WEBVTT 1 00:00:07,309 --> 00:00:14,010 Rising from / the warm shores of the Persian Gulf / and the shifting sands of the Arabian Desert, / 2 00:00:14,010 --> 00:00:24,110 is the city of Dubai, / the largest emirate / in the United Arab Emirates. / 3 00:00:25,580 --> 00:00:32,370 For two centuries, / Dubai was not much more than / a tiny trading port / on the banks of Dubai Creek. / 4 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:35,080 But / in less than a single generation, / 5 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:42,100 the city has become a destination / once relegated to the imaginings / of science fiction writers. / 6 00:00:42,100 --> 00:00:50,920 A place / that defies its extreme environment, / and redefines everything / we think / we know about cities. / 7 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:58,000 Despite appearances, / however, / the foundations / for this glittering citadel / are not built on sand, / 8 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:06,730 but / on thousands of years of Arabic culture and tradition. / 9 00:01:06,730 --> 00:01:13,060 Step through the veil of Islam / at the Jumeirah Mosque, / where / non-Muslim visitors / are invited / 10 00:01:13,060 --> 00:01:20,950 to tour the beautiful interiors / and take part in / lively question and answer sessions. / 11 00:01:20,950 --> 00:01:28,860 Head to / the historic Bastakia Quarter / and visit / the Sheikh Mohamed Centre for Cultural Understanding. / 12 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:37,730 Here / you'll experience / local customs, Bedouin hospitality / and enjoy / home-cooked Emirati food. / 13 00:01:37,730 --> 00:01:44,069 To learn more about local traditions, / go shopping, [ the way / Arab people have / for centuries. ] 14 00:01:44,069 --> 00:01:51,940 Follow the scent / of frankincense and herbs / to the city's spice market. / 15 00:01:51,940 --> 00:01:56,000 Then, / explore the hundreds stores / in the gold souk, / 16 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:02,780 and discover / why Dubai is known / as "The City of Gold". / 17 00:02:02,780 --> 00:02:12,340 To explore the souks / of the 21st century, / head to Dubai Mall, / home to a staggering 1200 stores. / 18 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:17,420 Dubai Mall is also home / to Kidzania, / a miniature city / 19 00:02:17,420 --> 00:02:25,420 complete with / its own radio station, hospital and fire station / all run by children! / 20 00:02:25,420 --> 00:02:31,570 But / by far the mall's biggest attraction / is the Dubai Aquarium / and Underwater Zoo. / 21 00:02:31,570 --> 00:02:34,360 Take a walk / through a watery world, / 22 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:42,159 filled with over thirty thousand creatures / from the deep, / including enormous rays and sharks. / 23 00:02:42,159 --> 00:02:51,890 Once / you've explored / the depths of the seven seas, / step outside, / and look to the heavens. / 24 00:02:51,890 --> 00:02:58,440 Rising over half a mile / into the sky / is the breathtaking centerpiece of Dubai, / 25 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,140 The Burj Kalifa, / the tallest structure ever built. / 26 00:03:02,140 --> 00:03:07,570 Three times / the height of the Eifel Tower / and twice the size / of the Empire State Building, / 27 00:03:07,570 --> 00:03:13,549 the tip of this modern wonder / can be seen / from 60 miles away. / 28 00:03:13,549 --> 00:03:18,510 Take a high-speed lift / to the 124th floor observation deck, / 29 00:03:18,510 --> 00:03:24,860 which gives / expansive views of the city... / [ a city / that seems to grow / before the eyes. ] 30 00:03:24,860 --> 00:03:28,960 The Burj Kalifa is / particularly beautiful / at night, / 31 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:38,380 especially when viewed / through Dubai Fountain's dancing waters. / 32 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,120 Everywhere / you look in Dubai, / 33 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:46,100 you'll come face to face / with daring projects / which almost defy belief. / 34 00:03:46,100 --> 00:03:58,620 Enjoy a few Arabian Nights / at Madinat Jumeirah, / [ a five star resort / styled upon a traditional Arabian town. ] 35 00:03:58,620 --> 00:04:03,000 Or / sail into a sea of luxury / at Burj Al Arab, / 36 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:10,720 a seven star hotel, / whose graceful curves / echo the traditional wooden vessels / of the Gulf. / 37 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:21,540 When / temperatures climb, / head to one of the city's public beaches, / like Mamzar Beach Park, / 38 00:04:21,540 --> 00:04:28,190 or / for a small fee, / enjoy the luxurious amenities / at one of the many private hotel beaches. / 39 00:04:28,190 --> 00:04:34,969 Take the family / to Wild Wadi World, / and splash out / on over thirty rides, / 40 00:04:34,969 --> 00:04:39,459 themed around Arabian folk tales. / 41 00:04:39,459 --> 00:04:45,380 Take a high-speed ride / with a difference, / at Atlantis Dolphin Bay. / 42 00:04:45,380 --> 00:04:55,380 Then / discover even more marine creatures, / at the Lost Chambers Aquarium. / 43 00:04:55,380 --> 00:04:58,529 But if / you really want to cool down, / 44 00:04:58,529 --> 00:05:02,949 take the chairlift / to the top of the indoor mountain / at Ski Dubai. / 45 00:05:02,949 --> 00:05:06,579 This ski resort / in the desert, / features five ski runs, / 46 00:05:06,579 --> 00:05:13,019 including the world's first indoor black diamond slope. / 47 00:05:13,019 --> 00:05:23,000 Ski Dubai is even home / to troupe of snow penguins, / which come out / to play / several times each day. / 48 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:28,690 Once / you've perfected your turns / on the snow, / why not try / a little sand boarding. / 49 00:05:28,690 --> 00:05:32,080 Whether / you come / for a day / or stay a few nights, / 50 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:37,740 a journey into the Arabian Desert / is an experience / no visitor should miss. / 51 00:05:37,740 --> 00:05:44,970 Take a camel trek, / meet the wildlife, / or just gaze out / at the endless expanse of sands. / 52 00:05:44,970 --> 00:05:54,709 This is a place so quiet,... / you can hear / your own heart beat. / 53 00:05:56,980 --> 00:06:03,429 It's when / you're out here, / [[ only an hour / from the world's tallest building, ]] 54 00:06:03,429 --> 00:06:12,989 that you'll truly appreciate / just how miraculous Dubai is. / 55 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:21,429 That [[ in one of the world's most inhospitable landscapes, / one of the world's most hospitable destinations ]] can flourish. / 56 00:06:21,429 --> 00:06:35,939 That / from this great emptiness, / a glittering oasis can rise, / and almost outshine / the sun itself. /