Dubai - Friday Afternoon Booze Run

We did a booze run last Friday. Now you're probably wondering what this is. Yes, you can buy alcohol in Dubai but the taxes are very high and you're linited to the amount that you can buy. You also need a license for this which is a pain in the ass to get.

So what most people do is take a ride up to Barracuda Resort in Umm Al Quwwain. Here's a quote from a blog on this:

Getting Alcohol in Dubai unlicensed – Barracuda in Umm Al Quwain

Secondly, you can apply for a Liquor License and then get alcohol in Dubai Liquor shops, but they tend to apply a good 30% Tax on purchases, plus you have a quota on the amount you can buy.
Thirdly, you can drive to an Emirate where Alcohol is sold freely without licensing issues, but there is an issue of getting the booze back to Dubai.

the main problem is getting through Sharjah which is a 0% tolerance toward alcohol Emirate

Here's a pic of the inside of the booze shop. It has a huge selection.

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Here's a link to the blog: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.celifornia.com/gallery/albums/UAE/Daily-Life/normal_IMG_0385.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.celifornia.com/blog/2008/08/24/getting-alcohol-in-dubai-unlicensed-barracuda-in-umm-al-quwain/&usg=__S7zrR4qQv7gR0U0PNEHfnzDEDoc=&h=640&w=480&sz =55&hl=en&start=25&sig2=xXwdBAwaM81eaiTyyViHwA&itb s=1&tbnid=phKzebbXYyLBnM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbarracuda%2Bresort%2Buae%26start%3D20 %26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3D isch:1&ei=4nTnS5evKMe6rAfHvbmEBA

Here's a map to give you an idea of the distance. It's about a 40 minute ride from where we live.

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When you are at the cash paying, the is always a guy there who will take your purchase to your car if you want. We had him take ours. These guys bring black bags to wrap up the booze and they put it into your trunk so it is not "visible".

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There is an abandoned plane right next to the road that goes into the resort. It was used by a former Soviet Union military guy to escape unseen. It has been turned into a restaurant.


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This is the airport :rolleyes:

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If you squint really hard you can read the sign - It says Welcome To Barracuda. what's good is that they have many signs along the highway to guide you there.

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As we were driving back, we saw 5 or 6 camels walking down the street. I wonder where they were going. They looked like they knew what they were doing. I was worried about the psycho drivers in the area. :confused:

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Our stash at home

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I think we'll need to go back again soon for a couple more liqueurs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by natalie8

Yes, you can buy alcohol in Dubai but the taxes are very high and you're linited to the amount that you can buy. You also need a license for this which is a pain in the ass to get.

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When I first worked in Dubai at the very end of the 80s my salary was too small to even apply for a license! I had to rely on friends and the Riviera club.

A few years later I found myself in a better position in Abu Dhabi and got a license, but it still had pretty draconian limits on what percentage of my salary I could spend in the booze shop and my boss was a raging alkie who used to nick my stuff. :(

I don't remember Umm Al Quwwain being an option back then except for moonshine from Lebanon or somewhere like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by natalie8

Our stash at home

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So Tuesday is covered but what about tomorrow? :D

Heh heh, that's why we need to go back. I'm not sure how long Barracuda has been open. Let's see.

Here's their site: Barracuda Beach Resort

Their latest news is from 3-9-2008.

This time next week I will be in Dubai!

But I think I will get some beers in the hotel, thanks all the same for the advice.

Love the camels, thanks for the good info. I'm not certain several wines and a couple of bottles would last all that long. How often do you do this drive?

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

I'm not certain several wines and a couple of bottles would last all that long. How often do you do this drive?

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Was thinking this too.
If I had a couple of mates round for a weekend session it would nearly all be gone except for an untouched case of Smirnoff Ice 'cos we don't know any girls and we wouldn't touch it.
Great thread by the way.:)

Dubai is a good place to buy cigars, quite cheap for cubans

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Originally Posted by Butterfly

quite cheap for cubans

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Yes, but I hope they do the decent thing and overcharge French people

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Originally Posted by Butterfly

quite cheap for cubans

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I heard that the Dominican Republic is better for that kind of activity.

I've had a few beers in my time but I have been more drunk in Dubai than Thailand.

No scotch, no jack daniels or jim bean, not going to be much of a party :(



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Hur hur hur.

Malibu :)

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Originally Posted by natalie8

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dirtydog

No scotch, no jack daniels or jim bean, not going to be much of a party

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Yeah, that Black Label beer is really shitty..

^ only the Vodka is any good out of that lot.

the tequila is motocy fuel and the scotch is bilious

Natalie8 is going to love having her booze choices critiqued. That'll learn her to create a decent and interesting picture thread.

