Understanding The Customs and Traditions Of Dubai

The local customs and traditions of Dubai are similar to those of the six other states of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Religion has a considerable effect on these, considering Islam's predominance in this part of the world. But Dubai's society is not a closed one. In fact, Dubai has successfully mixed modernity with its traditions, and this has become evident with the heightened interest the international community is showing towards this Emirate.

In Dubai, courtesy is an important trait that should not be lacking in a host when dealing with his guests. He has to observe his manners and be polite when speaking. In general, homes in Dubai have two "majalis" (literally, a place of sitting). These majalis are rooms where the owner of the house receives guests. There is one majalis to receive male guests and another one for female guests.

During the celebration marking the end of Ramadan, called Eid ul-Fitr, the sitting arrangement in the majalis is organized based on age. An important part of Dubai customs is the serving of unsweetened coffee that's special for its aroma. Eating with the right hand is another important part of its customs. A celebration in the majalis is concluded by burning incense and sprinkling rose water on the head of each guest.

Wedding traditions in Dubai involve a great deal of preparations on the part of the bride. It typically goes this way:

• Only the members of the bride's family and her other relatives are allowed to see her for 40 days, beginning on the fixing of the wedding date until the day of the wedding;

• She is expected to have as much rest as possible and to take only the best foods;

• As the wedding day nears, extracts of jasmine and amber are used to wash her hair; her whole body is lavished with many different kinds of perfumes and traditional oils;

• On Laylat Al Henna (literally, night of the henna), her hands and feet are decorated with henna. This night is very special for her because it's a "ladies' night only."

Of course, the groom does a lot of preparations, too. But these pale in comparison to what the bride has to go through, which are elaborate and, therefore, take up a great deal of time.

During the week preceding the wedding, family members and relatives express their joy through continuous dancing and singing of traditional songs.

Alcohol is served in hotels and restaurants. Of course, those who drink are not supposed to appear drunk in public. There are traditional water pipes that people in Dubai enjoy smoking while sitting in a restaurant, a cafe, or such other establishments. These are called shisha. The pipes use flavored tobacco (apple and strawberry are two of the favorites).

As for clothing, the men of Dubai wear a white full-length shirt-dress, called khandura or dishdasha. This goes with gutra, a white or red-checkered headdress. Women, on the other hand, wear a long black robe to cover their normal clothing. This robe is called abaya. They likewise wear a headscarf while in public.

Tourists will have no problem communicating in English while in Dubai; this in spite of Arabic being the official language in the Emirate. About 95 percent of Dubai's population follow Islam. Despite this, Dubai exercises tolerance of communities which observe other religions. Also, tourists and those who observe other religions are not required to wear the traditional clothes worn by the local men and women of Dubai. But they are expected to be dressed appropriately in public.

The local customs and traditions of Dubai are certainly a reflection of the Emirate's tolerant culture.

Other Ways To Get Information on Last Minute Travel Deals

There are other ways that you can get information on last minute travel deals:

• Magazines, specially those markedly geared toward budget travelling and travelling newsletters. One of the well known magazines for this would be Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine and Bestfares magazine. You can also find Bestfares on the web.
• Online travel webpages that have bargains and low prices on vacation packages, discount vacation packages and travel deals still waiting to be sold.
• Brokerages and airline carriers that have websites that offers some of the cheapest fares available at the last minute.
• Specialized books that focus on last minute travel and travel deals. You can get ideas on what to bargain for and how to bargain for deals at such a short notice.
• Ask a booking agent that you are looking for a specially priced last minute travel deal. They should be able to honor your request by getting the best prices for you.
• Ask around to see if anyone knows of any good travel deals. You may have some relatives, friends or co-workers that can hook you up on some good ones.
• Seek out experts that deal with time shares, resorts, cruises or other types of vacations. They will be able to help you get the deals that you’re looking for. Of course, it all comes with their sales pitches, so be ready.
  

Top Valentine's Ideas to Make Your Day Romantic

Valentine’s Day is that time of the ear when you can make your loved one feel really special and pampered. Many times during our busy work and schedule we forget to tell our loved ones what they mean to us. In this article we will discuss about the top 10 valentine’s days ideas that can make your day really special and romantic. Here are the top 10 ideas for you to try:

* Take a day off from work on that day and devote the entire day to each other with undivided attention. You can spend time doing things that you both love but don’t actually like doing normally.
* If you are a married couple then consider going to a second honeymoon on this Valentine’s Day. Plan a trip to some exotic honeymoon destination and put up in a nice hotel where you can pamper your beloved in luxury
* Don’t let this Valentine’s Day just last for one day, make it a week long celebration. Go for a holiday and spend the entire week trying something new and interesting.
* You can become kids again by gifting each other with Valentine’s Day cards that contain cute love notes and candy.
* Gift her with a nice travel poster with the tickets to that place pasted at the back. You will love the gleam in her eyes.
* Try something interesting by reserving a local bed and breakfast to spend a romantic night out. Look up the Internet to find the best B&B.
* Go to the local video store and rent some of the most romantic DVDs. Order pizzas and spend the entire day watching movies and having fun.
* If you wish to gift something really unique to your loved one then look up the internet, you will find some local antique shop where you can buy some not very common gifts for your special one.