We are at the Mandarin Oriental, one of the poshest hotels I’ve ever stayed in. It was clear this morning that we have reached peak breakfast.
The breakfast buffet was vast, with many different sections. It’s hard to convey the many and varied offerings, although you may get some idea if I tell you they had three different sorts of dates. I made a rookie tactical error by ordering a latte which filled me up too much. I vow to do better tomorrow.
After breakfast we did a guided tour of Burj Al-Arab, the distinctive sail shaped building that is the most expensive hotel ever built. It was fabulously gaudy. It made our hotel look the height of restraint. We got to look around the decommissioned presidential suite. Only two bedrooms.
After that it was back to our hotel for a nap (me) and beers by the pool (the boys), before heading out to the gold souk (market) at 5. We’ve been Ubering everywhere, and every one has been a Lexus. Not a Prius in sight.
The gold souk was incredible. The gold on display was absolutely mind boggling. It seemed mostly sold by and aimed at Indians. Even the advertising all around had famous Indian actors and actresses.
We then took a ferry across the river – known as the creek – to the traditional shopping markets in the Al Fahidi historical district. I’m not sure how much of the old buildings there were original? It seemed too much like a movie set, and the shops seemed mostly aimed at tourists.
We had dinner at a traditional fish restaurant, which didn’t serve alcohol, a shock to some of us, before ubering back to the hotel to bed.
It would be a struggle to stay fit here. It’s too hot to walk or cycle anywhere, which are my main methods of working out.