I noticed a little white bag of red bulls, are they contraband in the rest of Dubai also ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

Natalie8 is going to love having her booze choices critiqued.

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I did try to green her but unfortunately I had no ammo left after giving her a green for being so nice about a pic thread I did.

So thanks Natalie8. For this thread and also for being the only other negative reviewer of the Anodard Hotel, Chiang Mai on tripadvisor :)

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_R...hiang_Mai.html

I seem to remember that was you!

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Originally Posted by slackula

I heard that the Dominican Republic is better for that kind of activity.

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a bit too far, only to save a few Euros

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Originally Posted by slimboyfat

Yes, but I hope they do the decent thing and overcharge French people

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and why would they want to do that ? the French are very popular in the ME :)

I did the trip to the Barracuda a few times when I lived in Dubai.
You can take Sharjah mostly out of the equation if you use the Emirates Road coming back, that means you only skirt around the edge of Sharjah.

The reason for 100% ban on alcohol in Sharjah is that the Saudi Arabian government paid off Sharjahs debts in return for preaching the Wahabbi muslim faith and a 0% alcohol policy.

And its not a bad beach at the Barracuda Resort to swim on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Butterfly

and why would they want to do that ? the French are very popular in the ME :)

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Sure they are, the French I did know in Saudi rented out their wife's to the rich Saudis.

Thanks for all the replies and the greens. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slimboyfat

This time next week I will be in Dubai!

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How long will you be here for? We could get together for lunch if you have time. For your beer stock I would suggest getting it from Duty Free.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

How often do you do this drive?

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We've actually only done it a couple of times. We have friends who stock up and sell from home and we either go out to restaurants that serve alcohol or to friends' houses. We're not big drinkers so that helps.

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Originally Posted by Smug Farang Bore

but I have been more drunk in Dubai than Thailand.

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:smileylaughing: I believe it!

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Originally Posted by dirtydog

not going to be much of a party

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It's not for a party, it's just to have here.

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Originally Posted by slimboyfat

Hur hur hur. Malibu

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Hee hee, brings back memories.....

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Originally Posted by baldrick

^ only the Vodka is any good out of that lot. the tequila is motocy fuel and the scotch is bilious

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The vodka is for me and the other two are for hubby.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

I noticed a little white bag of red bulls,

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They're not Red Bull, they're sample sizes of different liquers including Amaretto, Chivas, Hennessy, Campari, Beefeater and a few others. Red Bull is widly available here and they sponsor alot of events.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slimboyfat

So thanks Natalie8. For this thread and also for being the only other negative reviewer of the Anodard Hotel, Chiang Mai on tripadvisor

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That's not me! there's another natalie8???? :mad:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thehighlander959

The reason for 100% ban on alcohol in Sharjah is that the Saudi Arabian government paid off Sharjahs debts in return for preaching the Wahabbi muslim faith and a 0% alcohol policy.

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I didn't know that. thanks for the info.

natalie8,

Fell through customs in Abu Dhabi off an Etihad flight. only thing holding me up was the trolley. The customs guys just laughed and waved me through. My mate said I was followed out by the chained up prisoners. Being the good egg that he is, my friend took me straight to a club when we were heading in to Dubai....drop bag off. Out into Dubai, many bars including some real classy joints (York) then back to his house to raid his bar.

All in a good night out. Repeated day two...:chitown:

I'll be going through on the 24th but I'm hoping Tams working at that time.:)

^
I would give the York Hotel a miss. There are better bars to meet female players.
1. The Panorama is ok at night early on 6pm onwards.
2. Daytime session try The Astoria Hotel opens around mid-day until 1530pm.
3. Imperial Suites Bar and Disco (Night time) small bar and big disco.
4. Sea View Hotel (Night time)
5. Admiral Plaza (used to be good not sure about now it always changing)

^ Agree but I was not driving the train that night. We did go to some more rather up market places but the wheels fell off n hey ended up in the York.

Thing about that place is you need three hands, ya don't know weather to hold on to ya balls, beer or wallet.
Real class place..!:)

I was being led by the Scottish.:):)

^
Yep Scottish here!! I would go for wallet,beer and balls in that order.
If your talking about trusting the female species it should be in this order in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

1. Chinese 8/10 (fear of deportation or jail tells them not to steal)
2. CIS/Russia/Kazakh/Khyrgistan 6/10 (will take a chance never pick up on street?)
3. Ethiopian, Kenyan or Somali. 2/10 (at your peril will lift anything and do a runner)

I had about 30 guys working for me in Jebel Ali Port all expats. Some of their stories of their nightly escapades would scare the shit out of you. As they say when the cats away........