Travel Plans- Dubai and/or the U.A.E.

Me and urs are planning to take a week vacation in the U.A.E., or more direct- Dubai. The ticketprices to go there from Europe are down in the cellar, complete with hotel, so to speak, and we've wanted to go there for a while, but always ended up in Florida, :-) .

Sooo, I was wondering if anyone has been in the region, and could tell us what to do, besides just being a lazy bum the whole vacation!

Our main vacation interests are food, shopping, more food, and architecture.

If we get one of the great last minute deals that are available here, we'd like to stay a night at the famous Burj al-Arab. The best price at the monent is around Euro 1100.-, for 5 nights in a 5star hotel, with breakfast, plus one night in Burj al-Arab... That would be a dream come true!