This is the first part of 2 threads on Dubai.
Dubai is somewhere I thought I might never go to. I found a cheap flight on Emirates to Japan, which of course stopped in Dubai. I decided to turn it into a full 24 hour stopover to see the place for myself. I arrived late on the first night, slept, got up early and really spent the full day exploring the city, before leaving early the next morning. It was exciting to see a city which causes so much polarisation, and it was also my first time in the Gulf, or in an Arabic country for that matter.
I have to say, like Singapore, Dubai exceeded my expectations. Yes there are some unbelievably crass monuments to bad taste, yes there are parts that are sterile, but a slight scratch away from the surface reveals a more interesting city than many give credit for. Even the sterile parts are amazing to see, as the level of extremity is quite unbelievable.
What I please please request is that people enjoy this as a photography thread and and insight into Dubai. Please don't derail it with city vs city type arguments. I have seen a lot of other Dubai threads that desend into this, and I will ask a moderator to delete any such comments.
So without further ado....