Lifestyle, Culture, Society and The Rebellious Saudi Diva…
Author: Nada Al Ghowainim
I am a 30-something Dubai-based Saudi female lifestyle blogger and writer. I am on an endless journey of self-discovery and self-development. Learn More About Me
I’m delighted to be hosting the Carnival of Weekend Wanderings on July 4. It’s a very interesting and fun concept that brings together bloggers of all genres and allows a way for us to get introduced to other bloggers and their pages. I have personally found it a great opportunity to make new friends from the blogging community through the Carnival Blog. You never know who you will meet next; it could be someone who lives in your neighborhood or city.
Of course the blog carnival also helps to promote other blogs and drive more traffic into them. It’s also a great way to find out about what others have been up to in their weekend, and possibly get inspired by their story 🙂
“The Carnival of Weekend Wanderings” is a publication of posts once every two weeks about your weekend answering the simple questions:
Where did you go? What did you do?
To participate in the next blog carnival, all you need to do is to submit the link for your weekend blog post on the following submission form:
A strong instinct told me that I must have a look at the latest issue of Time Out Dubai while I was standing at the magazine stand the other day. To my amusement, The latest issue’s cover read: “Battle of the Beach Clubs”! The timing was perfect as I was planning to visit and review a couple of Dubai beach clubs this summer.
After reading the detailed description and comparison table for the different beach clubs, I decided to head to Talise Fitness, Madinat Jumeirah for my next review and make use of their fabulous summer offer.
Beach and Pool Access
The day pass gives you access to the 3km long private beach stretching from Al Qasr extravagant hotel to Jumeirah Beach Hotel, in addition to the two pools (one is at Mina Al Salam hotel and the other is at Al Qasr hotel).
Pros
The staff at the Talise Fitness club reception and the beach and pools were very friendly, attentive and helpful.
The facilities including the rest rooms were always clean and well-maintained.
The cushions on the deck chairs were very comfortable.
There are private cabanas available free of charge.
The tent-designed cabanas at the Al Qasr side of the beach can be rented for 500 AED per day.
The beach and pool are not too busy; average crowd.
Quiet beach, great for reading a book.
3km long private, enclosed beach means a lot of room for swimming and chilling in the ocean.
The loungers are within close proximity to the water.
I was informed by the water sports rental staff person that the weather in Dubai this year has been remarkably pleasant, compared to the usual scorching heat that hits the region at this time of the year. Normally, the temperatures soar starting June and up until the end of September. But luckily, the summer this year has started on a lighter note. And let’s hope that it stays that way for a while!
There even was a cool breeze at the end of the day as we approached sunset. And I found myself commenting on a Facebook status which spoke about cool weather conditions at a nearby venue, and saying that I was also enjoying the cool temperatures at the beach at Mina Al Salam hotel.
Unlike my previous beach trip when the beach was flagged and the waves were manic, this Friday witnessed quiet waves and cool water temperatures. But don’t worry, Talise Fitness beach always keeps the beach goers informed of the ocean and weather status. Check out their boards and signs with weather and water forecasts.
Where to have Lunch
The beach waiters can bring your food order from the pool bar straight to your lounger if you were too lazy to leave your comfy deck chair. You can also head to the pool bar and eat at one of the tables like I did. Or if you were with someone or a group of people, then you might want to have lunch at one of the many multi-cuisine restaurants available at both Mina Al Salam and Al Qasr hotels.
I went for a prime beef burger with a side green salad. And I had a beach punch mixed fruit mocktail.
The Pool at Mina Al Salam Hotel
My Friday Beach Buddy 🙂
Iced-coffee!
I must say that the iced-coffee was a let-down, since it was basically ice cubes dropped into a glass of coffee. I think I was still craving the highly refreshing iced-coffee that I had at The Habtoor Grand Beach Club. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read all about it here.
As the time came close to sunset, I decided to go and try out the largest leisure pool in Dubai at Al Qasr hotel. Access to the pool is included in the beach and pool day pass. To get there, you can either walk, take a buggy, or the water abra. I opted for the famous Dubai lifestyle transport: the lovely buggy car.
It’s time to hit the pool!
