We've just come back from a Russian package holiday to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is one of only four destinations from the Nalchik airport. The other three are Allepo (Syria), Istanbul (Turkey) and Moscow. Although it's an Arab emirate, only 13% of the population in Dubai are Arabs. Still, the call to prayer resounds five times a day from the mosques throughout the city. The other 87% of the population is comprised of expats, laborers (mainly from Pakistan, Bangeldesh, India and the Philippines) and tourists.The picture above of the men on the camels epitomises the curious blend of bedouin culture with the thoroughly modern city that's sprung up in the last 15 years and continues to grow at an incredible rate. (All of the high rises in the background are under construction.) The Burj hotel - on the bottom left - is the world's only 7 star hotel and is designed to look like an inflated sail. Its inflated room rates start at $1,000 per night.
For more about this fascinating city, see the current edition of National Geographic. It's the feature article.
