Dubai in my mind is an enigma. It is not a country as most people would think, but a state (there are seven altogether) of the United Arab Emirates.

The roads are lined with cars and traffic jams. Fuel is cheap hence everyone has a car. Taxis are plentiful. There are taxis with pink roofs which are for women only as well as women only buses.
The roads are spotless, underground subways are clean (urine free) and no graffiti. This is because anyone caught red handed with a paint brush would have their hand cut off as punishment. An eye for eye is the mantra and is strictly adhered to. Dubai prides itself as being the safest city in the world, crime tolerance is zero and it works. Women are safe to walk alone at night, and often seen shopping until midnight in the shopping malls.
Dubai is a gateway where east meets west, there are now 65 shopping malls, the newest and the largest is the Mall of the Emirates. This covers an area of 2.5million square feet, and boasts of over 450 stores including Harvey Nichols and Debenhams.

On the subject of shopping, there are souks (bazaars) for every commodity. There are souks for electronics, ladies souks, textile souks, spice souks, and gold souks where gold is sold by weight. A tourist is expected to barter by at least 65% of the price to gain respect!!!

This mall adjoins the five star Fairmont Hotel and the famous indoor ski dome with real manufactured snow.
At -3 degrees, I was given a puffa coat, hat and gloves and I took a leisurely ride on the ski lift to the top of the "mountain". I was envious as I watched the skiers whizz past me on their skis and felt saddened that I did not find the courage to ski again (another story).

The Sultan offered to buy the Chrysler building in New York. When he was refused, he decided to build his own and it currently stands as the tallest building of 89 floors. There is no limit to the height of the buildings which is why there are hundreds of high rise buildings in the city, occupied with offices, and apartments. The skyline is reminiscent of New York. I am told that the buildings will survive a scale 7 earthquake. Fortunately, it has yet to be proved!

A mention for modern Dubai is their opulent hotels. The most famous is the Burj Al Arab Hotel. Burj means tower. Built to resemble a sail on a dhow, it stands on a man-made island reclaimed from the sea; it is majestic as it overlooks the Jumeirah beach with its white soft sand. Made of 100% glass and 100 tons of gold which lines the reception rooms and bedrooms. Definitely for rich and famous - a night at the Royal suite would cost £25,0000. See you next year!!

To sum up, Dubai is not a holiday resort. It is a bustling city; it has fabulous hotels, golf courses, race tracks, two water parks, endless shopping, private beaches and 24/7 sunshine.
Definitely a place I would recommend for a minimum stay of 4 nights or more for families, singles, and everyone in between.