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It is snowing in Dubai
Until now Dubai has been a destination for warm beach holidays or desert safaris journeys under a furnace-like heat.However, this mushrooming city offers a taste of unexpected experiences of snowy winter for travelers or local residents who are seeking for cooling themselves off from the sun-baked heat.An indoor ski slope, which opened last December, may be the most popular, both for residents and foreign travelers during Dubai’s harsh summer when the temperatures hover far above 40 degrees Celsius.Ski Dubai, the world’s third largest indoor ski slope, which is located just at the Mall of the Emirates, has more than 6,000 tons of snow in the 22,500-square-meter space. It boasts ski runs ranging up to 400 meters long with a fall of more than 60 meters. There are five slopes inside the indoor ski resort, along with a snow park, which allow up to 1,500 skiers and snowboarders each day. The resort is designed to gently coax cold-averse Emiratis and foreign travelers into the love of skiing and cold weather sports.It is also intended to lure shoppers to the Emirates Mall, which is just one shopping haven in a city where malls are part of the national culture. Visitors can experience various kinds of winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing, along with skiing lessons.A toboggan a craft that slides on snow down a hill or slope. Toboggans come in a range of sizes, usually for one or two people but also for more. Designs vary from simple, traditional models to rubber tubes to modern, molded-plastic shapes. Tobogganing is fun for the whole family. Also others who are not that good at skiing or boarding are welcomed to enjoy the snow park. The resort is set to keep the indoor temperature at a relatively balmy minus one degree Celsius, far warmer than a blustery mountaintop in winter. For those who want to start slowly, there are places to sled, toss snowballs or lurk in glacial caverns with ice sculptures and icicle stalactites. Ski Dubai is being designed to simulate an Alpine resort, rather than the warehouse look of typical indoor ski areas. There are Disney-styled frozen waterfalls, rope bridges and rocky outcrops, along with an outdoor observation deck.Visitors can take some rest in a cafe near the summit over hot-chocolate drinks on the tables, looking over the 'valley.’’ Snow-manufacturing rooms are located on top of the mall, with workers flicking them out to float onto a play area in front of the mall windows. The snow is made by shooting water at high pressure into an atmosphere maintained at around freezing point by coolers both below and above the slopes. There are no fewer than 25 ski instructors to make Dubai’s residents top-notch ski adventurers. A couple of Scandinavian expats have also organized a Dubai Ski Club, to take those who really enjoy the slopes on skiing adventures on real, outdoor mountains. Anyone who wants to ski on the main slopes will have to prove their competence before being allowed to do so. All clothing and equipment are provided in the entrance at the price of $35, including black, knee-length padded coats for any Arabs who prefer to wear their traditional 'kandouras’’ to experience the snow. Snow Park Ski Dubai has the world’s largest indoor Snow Park, an amazing 3,000 square meters covered with snow. The park has tobogganing hills, a twin track bobsled ride, a snowball throwing gallery and a snow cavern filled with interactive experiences and amazing sights and sounds. There is also a large observation tower, offering a nice view over its main slope. Children and their parents can enjoy making snowmen, throwing snowballs and playing on the hills. Regular snowfalls bring another feeling to this fun-filled snow experience.Snow School The school at the indoor ski slope helps those who want to learn the basic skills of skiing or snowboarding.Qualified multi-lingual instructors are to g|
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