“All that glitters is not gold” except in the Dubai Gold Souq (or souk) where it is regulated and offered to you at the lowest prices in the world from over 300 jewellers.

Dubai has an open port policy, without any sales taxes, making prices very competitive. As a trading hub, “Do-Buy”  has traditional Arabic marketplaces or souqs selling a lengthy list of goods.  Use your best haggling skills to purchase hand-crafted items from neighboring countries – Persian rugs from Iran, silver from Oman, antique art from Syria and even modern abstract artwork from Iraq. In addition to copper and bronze, silks and textiles, spices and perfumes, you can also shop for designer fashion and imported electronics in any one of over 40 modern shopping malls. The Dubai Mall has over 1,000 stores and is known for having the world’s largest aquarium while the Emirates Mall has an indoor ski slope.

If you’d like a more personalized experience, you can even arrange for a 3-4 hour private shopping tour.

For other Exotic Escapes, go to www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com

Naturally, Dubai offers Middle Eastern cuisine but it is also a culinary melting pot of international foods from French to Indian, Thai, Japanese and even Mexican with a population of slightly over 1 million comprised of 140 nationalities.

In terms of Middle Eastern or Arabic cuisine, you will find Lebanese, Iranian and Moroccan restaurants serving mezze or several courses of appetizers accompanied by flat breads and olives. Buffets will almost always include hummus, tabouli, roast lamb and chicken dishes.

In Dubai, you may be welcomed with coffee flavored with cardamom and other spices served in tiny cups.  Although it’s thick, sweet cousin Turkish Coffee is also served in lounges and restaurants. And yes, the ubiquitous Starbucks has found its way into Dubai as well. However, alcohol is not widely available in this Islamic nation, except to visitors in hotel bars and restaurants.

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Before stepping out, consider the appropriateness of your attire. While Dubai welcomes all religions, Islam is the official religion of the UAE and the country abides by  the Islamic code of conduct and laws. Therefore, visitors are advised to dress modestly in public areas out of respect for the local culture and religion.

Local people can be seen wearing the traditional kandouras or long-sleeved, loose-fitting, full length garments. Men usually wear white robes and women wear black dresses or abayahs, often embroidered with silver or gold thread.

Obviously, this is not the place to sport skimpy clothing.  Halter tops and micro minis should be left at home for another trip to a less conservative destination. 

For other Exotic Escapes, go to www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com

Dubai is a modern and cosmopolitan Arabian city. Your palace awaits, if only you can make a decision. During the height of new construction, it seemed there was a new hotel springing up every week. Every major international hotel chain is represented here. Luxury accommodations are available from city to beach to desert. I always seek the upscale and the unusual in terms of location, architecture and ambience and therefore also in experience.

The most famous icon of the city is the 47-story Burj Al Arab built in the shape of a billowing sail on an Arabian dhow. This magnificent 7 star all-suite resort, set on its own island off Jumeirah Beach, has everything you could ask for in terms of accommodations, dining and entertainment. The “Tower of the Arabs” even has a helipad on its 28th floor rooftop.

It prides itself on the highly personalized service from the chauffeured Rolls Royce or helicopter transfer, to the discreet check-in, to the private reception desk on every floor to the fleet of well-trained butlers.

I’m sure the concierge will be happy to make a recommendation and a reservation for our dinner tonight.

For other Exotic Escapes, go to www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com

Travel destinations draw our attention for different reasons, often driven by media exposure. This year (2010) Dubai expects to welcome close to 15 million international visitors.

Perhaps you are interested in international business and are already aware of the ambitious construction projects undertaken in Dubai. If you have seen the Sex and the City preview, you may also be curious about the film’s exotic and opulent setting, the neighboring emirate and capital city of Abu Dhabi.

Dubai is the center for business and tourism in the Middle East. It is the second largest of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates commonly referred to as the UAE. Covering only 1,500 square miles south of the Persian Gulf on the  Arabian Penninsula, it is an 8 hour flight from Europe and 13 hours flying time twice daily direct from New York on the award-winning luxury Emirates (airline).

All visitors are required to have a visa. However, American and Canadian passport holders may obtain a free visa, good for 60 days,  upon arrival at the airport immigration counter.

Dubai is known as a fantasyland of  magnificent luxury resorts and as a world class duty free shopping mecca. Let’s get settled and then do a little exploring . . . in the modern and cosmpolitan city of Dubai and beyond.

For other Exotic Escapes, go to www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com

Serenity Meditation Pond

A retreat is an opportunity to withdraw from your regular routine and responsibilities. It can be used as a time for quiet contemplation and personal development. Canyon Ranch provides a nurturing, supportive environment where your daily needs are catered to while you pursue your individual interests.

For several years, I have partnered with experts in other fields to offer themed, special interest retreats. Theses are flexible groups that you can join as an individual or with a companion. You are welcome to attend group activities but not required to. The benefits go well beyond the group rates and amenities. Traveling and sharing experiences with like-minded people is just plain FUN.

Artist’s Retreat Workshop

For example, you can start a healthy new year with Rose Zahnn, President of the Healthy Habits Fitness Studios on her annual Spa and Fitness Getaway each January. Decompress with her Gentle Yoga class in the Yoga Dome the first evening and then join her at other fitness activities throughout your stay. Or release your creative spirit in private daily painting workshops with award-winning artist Brenda Boles on her Artist’s Retreat. Join Ann DaPrato, owner of the Rise Yoga Studio, on her annual summer Yoga and Meditation Retreat and learn simple techniques to de-stress and re-energize. Of course, you are welcome to join me on my Gourmet Getaway in July and enjoy a week of culinary events.

