Dubai: An Honest 3 Day Review

Dubai. I think it was my first ever trip outside of Europe. This was 1998, 28 years ago. My brother was doing an internship there and I got to visit him. Back then Dubai felt upcoming, international, a bit mysterious. I returned again around 2007 when the Burj Khalifa was still rising out of the sand. I wouldn’t say I loved Dubai, but it intrigued me. Ambitions, loads of money, international, skyscrapers, and over the years I kept checking what they were building. Now I could finally see it for myself again.

Burj Khalifa: The Platinum Experience

I love super tall skyscrapers and I’ll start at the place I wanted to go most: the Burj Khalifa, highest tower in the world, or so I thought…. At the ticket office I asked the lady, “So I’ll stand at 800 plus meters?” She said no, the public highest observation deck is 585 meters. Apparently the tower uses a 250-meter spire to add to the height. Is that fair to the 629 meter high Shanghai Tower which does not use a spire i thought? But that is another discussion…

Still I was excited. She offered standard, gold, or platinum. Normally I would pick standard or maybe gold, but for some reason I chose platinum. I didn’t know it then, but I’m glad I did, it made all the difference!

Most tall observation decks are behind glass, even the “outdoor” ones. But here, with the platinum pass, there was a terrace with an open, unobstructed view. If it had been behind glass, I think I would have left after thirty minutes. Instead, I stayed for hours with a small group of people who also seemed surprised by how real it felt. Looking far out over the desert and the city, with the wind and fresh air, I felt the first moment of magic in Dubai.

From the top I could see the JW Marriott where I had checked in a day and a half earlier. From 585 meters things look better, but that first day from street level it was messy. Tall buildings packed together incohesively, highways looping around each other, overpasses, an above-ground metro line, and construction everywhere. No space to walk nicely either.

The Dubai Mall Experience

My arrival didn’t help. My SIM was not working and after checking in the hotel the concierge sent me to the biggest mall in the world, the Dubai Mall. It is enormous. It was so big and unclear that it took me an hour to find the Du mobile store (but hey, I did get to see sharks swimming on the way!). And then I was told the waiting lines were too long. Not the best start….

Walking to the tour bus cost me another hour and I finally went on my way. Sitting in the bus towards Dubai Marina and Palm Island, the street scene I described earlier did not change. I had a dystopian feeling that never left me.

After spending hours stuck in traffic the bus brought us back to Dubai Mall. That night I watched the Kalifa fountain show, overpacked, but entertaining. Dubai felt like a theme park trying to be a city.

Al Seef & The Creek

A tip always helps from someone who lives there. And that tip was Al Seef in the old district. I was glad to spend time there. The Dubai Creek I remembered from 25 years earlier when Downtown Dubai wasn’t even there yet.

I also visited the heritage villages and souk across the river. On my way back I visited the Dubai Frame (again, highest in the world, this time for frames) which had a scary glass floor on top, and I saw the impressive Museum of the Future. But like everything else it was squeezed in and very close to the highways and overpasses looping around. No space to breathe in Dubai.

Dubai Marina & Bluewaters Island

I went to the massive Dubai Marina and yes you guessed it, the biggest marina in the world! Huge, over commercial, I strolled around in awe of how big it was. From there I walked to Bluewaters Island and watched people lying on hotbeds, waterskiing, skydiving.

I got on the ferris wheel (should i mention it is the highest in the world ;)?) which was nice to do. But behind glass of course… I was spoiled from the Burj Kalifa experience.

My last afternoon I walked around and saw still so many tall skyscrapers under construction. Dubai is far from finished. At least the construction workers smiled at me!

La Perle & Blade Runner feeling

At night I stumbled upon a show called La Perle. An highly rated acrobat-light performance. Strange but with moments of magic.

Walking back afterwards I passed under a viaduct where water was falling from the highway above with bright pink colours. It felt weird. And seeing this made my blade runner feeling complete 🤣.

Reflecting on my days in Dubai

Dubai wasn’t for me. I am all for tall skyscrapers and impressive buildings, but I found almost no beauty, tasteful spots. I think the way the city has been set up, with buildings scattered everywhere and an incohesive feeling, they lost track somewhere. Also it is over-commercial and busy everywhere. On the entertainment front they obviously have lots to offer. It feels like Las Vegas / Singapore on steroids in a way. So it is also a matter of perspective and expectations when coming here.

Context matters as well. Maybe I booked the wrong hotel location? Maybe I should given it more time? All I know is that after three nights I wanted to get out, to Abu Dhabi, my last stop before flying back to Shanghai. Only 1.5 hours by taxi, but a different world.

Prague: Not Elegant, But Full of Wonder

Just now, someone messaged me asking what I remember most from my trip to Prague. I had a few answers. I wrote: “Well, I went to the ugliest church me and my mother had ever seen… and then we heard the most beautiful music.” But I also remember visiting a one-room castle (for tourists at least), seeing a magical rainbow over the Charles Bridge, and arriving at our fairytale-like Alchymist Hotel.

Then the friend asked, “So what do you feel about the city?” To that, I replied: “It has nice things, but it’s far from the elegant, classy city I expected.”

Here, I’ll try to unravel a few memories and feelings about Prague. As usual, I won’t list everything I did, just the moments that stayed with me. Good or bad!

Where to Stay: The Baroque Alchymist Hotel

The story starts in the Netherlands, October 2025. I was back from Shanghai for my mother’s 80th-birthday trip. Venice had been the plan, but rain made us cancel it. She chose Prague instead. Of course, I had an image in mind: an old, beautiful, sophisticated city in Eastern Europe. At least, that’s what the movies and social media had taught me to expect.

After a bumpy EasyJet flight, we arrived in Prague and went straight to our hotel, the Alchymist, nestled in the picturesque streets of Mala Strana (my favourite area, as I later realised, since it was closest to classic and elegant style). It’s interesting that the best things are often the closest to you, also when travelling. But that’s another story. 😉

The hotel sits inside a 16th-century baroque mansion. Baroque isn’t usually my taste, but here it worked: ornate yet warm, dreamlike, with soft Enya music playing through the halls. It felt surreal. Again one of those moments where a good hotel sets the tone. I’ll keep checking the bad reviews first, it’s been leading me to better choices lately!

Old Town & Charles Bridge: An “Efteling” Vibe

From the hotel, we went to the charming Starbucks (yes, I needed my familiar hot chocolate!) on Malostranske Namesti. Walking on to the Charles Bridge and into the old-town square, I started to feel things. The style was different from what I expected: spires, baroque buildings, ornate, whimsical, a bit theatrical. It reminded me of the Dutch theme park Efteling. It was also a bit messy. But, as I later realised, under all the baroque style and messiness there would also be magic. More on that later.

Inspired by my Naples trip, we took the city tourist bus to get a sense of the city. We rode along the river, through parks and streets, past grand facades and lots of graffiti. Prague has a lot of graffiti! Tired from the long day me and my mother walked back to the hotel. But we were still in for a surprise……

We passed by passed an unassuming city church called St. Clement Cathedral. A sign outside mentioned a concert that evening, Vivaldi and Bach. The sales lady persuaded us, so we went inside. There, we found what must have been the most overdone church interior I had ever seen. Angels, gold, cherubs, just chaos. “This is the ugliest church I have ever seen,” my mother whispered. I agreed.

Then a woman (who looked like she had just come from the family stove) and a few other unassuming musicians took their places, and we heard the most beautiful music! I forgot about the ugly church and listened to the most intimate and moving performance. A lady sang opera too, beautifully. What a surprise!

Surprises can work 2 ways though, as we would find out the next morning….

The one-room Prague Castle

Prague Castle, built in the 16th century, also serves as the president’s residence. My mother had been looking forward to visiting this one. So we got up on a beautiful sunny morning early and went. Whereas we expected to see many grand rooms (like in Istanbul’s palaces), we were only allowed into one! So much for a tourist trap. I still haven’t figured it out. And the room was not interesting either!

At least the courtyard outside was lovely, and we enjoyed exploring the Golden Lane nearby.

China Saves the National Museum

The Prague National Museum was recommended on Google with five stars. I was suspicious. To me, it felt like an old, outdated state museum without a clear theme. But still, the fear of missing out (as is often the case) made us go. The building looked grand from outside but felt dated and lifeless inside.

Just as we were about to leave, my mother spotted something glowing down a corridor. It was a Chinese Imperial Treasures exhibition, bright, modern, beautifully curated with animated walls and digital art.

For someone who has lived in China for 20 years, I smiled. China had saved the day!

Jewish Quarter; Children’s holocaust drawings & Last morning Gift

A friend of my mother had advised us to visit the Jewish Quarter, which included an ancient Jewish cemetery. Inside one of the buildings, there was an area that was deeply moving. We saw drawings made by children during their time in the Terezín Ghetto camp. Some showed train cars; others, the rooms they were kept in with friends and guards. It was heavy and surreal to see. Even more so knowing that most of the children likely never survived.

On our final morning, I got up early to photograph the Charles Bridge before the crowds. It was still dark. I stood next to a man who seemed to be a professional photographer, and together we waited for a perfect shot of the bridge tower. The sky started to change slowly. Then, when you see everyone pointing their phones the other way…you realise you’re doing something wrong. I turned around and saw the most beautiful rainbow: a full, clean one against a pink, glowing sky. Again an unexpected surprise and more beautiful than the bridge tower for sure

Final Thoughts: Why Prague Surprised Me

Prague felt whimsical, oubollig (a bit old-fashioned or overdone), and messy.. But unexpected surprises make travel also great. Maybe that sums up Prague for me: not elegant, not subtle, but capable of giving magic when you least expect it.

I will return in Doha, Qatar. Stay tuned!

Naples, Pompeii & Amalfi: 2000-Year-Old People & The Tourist Bus

Naples was always high on my list, mostly because of Pompeii and its story. The idea, note this was in my mind, that I could see an ancient Roman city completely intact. But even more importantly, that I could see 2000 year old people standing, sitting, sleeping in whatever position they were in when the volcano hit them. It fascinated me.

They’d be covered in hardened ash but would still be them! At least that’s how I imagined it. See the AI image, that’s what I had in my head. Was it really like that?

A daughter’s birthday gift to enjoy myself

Sometimes you need an extra reason to go somewhere. My daughter was about to turn 11, and we had some extra time in the Netherlands before flying back to Shanghai. So I came up with an idea.

They say the best birthday gifts are the ones you enjoy yourself. So I sold her on the “2000 year old people.” And if that wasn’t convincing enough, I also threw in a day trip to the Amalfi Coast and showed her pictures. That did the job, and off we went.

Naples: Half a Day

After checking into the quiet, well located Palazzo Alabardieri Hotel and grabbing some pizza, we had half a day in Naples. We came for Pompeii and Amalfi, but we stayed in Naples. How to see as much as you can in such a short time? Well, don’t listen to me, listen to an 11 year old! It turns out my daughter had just the right idea. I suggested we walk with Google Maps, she suggested we hop on the blue and red line tourist buses. Initially I refused to go on city tour buses, but she won the argument.

The blue and red lines brought us to every corner of Naples in less than three hours. It gave us a glimpse of different neighbourhoods and how the city was structured. I saw beautiful villas, gardens, sea views and palaces. And after we left the bus we felt calm, having seen so much. So my daughter saved the day. When one has little time, choosing the obvious makes sense.

Pompeii: Seeing the 2000-Year-Old People

On our first day the excitement would start. It turned out we would actually see 2000 year old “people” due to an unexpected twist; just not in the way we imagined.

We met our tour group at the Naples train station. It was a clear, hot day (14 August). When we arrived at the Pompeii entrance I was a bit disappointed at first, as the entrance looked underwhelming and it was crowded with tourists. But once we got inside, that feeling faded away.

Without getting into too much detail, the visit was well worth it. But it’s important to set expectations right. It was not nearly as intact as I imagined. I thought the whole city would be preserved but it’s a mix between ruined and half-intact. Still, there was enough to feel the magic: ancient houses, shops, parks, baths, and more. Every place has a story. It gives you a glimpse of life in a rich ancient Roman city.

The most intact part was, interestingly, an ancient brothel. With ancient sexual paintings on the wall and the rooms and bed structures still visible. I wondered if my daughter knew what she was walking into…She never mentioned it, luckily..

The 2000 year old people

Now to the ancient people, the main reason for coming here. Sadly, they were not what I imagined. They had plaster bodies inside glass displays, replicas of the holes the real bodies left in the volcanic ash. So we would not meet 2000 year old people that day. Or would we? Fate would take a turn on us.

Mount Vesuvius on fire & Herculaneum

That afternoon Mount Vesuvius was literally on fire, with smoke visible in the distance. Our guide had to improvise and took us to a smaller “mini Pompeii” called Herculaneum. Herculaneum was also destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, but it’s more intact as it was buried by pyroclastic flows. So it led us to an interesting and unexpected second half of the day. We saw beautiful houses with gardens, also shops, and even went into cave-like structures that were used as swimming pools. All in all it was more vivid and alive than Pompeii, and much less busy.

But there was still something dramatic to come. Apparently, by the time the volcano erupted, Herculaneum was still connected to the sea. After hearing the eruption, at least 330 to 340 people died trying to escape the city, mostly in the boat sheds by the water while waiting for rescue. The skeletons are still there in the sheds for tourists to see, and our tour guide took us there. A bit dramatic, and not in the way we imagined, but we still got to see 2000 year old “people.” ….

The Amalfi Coast

One of the more beautiful coastline rides I know, and it was a long time ago, so forgive me if my memory is blurred, is the drive from Nice to Monte Carlo in France. At one point I remember being high up in the steep rocks, the full Mediterranean filling my eyesight, with Monaco below. Coastlines with high, steep cliffs and villages or cities are always the most beautiful.

Amalfi gave me something similar. After driving out from Naples for about an hour, we were high in the rocks overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and villages like Positano. It was a stunning sight and later I realized it was the highlight (sometimes this comes right at the start) of our day.

The villages themselves were not really “villages,” but more like single streets filled with tourists and shops. So our hope was on the tour guide, who was organising a boat trip to see the Amalfi Coast from the sea. According to her the best way to do it and we believed her. But unfortunately, the other people in our tour group didn’t want to put up the cash. 

So we were sent out into the next busy “one street” village full of of tourists and heat. Luckily my daughter (there she came to the rescue again) found a way into a very quiet and charming courtyard overlooking the sea. So we sat there waiting for our bus to leave.

Naples & Pompeii: What stayed with me?

Quite a lot looking back at it now. Naples (yes, from the city tour bus ;), the beautiful Amalfi coastline, Pompeii, and even more Herculaneum and its stories. And on a personal level, it was a fun trip to take with my daughter, some bonding, some history. But what I really learned is that the best travel discoveries are the ones you never planned, often thanks to an 11-year-old on a red tourist bus 😉

For another European city trip, read about my time in Prague: Not Elegant, But Full of Wonder