Grand hyaTT GyM GyM
Map p 214 (%04-317 1234; http://www.hyatt.com; Grand
hyatt Dubai, al-qataiyat rd; day pass Sun-Thu
Dh250, Fri & Sat Dh300; h6am-11pm; c) The
top-notch equipment here includes Smith
racks, cable-crossover racks and full circuit-
training equipment. The gym also offers
aerobics, yoga and on-site trainers to guide
your workout. Justify the price by spending
the afternoon inside with a treatment at the
glittering spa or outside by Dubai’s biggest
swimming pool. Also outdoors you’ll find a
meandering 450m running track beneath
tall palms, and four tennis courts. Children
have their own pool.Wonder bus Tours Tour aboT
Map p 210 (%04-359 5656; http://www.wonderbus
tours.net; burJuman Centre, cnr khalid bin al-
Waleed & Sheikh khalifa bin Zayed rds; tours
adult/child Dh140/95; c) Twice a day (actual
times depend on the tide) this amphibious
bus drives down to the Creek, plunges into
the water, cruises for an hour and then
drives back onto land and returns to the
BurJuman Centre. It’s a fun tour with a
multilingual guide who is both entertain-
ing and informative.sT raGaTe The Me park
Map p 214 (www.stargatedubai.com; admission
Dh2; h10am-10pm Sat-Wed, to midnight Thu & Fri;
c) This space-themed amusement park is
aimed at children aged four to 14. It con-
sists of five domed buildings (named Earth,
Moon, Saturn, Mars and UFO) where they
can race go-karts, ride a roller coaster, take
a spin on a small ice rink or watch 3-D
movies. To reach Stargate, enter through
Gate 4 of Za’abeel Park. Note that rides are
not covered in the admission price, but var-
ious packages are available.a -lnasr leisureland iC Ska e TinG
Map p 214 (www.alnasrll.com; 12a St; adult/child
incl boot hire Dh10/5; h2hr sessions 10am, 1pm,
4pm & 7.30pm; c) Open since 1979, Leisure-
land is definitely long in the tooth, but it’s
got a bit of character and lots of facilities
under one roof, including a gym, tennis
and squash courts, a bowling alley and an
ice rink. Sure, it’s not as snazzy as the Du-
bai Ice Rink, but it’s bigger than the one
at the Hyatt Regency Dubai. Of the several
eateries, Viva Goa (Indian restaurant) is
the best pick.s naVi G face in dubaiDubai does a roaring trade in plastic surgery, rivalling Los Angeles for rhinoplasty,
liposuction and breast augmentation� It makes sense, when you think about it�
Geographically speaking, although Dubai seems to be in the middle of nowhere, it’s
halfway between London and Singapore, and most of the world’s airlines fly here�
Londoners and Russians can jet here in a few hours and remain totally anonymous
while they get their faces done, a world away from their normal social circles� And all
that high-end shopping means they can also build new wardrobes to match their new
noses, with zero fear of running into anyone they know�
If you’re staying at a five-star beach resort – one of the self-contained compounds
that guests need never leave before flying back home – keep an eye out for folks
hiding behind oversized black sunglasses� Chances are there are a couple of big fat
shiners turning purple beneath those Gucci frames�b
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