For more information, go to: www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
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The 3,400 square foot Golf Performance Center at Canyon Ranch in Tucson features state-of-the-art training aids and technology for golf enthusiasts. Beginners to advance players will benefit from individual consults with the resident PGA professionals as well as lessons, clinics and related fitness training.

Golf Performance Center

Your personal services allowance can be used for a la carte golf appointments and plus play. Golf packages are also available that include private sessions plus rounds of golf at nearby Ventana Canyon (10 minutes away). Transfers, golf cart, driving range and greens fees are all included. Imagine playing against the backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains with newfound friends you met at the Golf Center. Very serious golfers can elect to participate in the intense, individualized Peak Performance Program as it is applied to the specifics of this sport.

For more information, go to: www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
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Healthy, delicious, gourmet spa cuisine DOES exist!

Gorgeous, fresh, whole, organic food is skillfully prepared and artfully presented to you three times a day. You will look forward to your meals with anticipation and learn exactly what an appropriate portion size is for full-size adults. Different daily lunch and dinner menus list the nutritional content of items in terms of calories, fat and fiber so you can make sensible, educated choices.

If the words spa cuisine elicit an image of a pristine white salad plate decorated with two lettuce leaves and a cherry tomato crowned with a tuft of radish sprouts (I call that garnish), rest assured, you won’t starve at Canyon Ranch. There are no extreme 1,000 calorie a day restricted diets here. Eating well is a necessary pleasure for optimal health.

Naturally, you are encouraged to eat nutrient-rich fruits & vegetables and whole grains as well as lean protein and healthy fats. Balance and moderation are the keys, even when it comes to dessert. And healthy snacks plus a wide variety of beverages are available throughout the day.

So many choices, so little time. My advice: try the chef’s suggested Balanced Selection of 3 courses.

Attend the daily interactive Lunch & Learn in the intimate 36 -seat Demonstration Kitchen and watch Canyon Ranch chefs as they cook a variety of daily entrees. Ask questions while you enjoy your 3 course lunch and come away with the recipes to take home. Meanwhile, the small Hands on Cooking classes provide an opportunity for active participation and firsthand learning. If you are a serious foodie, consider the week-long Canyon Ranch Cooks culinary program. This Gourmet Getaway features daily cooking classes, lively demonstrations, chef-hosted dinners, cooking tips, nutrition discussions and more. Learn practical skills and professional techniques from award-winning chefs as they share their “divine cuisine and nutritional wisdom”.

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If you are seeking relaxation and pampering, Canyon Ranch has a menu of over 200 services available to soothe, relax and revitalize your body, mind and spirit.  Your all-inclusive stay includes a generous individual allowance for professional consults and spa treatments. You can choose to be massaged, wrapped, manicured and pedicured to a state of bliss. Or you could meet with an exercise physiologist to design a fitness program to take home, consult with  a nutritionist to develop a practical, customized meal plan or receive a heart-centered Healing Touch session with a certified therapist.

So many choices. so little time. My advice: explore services NOT available in your home city.

During the day, you can gaze up at Native American symbols painted on the dome overhead or close your eyes and just go with the flow. In the evening, soft lighting and soft music create a different atmosphere and mood.

Watsu draws on water’s rejuvenating power. Of course, it also appeals to me as a part-time mermaid. If you prefer dry land, the 100 minute Stone Massage with hot and cool stones and aromatic essential oils is a close second. For more exotic therapies, consider the selection of Asian or Ayurvedic body treatments.

I schedule my Watsu appointments in the evening after dinner. Afterwards, I can slip my spa robe over my swimsuit, slide into those spa slippers, waddle back to my room, sink into that comfy big bed and sleep like a baby until it’s time for breakfast.

Goodnight and sweet dreams.

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As we drove through the main gate and up the driveway, my first view was of the Spanish colonial-style Clubhouse, at the very the heart of The Ranch, as it is affectionately called. (See previous post) After checking in at Registration, I took a guided tour of the property with a staff member from Guest Services, the concierge desk.

I had half expected dry desert with cactus, tumbleweeds and sun-bleached bones.  Instead, I found Southwestern-style buildings set within grounds landscaped with gardens, ponds, streams, and  fountains.  Accommodations are spread throughout in single-story buildings each consisting of a few well-appointed single or double rooms. In one secluded section, the casitas offer 1, 2 and 3 bedroom houses for family or friends traveling together.

Welcome to the 80, 000 square foot Spa Complex featuring extensive spa and fitness facilities with cutting-edge programs and state of the art equipment. Here, you will find the separate men’s and women’s spa areas and treatment rooms as well as the gymnasiums, training rooms, racquetball courts,  a Pilates studio,  a Yoga Dome and the Hiking & Biking Departments. There are also walking and jogging trails, lighted tennis courts and outdoor swimming pools.

Canyon Ranch has been described as the ultimate adult summer camp. Canyon Ranch offers approximately 50 different classes and activities to choose from each day. It is a veritable smorgasbord of fitness where you are encouraged to participate in classes from A to Z: aerobics, aqua classes, boxing, Burdenko, dance classes, gyrotonic/gyrokinesis, meditation, Pilates, Yamuna, yoga, Zumba and much more.

So many choices, so little time. My advice: pace yourself.
You can’t physically do it all in one stay so don’t hurt yourself trying.
Balance is the key here and at home.

Next, the most relaxing spa treatment I have ever had.

For more information, go to: www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
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