Dubai 2: A city expanding before our eyes

Dubai has gone through a petrol-powered revolution in the past 20 years and the pace of building change shows little sign of slowing down. Running out of prime waterfront real estate? Simple - build a new island shaped like a palm tree. The views being interrupted by the neighbouring buildings? Construct the tallest building in the world.

The sprawl of Dubai - the original town was at The Creek in the top right of the photo and The Palm island is to the bottom left. The other offshore construction is The World, a project that, for the moment is on hold (presumably until the oil price increases again)

The shadows show the skyscrapers - The needle in the middle is the  Burj Khalifa tower

We took a day's hop-on, hop-off bus tour to see most of the sights so here are a few photos:

The Burj Al Arab hotel (one of the most expensive in the world). The round disk at the top is the helicopter pad which has been used for all sorts of PR stunts including David Coulthard doing donuts in a Formula 1 car and Agassi playing tennis on it!

The new Souk Madinat Jumeirah beach-side resort

The tunnel out to the edge of The Palm

Beach life

The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at over 800m high (twice the height of the Empire State Building)

The view from the 125th floor of the Burj Khalifa/ Ten years ago this was just desert.

Looking down to the Dubai Fountain

Sunset from the Burj - the atmosphere is pretty hazy through a mix of wind-blown sand and pollution

Di on the 125th floor

The Dubai Fountain starts one of its amazing computer-controlled water, light and music shows

The Burj Khalifa at night

The fountain show

Apart from the overwhelming dazzle of the buildings and the shock of the 'world's largest' shopping malls and the indoor ski slope (really!), we really enjoyed our Dubai experience, thanks in no small part to the wonderful hospitality of Anthony and Lucy. The few days also eased us back into British retail brands and we were delighted to find some decent yogurt at last!

Di finds the Yeo Valley yogurts in the Spinney's supermarket

We are now back in England, staying with great friends in Suffolk. Lovely weather but a bit colder than we are used to!