Activities:
Dubai
•   Burj Khalifa- 3/5

• It’s cool to be in the tallest building in the world, but you can’t actually tell the difference when you’re up there…

•   Dubai Mall- 4/5
•   Gold Souk- 5/5

• This was absolutely fascinating. First off, the gold is not of the same quality that is sold in the US. I believe the US standard is 18 to 24 karats. In Dubai it’s much higher, and as a result the gold is a different color. Second, you get to see gold like you never have before. Tiaras and armbands are the smaller pieces. They have dresses and tops made of gold here!

•   Spice Souk- 3/5

Abu Dhabi
•   Sheikh Zayed Mosque- 5/5

• The most beautiful 21st century building I have ever seen. Makes you yearn for the Beis Hamikdash…

•   Ferrari World- 3/5

• The ride operators here are rather sneaky. Some rides are not visible from within the building, so you have no idea what you are getting into. The operator told us that ‘this ride is not scary at all’ and then we found ourselves upside down with a 50-foot drop ahead…

[gsquared]

pretty sure 24 karat is pure gold

[cgr]

pretty sure 24 karat is pure gold

Yup. You're right. Guess I need to do some more research into why the gold is such a different color.

[stooges44]

Abu Dhabi
•   Sheikh Zayed Mosque- 5/5

    The most beautiful 21st century building I have ever seen. Makes you yearn for the Beis Hamikdash…

You went into a mosque? 

[mochjas]

How were the gold prices?

[cgr]

You went into a mosque? 

Yup. Per my posek it's no issue. (A church does pose an issue and should only be entered with a tour group)

[cgr]

How were the gold prices?

Pretty good. They check the current price of gold (you can obviously verify that independently) and then multiply that by the weight of the piece you're looking to buy. At this point you start negotiating for a discount...

[stooges44]

Yup. Per my posek it's no issue. (A church does pose an issue and should only be entered with a tour group)

Wow! that is one of the wildest things I've heard in a very long time. Not in any way bad just fascinating and not the p'sak either I'm just astounding that you wanted to and you pulled it off. (pics please) What were you wearing? Everyone knows you can spot a jew from miles away especially the ones that wear a baseball cap with their peyos bulging out, I get you weren't that obvious but still that is...wild!

[mmgfarb]

Wow! that is one of the wildest things I've heard in a very long time. Not in any way bad just fascinating and not the p'sak either I'm just astounding that you wanted to and you pulled it off. (pics please) What were you wearing? Everyone knows you can spot a jew from miles away especially the ones that wear a baseball cap with their peyos bulging out, I get you weren't that obvious but still that is...wild!

Many Jews go, it's not a big deal.

[cgr]

Wow! that is one of the wildest things I've heard in a very long time. Not in any way bad just fascinating and not the p'sak either I'm just astounding that you wanted to and you pulled it off. (pics please) What were you wearing? Everyone knows you can spot a jew from miles away especially the ones that wear a baseball cap with their peyos bulging out, I get you weren't that obvious but still that is...wild!

Well, for the wanting part, it's one of the most beautiful modern buildings in the world, so that's that.
As for the looking Jewish part, we definitely got that part down pat . They have no issue with Jews, and couldn't care less what we looked like. At the entrance to the mosque they have dressing rooms and since our ankles weren't covered, they kindly requested us to change into Muslim garb (they provide). It was one of the highlights for sure

[ludmila]

Yup. You're right. Guess I need to do some more research into why the gold is such a different color.

Because it is 24 carat gold. In the US they sell 14 and 18 carats , and rarely you might find 21 carats, the gold that you saw and looks a different color is pure gold.

[LoLo]

Because it is 24 carat gold. In the US they sell 14 and 18 carats , and rarely you might find 21 carats, the gold that you saw and looks a different color is pure gold.

Isn't pure gold too soft for actual use?

[cgr]

Isn't pure gold too soft for actual use?

It's 99.99% gold- as close as you can get to pure. (same quality as a gold bar).

[bizsbuzz]

It's 99.99% gold- as close as you can get to pure. (same quality as a gold bar).

Do they sell small biscuits? What form of gold is worth to buy? I suppose with rings one also pay a making charge. Not sure how it works there. What is negotiable when buying gold there?

[EliJelly]

• The most beautiful 21st century building I have ever seen. Makes you yearn for the Beis Hamikdash…

Just in time now..
..אזכרה אלוקים ואהמיה, בראותי כל עיר על תילה בנויה, ועיר אלוקים מושפלת עד שאול תחתיה

[Proisrael]

Wow! that is one of the wildest things I've heard in a very long time. Not in any way bad just fascinating and not the p'sak either I'm just astounding that you wanted to and you pulled it off. (pics please) What were you wearing? Everyone knows you can spot a jew from miles away especially the ones that wear a baseball cap with their peyos bulging out, I get you weren't that obvious but still that is...wild!

Pretty sure every Jew I know who has passed through AUH has visited the Mosque there. There is absolutely no Halachik issues and they have no issues with Jews in the Emirates. I went through Qatar with a yarmulkle and had no issues whatsoever. Security gave me no issues with my Israeli visa/aliya sticker.

[moish]

Do they sell small biscuits? What form of gold is worth to buy? I suppose with rings one also pay a making charge. Not sure how it works there. What is negotiable when buying gold there?

The gold there looks more "yellow" than what you are probably accustomed to seeing. Not in a good way.

[Dan]

Wow! that is one of the wildest things I've heard in a very long time. Not in any way bad just fascinating and not the p'sak either I'm just astounding that you wanted to and you pulled it off. (pics please) What were you wearing? Everyone knows you can spot a jew from miles away especially the ones that wear a baseball cap with their peyos bulging out, I get you weren't that obvious but still that is...wild!

https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/trip-notes/maldives-trip-notes-part-2-dubai-and-abu-dhabi/

[cgr]

The gold there looks more "yellow" than what you are probably accustomed to seeing. Not in a good way.

I beg to differ. I like to think that the nicest piece of jewelry I own is from there.
Here's a pic I took in the Souk of one of the storefronts. Wild.

[moish]

I beg to differ. I like to think that the nicest piece of jewelry I own is from there.
Here's a pic I took in the Souk of one of the storefronts. Wild.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder