A month ago, I decided to go to Morocco! I have studied lots of info about the country found cheap plane tickets, but just before I bought them, I kind of thought, Dont you need a visa to go there? What the hell? Yep You need a visa and it takes 3 weeks, to get one done! I had to urgently come up with other destination! ...and then it hit me! A piece of advice how not to be me! Just so you don't repeat my mistakes, and tackle this as a pro, there is a cool app for it! Specifically, Anywhere section in Aviasales app. It is the best option if you don't know where to go, but know how much money you are ready to spend. As an example, let's open Aviasales app, and fly from St. Petersburg, for 7 days with a budget of 400USD. Best thing is that it will suggest only those countries, where you don't need a visa or can get it upon arrival! Set it up and look at all the options... Baku, Tel-Aviv great place by the way... Belgrade Bodrum Montenegro and of course Dubai, exactly where you find me now! Amazing isn't it? The link to Aviasales app is below in the Description. Don't thank me) Before we begin, I d like to state that it has been one of the most stressful shootings I have ever done, First, you cant film in Dubai without permit, They have special forces that monitor this. Now, to the most painful part... You can't just take a drone with you to Dubai, you need insurance, a permit, most importantly, a pilot's license that you need to secure in Dubai! Worst thing now, is that I flew in without my drone. Can't play with the laws. Ok, let's queue the B roll As you just saw, we have good news! My friends here have both the drone, and the permits! So we will definitely show you some! Let's go We'll show you Dubai in all its glory, tell you about everything new that was launched here within last couple of years, and of course, flake some exclusives over it. But now, enough with previews, let's get to this Big Release from Dubai. During the last couple of years Dubai has increased in size a bunch of times. It grows up like a bamboo forest, whilst doing this at a speed, with which topographers cannot keep up with, not being able to add all these places to the map. Dubai is like one massive construction site, that operates both day and night. These guys work non stop! Every 5th crane in the world, according to stats is located in Dubai. So, if you are a crane operator, I think I just found you a job! It seems that authorities do not know the word IMPOSSIBLE. I mean, look at this, the Dubai Canal, Non existent a year and a half ago, with bunch of buildings and intersections instead of it. That got quickly demolished, they then dug out a channel, started running ferries, and now it s not only a thing of beauty, but also a good means of getting around the city. This is how it looks now... Later, we will check it out by night, and trust me, it is worth it! Over just 20 years. There were 1344 skyscrapers built here That's less than in HK and New-York, but just give these guys a chance... Real estate in Dubai constantly gains in value, property owners include Madonna, Roger Federrer, Beckham family, and Michael Schumacher, whose villa we will see further in the show. Yep, Brad and Angelina also own property here. Mind you, R-E prices will definitely make you sweat. A 3 bed apartment starts at a hefty half a million USD. Today, Dubai is extremely modern, advanced and expensive city. This of course has not been forever... This is how the main street of Dubai looked like 27 years ago. Here is that same street now! The reason for such drastic transformation, is obvious and we all know it. OIL There were oil fields discovered here in early 60s, not as big as in the nearby Abu-Dhabi, but it attracted investors, who were all about oil wells. It is why the people of a small port town, with population of 20000 people, who cooked food over bonfire and lived in tents, switched from camels to cars, and took to the development of Dubai. All of it happened thanks to this man: Sheikh Zayed. Of course, it is hard to imagine such pace of development without oil, but the merit of authorities lies not only in consumption of foreign funds. Let's play a simple game, all you have to do is guess the number written on this card. Question is very simple... What share of local economy is fulfilled by oil? Think about it... I m sure that 99% of you would never guess Because the share of oil returns in the economy of Dubai is only... 5% It is a decreasing number that will diminish below 1% over the course of 5-10 years. Tourism on the other hand... the whole 20%! I know it s hard to believe in, but tourism and aviation add to economy much more than oil. Dubai is like a teenager who inherited a hefty sum of money, but instead of spending, invested it successfully! Dubai is now one of the richest and most dynamically developing cities in the world. It strives to be the first in everything! We can shoot videos about Dubai every couple of months, since it is exactly the pace at which new grand projects arise, to then proudly be announced to the whole world! Basically, locals love everything with prefix: Get ready to count! Overground Dubai hosts the largest robotised overground line in the world. Basically these trains don't have drivers. The length of the network is over 75km! Hotels World's tallest hotel opened its doors in 2018 Gevora Hotel, with the height of 356m. Prior to 2018, This exact record was held by another hotel, JV Marriott Dubai. Apartment Blocks Tallest apartment block in the world, that s the one, still under construction. Its predecessor is right next door, Princess Tower! Mall Dubai is home to the biggest shopping mall in the world. It covers over 1 million square metres, it hosts 1200 shops and as you may have guessed, it is not just Bershka and Collins) An inbuilt aquarium boasts the biggest acrylic glass in the world, 33m in width. Although Dubai is at the epicentre of oven like temperatures, as during summer it reaches +50, it is also the base of the biggest flower park in the world, hosting... think about it, 45 million flowers, whilst this last shot brings us to Emirates Airways, which for the last 4 years is known as the best Airline company in the world. It manages the biggest number of the biggest airliners in the world, the A380. These planes are so luxury that you can even take a shower on it! Dubai Airport on the other hand, is third most congested airport in the world, whilst being one of the main hubs of the Middle East. Dont loose me! Dubai is also home to the biggest artificial island, which we ll visit later. Last but not least Tallest building in the world that spike in the distance, can also be found in Dubai! We ll visit it as well! Of course it is not the end of it, as Dubai keeps investing in more developments. Turning the page, these are the project under construction, as of December 2018: Tallest ferris wheel in the world, 210m high! ...soon to be completed. Museum of the Future, a building looking like a crescent, planned to open its doors in 2019, costing 200 million USD. Finally I mean, this is just ridiculous tallest architectural structure in the world, Dubai Creek Tower, with a restaurant and observation deck on top. It will overgrow Burj Khalifa by 100 metres. promissed to be completed in just 3 years! ...and you know what? I kinda believe them Apart from record beating buildings, Dubai attracts by its loose riches and sparkling luxury. You get a separate carriage at the overground if you own a gold card, ...whilst gold itself is in constant high demand here. Gold market serves as one of the main attractions, where you can find expensive jewellery, Rolex watches, ...this one is 30k USD for example, and look... Biggest gold ring in the world! weghing 58kgs! It even has it s own Guiness plaque. Another beloved sign of wealth by the locals and everyone else, are the cars! It is hard to be believe in this now , but in 1968, there were only 13 cars registered in Dubai. Today, this city with population of over 2 million, boasts over 150000 registered cars, ...and these are THE cars! Dubai will give a hard time, to most of the cities in the world by the supercars count. Supercars are bought here on daily basis, whilst number of showrooms will blow your mind. No need to order anything, just go to the shop, and come out with a Ferrari, Porsche, or even Bugatti... and a Honda for spare change. It s not men only who drive the cars here, you may find pink SUVs, BMWs and even a Hummer for Barbies. Still, it s not the point, number plates here are at times more expensive than cars themselves. The less numbers on the plate, the more it costs. This number plate for e.g. is worth a couple of millions, whilst the plate 003, in Abu-Dhabi, was recently sold for 7.5 million AED, which is 2 million USD. A plate with just one number on it, was sold for 45 million AED, that s more than 12 million USD! Now, the hotels... There are all kinds of them, but not for all kinds of pockets as local hotels are second most expensive in the world after Geneva. Burj Al Arab is most known hotel of Dubai, whilst also serving as its symbol. Ok, ok, let's take a break from boasting, because to show this hotel to you I need a drone, and my friends Lesha and Lena have one! Since it is extremely difficult to fly a drone here, Lesha provided me with his personal drone ...The Dubai version of mine We ll take off now and try to show you the spot. Take off, and here it is, the Burj Al Arab also known as The Sail, one and only 7 start hotel, at least this is how its owners call it. It doesnt look that tall but it goes 321m up, boasting tallest atrium hall ever, whilst the interior is foiled in 1800sq m. of gold. Just so you know, it s enough to plate 46000 Mona Lisa paintings. There is a terrace with a pool in the back, cool place and open to everybody, but one night at the hotel will set you back by at least 1000USD. Another exclusive hotel is Armani, situated in Burj khalifa personally designed by Giorgio Armani. There are only 2 in the world... Milan and Dubai. Which brings us to Atlantis, a 5 start hotel, located at the top of The Palm island. There were 7 times more fireworks used at its opening, than during the opening of Beijing Olympic Games! They dont allow to film inside but do trust me, it is all top notch! The Palm houses over 30 hotels, apartment blocks, marina and over 4500 villas. It looks amazing from birds eye view, but if we get closer, it becomes clear that houses are set tight together due to the fact that the developer responsible for raising the island added more housing to cover the construction costs, which did not delight existing house owners. Now, to the artificial islands... This palm we just saw is Jumeirah, and it s fully inhabited. Next one is Jebel Ali, still under construction, The World archipelago, as per my opinion, is the most interesting here, 240 islands representing the World Map. Each is called after a country or state, e.g. Australia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc, Rostov on Don, Ekaterinburg and Siberia are already acquired by the Russians. I decided to visit hotel Bvlagi, to get up close with the archipelago. It has its own yacht club, marina, ...and as per usual, this place is best described by cars parked just outside. I am now meant to be depart to The World Islands, there is a private yacht that will take me there but the security is so intense here... I mean... I don't always carry my passport on me ...for security reasons but I always carry this ID, my international driving license accepted in all countries never had this problem, out of all 68 countries I visited but guess what? they accept passports only. The management is trying to fix it now with the security since I havent been told about it, but for now it looks like it wont happen. Yep, it happened the next day, when I brought my passport... Meet Abdu-Rahman, representing The Heart of Europe company, that owns a number of islands here. The cranes in the middle of the ocean is a very weird sight. ...they took a picture of my camera, and we are now on the first floating villa. This trampoline here holds 7, and can be taken down to turn this into a natural pool if you like. Jacuzzi with a transparent floor... ...is... ...is nice ...so you are enjoying yourself here and someone below can see your ...squeezed bottom Like a cat on a glass Thanks to the map we figured that we are next to Austria and Germany, but lets get back to our floating villa. Guys, this is incredible! It's like you are chilling with your girl, and you have this for a view. Only question is, whether it s you looking at fish or fish looking at you. Imagine if our native comes over and asks for Carp and a Pike and a Bream... There is a similar hotel in Zanzibar, but this is next level! Much more modern and fancy. The artificial corals are just crazy, They set them up the way so that fish swims via exact route in front of the glass. ...and you can select the fish!!! Feels like I m in a jungle, or maybe on Mautritius, or somewhere similar all of this is real, ...these palms growing here all of it, This island hasn't been here even 10 years ago, but they brought all of this, planted it, and now it s real jungle. Villa 2 Guys, when you next say 'Darling I bought Sweden' it may now actually become a reality, you can also get Bosnia Herzegovina with change left. The villa in question has 5 floors, many many bedrooms, a lift, furniture by Bentley, expensive tableware, tailor made bath, jacuzzi, gym, sauna, since we are in Sweden; and something even more impressive... Villa also includes large covered terrace, and a roof deck, allowing you to see all other islands, Michael Schumacher's island and a top view of Dubai. The gist of it all is that you live an island life, with palms and birds singing, whilst also being next door to Dubai, with all its clubs, restaurants, and other hype places. It's like living on Bali with a teleport bridge to NY. ...and it is very cool! Well, all I can add is that such place is worth from 75-90 million AED which equals to around 20 million USD. Yep, it s expensive, but it s Dubai! I had to cool down after all the plushnessI just witnessed, so I took to the overground. Whilst waiting for a train, lets talk about navigating through an unknown city... Tourist Advice During my time on Farer Islands most of you noticed that I am using data roaming and online maps... So I thought about it and this time I navigate using MapsMe app, which seems to be the most convenient offline map app out there. You get a good UI, it's easy to use, and even has a tube map, which is just mega useful. Oh and by the way, it can even take you for a sightseeing tour, across the cities of the world. It's a very cool feature since you don't have to bother with research, trying to look it all up afterwards, just download the tour you like, and everything else will be done for you, automatically! See, all attractions are on the map, and most importantly, offline! Another cool thing is that you can download my personal tour of Dubai, all attractions that you saw and will see in this show are all there, in my personal tour, in the MapsMe catalogue. Same goe... ...wait Same goes for my previous two trips Iceland and Rome ...and guess what? you can get that too, but first, all you have to do is download the app! Link will be in the description below. You are welcome! Before we conquer this one, let me brief you in... Seen from any spot in Dubai and even from 95km away given good weather, its height is 828 metres, In fact, it is so tall that an Eiffel tower is like a grocery store next to it. At Burj Khalifa You will find the highest lift shaft in the world that will take you up 140 levels at a breathtaking speed of 10m/s, which is faster than free fall. It is an engineering miracle, as imagine what kind of pressure is needed to push the water from here, to observation deck 500m above. Whilst filming Orel&Reshka, I have visited dozens of observation decks across the world, Seoul, Santiago and I can assure you with all my heart that it is a waste of money) With the exception of an observation deck, at Rockefeller Centre, it is open and there are things to see... The rest, is just glass reflections, and part of the city. Not cool! This though is the tallest building, with highest observation deck in the world, it s a must for me. At least so you dont have to do it. I bought the most expensive ticket to 148th level for 148 USD. The reason why it's so expensive is because you can choose the time of visit and there are cheaper time slots after 8pm, when you can't really see much. Best time though is sunset and I ll try to capture it. My ticket buys me access to sky lounge and then some, plus you dont have to queue to go up, Without a trusty phrase that you are late for a meeting. If only all blocks had these lifts, we'd all save a couple of weeks of time. So... This is how it looks, sky lounge 550m above the ground, in the worlds most tallest building. Key thing is that there are these holes here, that allow air to go through and you can look through them, which is a big advantage or stick your camera out. Oh and this... It s fantastic that I find myself on the tallest building ever, but this wont last long, since a tower built in Saudi Arabia will be over 1 km tall, and Burj Khalifa is soon to lose the title. Knowing all of this, I really tried to enjoy the moment. Sun is down so lets talk about Dubai by night! as it s like a separate part to the city Goes without saying how kosher it is, especially illumination! This is that same bridge I showed you earlier. Since canal is operational, with boats oozing around they clearly need to pass through it... and now let's see how the engineers resolved this: There are many open air clubs here, but main evening spot is at the most known evening show, It is grand and spectacular, most importantly, free. Of course you have to see it with your own eyes, but for now, let me just speed this up so we dont waste time. Unknown to many, but there is one more fountain show here, with main accent on video projections on water. Dubai is a dissonance, especially the City Walk, Everything is so hipster, only thing missing is a craft beer pub It's all 'oh so modern' with all these LED panels, whilst at the same time religious, with local couples strolling in their standard black and white attire so yes a very weird place, but an extremely cool one. Best thing is that it is outside. Then, fountain show 3 happened, lights went on, water started flowing, smoke appeared out of nowhere... 3 minutes later, its over. Look, I was just passing by, we were just walking around then Lesha said, 'The show is coming up at 8 I think...' So we saw that it was 7.58... This is Dubai for you! Once city, One big show. ...and views, as Dubai by night is something which is already worth coming for. Best, is to absorb the views from the top, and I decided to ask around for advice According to locals, best view of Dubai at night, is at the terrace of this hotel... Let's check it out This is the terrace, and this is the view form it! I think it s one of the best terraces in Dubai, it is open air, and I ve been to many rooftops, but all of them are usually inside the building, but here you can get some air, and soak in the views. Secondly, prices are good here, you can eat here, have a glass of prosecco and enjoy the views of Dubai by night. By now you are probably wondering whether I forgot my camera here also... like in Denmark and Iceland? Lesha has the answer: - [Lesha] Typical Anton, left his camera here on timelapse, - then remembers it 1.30 hours later, - and the camera keeps rolling... Now though I have 1 and a half hours of night footage) Before we engage with the tourist side of things, here are the negatives... where word 'Prohibited' is used all around. - [Anton] You cant hold hands? - [Ira] Nope, cant kiss either, - Europe is like a breath of fresh air for us Also alcohol, kissing, filming, and generally having a camera on you. I ve been stopped 3 times in 5 days, Couple if times it happened on the beach, where I was filming the sea. All because of censorship presence... which is always somewhere near... Camera is a no no here, best to use your phone, plus the official just confirmed that censorship does exist in UAE. - [Anton] Do they supress news here? - [Lesha] Absolutely! - You will never find a negative piece of news in papers - even if it happened today but is negative, - you ll never find it - [Anton] Why is that? - [Lesha] Because authorities portray the city - as secure, positive, - and happy - [Anton] But it is safe, right? - [Lesha] It is! - no question about it - but incidents and accidents do happen, - whilst authorities prefer to cover it, - so people don't get intimidated, - to make people feel more relaxed. - [Anton] Where are we off to now? - [Lesha] To a new Polo resort, - it was built 2 years ago, - built on sand, and covered it in greenery, - all that space - covered in lawn, - it is just astonishing - ideal pitches, - in such heat, - no idea how they made it possible - it s an interesting place to see. Lets deviate a little, Dubai is one of the hottest cities on the planet, summers are unbearable, hence even bus stations are air conditioned. All greenery must be watered. Now check this out: Private polo grounds, raised in the desert, it belongs to one of the richest families in Dubai, the Haptur family, with net worth of 44 trillion USD. So they built not one but three polo for p.... ...sorry, Polo Grounds Lets take a closer look, horses, scoreboard,ambulance, photographers, expensive cars, and of course the guests. I am finally at an event, where Ralph Lauren polos look the part. Now I get it! It is an expensive sport, also called... Everything is very serious here, even commentators are from UK. It s the little things, like leather boots, pants, professional horses... - [Anton] What's that? - [Lesha] It s a hotel - built specifically for the guests - of these grounds. - They can watch the game from their balconies, - wealthy style! Just so you understand the level of all this, even a shisha guy is part of the team. Because shisha must always be top notch! - [Anton] Who do you support? - [Lena] Those who have a lot of money - and horses. Yep, you can skip horses, so the more horses you have, the better are your chances to win. The game is undoubtedly beautiful and dynamic, and since you are wondering, our team won. Although the main winner here is the lawn, growing in the sands. One of the most popular recreations here is Jeep Safari. But it s a bit bland. I m more interested in what Dubai has been built on. So we took to the desert! We are in the middle of a desert, shouldn't be any ponds here... no water whatsoever But, there is... - [Lena] Want to launch a drone? It s middle of December and this place was launched a week ago. I ve always been captivated by idea of being in the sands, and it's.. just amazing Sun will set down now, everything will turn to red, and it will be phenomenal! So, to the tourist part, lets see what has been opened here in the past 2 years... First of all, it's the Dubai Frame, thought of as the largest frame in the world, obviuosly... we are still in Dubai! It s massive, 150m high, and you can go up, having a ticket. Beach La Mer, launched in October 2018, a beloved place of many tourists already it's quite a modern place, that reminds of Miami, or maybe LA. Shops and a waterpark will be added shortly, for comfortable beach life. One more newly added district is Alseef Critical part about it, is that it feels like I am in London. Similar skyscrapers, european style of... just everything! Lets be straight here, Dubai does copy many western architectural designs. We've got Big Ben, nealry a 1:1 new hotel with a ship like structure on top, reminiscent of Marina Bay Sense in Singapore, But, it s because Dubai is cosmopolitan, but also due to the fact that Dubai, doesnt have heritage architecture, and if it doesnt exist.... you can create it! Greatly exposed in Al Seef district... they have built an authentic port town, that looks back to what Dubai used to be. Listen guys, the level of detail here is crazy! When a 'Prayer Room' sign is worn out and rubbed out, Nothing gives out that all of this is all designer made, it gives you a genuine feel of an old Arabian town. I am genuinely persuaded, honestly! Finally, a chic district of Dubai Marina, one of the top marinas in the world, soon to become the biggest one also! Skyscrapers everywhere of course, roughly 200 of them. Marina is like an alternative city to Dubai, where different laws apply girls wear short dresses, everyone is chill, and sport. Cool place! trust me! I m telling you Dubai Marina is unlike the rest of Dubai, it s like you are in Miami or Hawaii, absolute american comfort, no hustle. no rush, As per locals, you don't see them often in Dubai, but here, they even dress and behave like westerners, if they come here at all. This cannot be said about the Russians though! I ve been approached so many times that it felt like I am in Hurgada. Hi! Hi! ... are you Anton Ptushkin? ...can we do a selfie? ...again... ...turned 55 today! - [Anton] Congrats <Winning> <Chinese tourists> Lets get back to Marina though, and its entertainment features, it sports a 500m zipline that starts from the height of 170m, This is how it looks... A tandem parachute jump over Marina will set you back by roughly 460USD and if you think there is no demand, you are wrong, these guys even have their own landing strip, to leverage the demand. Alright guys My plane departs in 10 hours, it's my last sunset here, at the terrace that became my favourite by now, one of the only places that sells beer, as you can only buy alcohol in bars, and restaurants. So let me share my thoughts now as my 5th day here is coming to an end. Firslty, Why do people come here and what do they come for? First, it s warm here, there is sea, many things that are 'The most' and it s safe, it s one of the safest cities on earth right now. ...if it is important for you. Also, just in case you are famous it's pretty much private here, given that I was constantly banned to film As per Dubai itself, I posted a picture on Instagram, prior to coming over, and many people commented that it is a cool place, they've been here, but it's a city without a soul. No heritage, no old town with cosy streets... ...well it's because it is a young city! The point is, that it is now, when the history of Dubai unfolds, the history, later put in history books. It is one of the most richest and interesting cities on earth already, there is so much still being built, but if you ask me, it is what's happening with the locals that is of most interest to me. It's the natives of UAE... as 40 years ago they were fishermen and pearl catchers, and then all of this happened! They are all going through amazing times, cars, noble lifestyle... They represent only 15% out of total population More and more do they begin not to look like locals and I believe that they are soon to undergo a very serious assimilation. Take kids for example, they already speak english at home, This city is very cosmopolitan, all borders and bans get erased... Of course locals wear their national clothes and preserve Ramadan, but I think that as time goes by, they will soak in a great deal of westernism. It is what is happening here right now. You can't really call it an Arabic city... It s a puzzle of cities across the world. I'd love to see what the future holds, but future is happening here on yearly basis. I bet you can come here every year and be amazed as to how much has changed. You can just keep coming and coming back!
