Quick Dubai Highlights
Written by xoamys
Dubai is an interesting place to visit, full of grandness and modernisim yet parts of it are full of history. Dubai is warm, safe and clean, easy to travel around by taxis or “trains/trams” and has many interesting corners. We visited all the malls, the burj khalifa show, had beach days and stepped back into time through teh older part of town. A favourite was visiting the grand mosque in abu Dhabi, riding the sand dunes with jeeps overlooking the sunset and starting the day with Arabic tea or coffee at countless little cafes.
1. Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi
Known as the White Pearl of the Gulf, The Grand Mosque is a feast for the soul. Grand it is, the Sheikh Zhayed Grand Mosque took eleven years to build and is without a doubt not to be missed if you visit Abu Dhabi. We took a taxi in the morning from Dubai that took us about an hour and cost about 50 euros one way. Whatever your religion may be, this mosque is a work of art that deserves to be appreciated just from a visual point of view.
2. Sunset Walks along the calm Jumeraih Beach
The hazy sky was a pastel overcast of light pinks and purple, where the golden sun quickly dropped into the horizon. We walked along the Jumeraih beach to capture the skyline in the distance and to see the Burj al Arab in its sunset glory. We walked on the velvety sand with our feet in the water and enjoyed the calm beach that people had withdrawn from.
3. Gold & Spice Souk
4. The magic of old Dubai – Al Bastakiya
Al Fahidi is the historical neighbourhood also know as Al Bastakiya in Bur (old) Dubai that shows the middle east in a more traditional sense. Since most of Dubai is all about grandness, modernism, sky scrapers and a somewhat artificial surroundings, Al Bastakiya is a step back in time into the 19th century. The little village dates back to 1980s and is made up of beautiful winding streets originally built by Iranian immigrants who needed housing. Most of the village was destroyed in the 70’s, but still the remaining allows you to be captivated by the peaceful beauty of it all. The art district area fills with museums, cafes, little shops that sell rugs, spices and all kinds of ornaments.
5. Lunch & Numerous teas at Arabic Tea house
6. Hotel Sofitel Asian lunch, Poolside & cocktails by the beach
7. Arabic coffee moments
8. Lunch at trendy Comptoir 102
say hello to matcha icecream, rose flavoured lattes & all kinds of super bowls…Moroccan inspired decor and a little boutique inside to indulge your shopping
9. Sunset in the Desert
It’s the unstepped sand beneath my feet that feels so magical; the wind has blown endless slithers onto the surface of the dunes creating the most tranquil pattern throughout. It was just endless sand, a few desert bushes here and there and the sky was turning saturated hues of warmness as the sun began to fall down.
10. Beach Day at playa Nomade
11. Fish taverna for lunch