Dubai’s Largest Leisure Pool at Al Qasr Hotel
The pool at Al Qasr hotel was designed to be not too deep with families and kids in mind. The water temperature at the pool is centrally controlled throughout the year to adjust to the changing weather temperatures. So the water temperature was just right when I went in for a swim. What’s unique about the pool at Al Qasr is that there are two wild ducks swimming and fluttering their wings on its expansive surface! The ducks (named Chip and Dale by one of the life guards) are imported from overseas to spend three months in Dubai (June, July and August) before re-breeding and then going back to their hometown. It felt so relaxing and soothing to swim in Al Qasr’s wide and elegant pool. And the pair of ducks’ floating on the water made the experience even more calming and peaceful.
Downside
This beach club has a very polished, glamorous and posh edge to it. It might not appeal to everyone.
The quietness of the beach makes it a bit on the boring side.
There’s no music or DJ playing. Which means that the only sounds you will be hearing are other people’s conversations or the sound of speeding jet skis.
The place lacks in character, soul and a strong identity. Its ultra chic and glamorous look leaves no room for a spontaneous feel.
Jebel Ali Beach Club makes for a great escape from the city, since it’s located in an isolated resort. While you can’t get that same feel with Talise Fitness beach. Seeing the Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the sky scrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road while swimming in the ocean, makes it difficult not to feel that you are still in the heart of the city!
Who Should Visit?
If you are looking for a quiet beach to relax after a long work week or would like to read your book in peace, then this beach club could be the right pick. But if you are someone who’s looking for a vibrant and busy beach atmosphere, then this beach club might not appeal to you.
Will I go again?
I must admit that I plan on going back for two reasons:
To see the beautiful orange and red hues of light as the sun sets at the beach. I didn’t get to see them this time because I wanted to head to the pool early.
To make the most out of their summer promotion day pass fees which lasts until September 10.
Bonus Tip
Free Wi-Fi is available at the beach and at all Madinat Jumeirah properties. So you can easily check your e-mail, or browse the web and Facebook from the comfort of your sun lounger 🙂
Summer Promotion
The regular fee for the day pass is 495 AED inclusive of a 150 AED food and beverage voucher. However, during the summer months until September 10, you can get the day pass for just 250 AED (without food and beverage) for adults. And for kids aged between 1 to 15 years old, the entrance fee is 150 AED. The fees are valid for both week days and weekends alike.
Timings
The beach is open from 9 am till sunset.
The pools are open from 9 am until 9 pm.
Contact Information
Should you require any additional information, you can contact Talise Fitness by checking their web site:
Zen Asia Spa is your local area type of spa. The one that is conveniently located within walking distance from where you live. And since I happen to live a few blocks away from their JLT branch, I decided to drop in one day to try their back massage treatment.
Facts
The spa offers a wide array of services ranging from Moroccan baths and slimming treatments, nail and hair care services, to waxing, threading and massage treatments.
They have two locations in Dubai; one in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and the other in International City.
They offer gift vouchers, loyalty programs, customized packages and children spa birthday parties.
My Personal Experience
I try to get a back massage whenever I get the chance and time. And I usually go for chain massage centers, reflexology centers, or hotel spas. This time however, I decided to try a place located in my area. Mainly to save on the time and hassle required to reach the place. But also because I heard and read a lot about Zen Asia Spa and I was curious to try it out for myself.
The Therapist
My therapist was a friendly lady from India. Her name was Fatima. I found out from her after the treatment that she is a physiotherapist. Therefore, she knows the right spots to exert pressure on the back or body. I prefer a strong massage and I asked for that when I called to book my appointment. I also informed Fatima about it before the start of the treatment.
Overall Impression
I have to note one thing that I found different from other massage treatments that I had in this country. The therapist was practicing some breathing techniques (not sure if they were intended or not), but this made me feel a bit uncomfortable during my treatment. It took away from the “professionalism” of the massage and place. It kind of set the line between the chain reflexology centers and the hotel spas and the “local area” massage place.
I don’t want to sound obnoxious and I didn’t go there expecting a five-star treatment or service. But at the same time, I was hoping not to feel a considerable amount of difference in the service level and quality of treatment.
Prices
The 30-minute back massage costs 85 AED
Will I Make Another Visit
Honestly, only if I didn’t feel like taking the metro or cab to another place. And wanted to just walk a few blocks (hopefully not in the mid-afternoon like this time) to get a reasonable massage.
Cons
After I had paid, the lady at the reception didn’t seem to care to reply to my good-bye or to even put some effort into maintaining a good relationship with a client who may decide to make another visit. I found this to be the case in many service establishments in Dubai. Except that for massage centers in particular, I think they should pay more attention to their friendliness and behavior with their clients if they wanted to retain them and grow their business. Maybe they could train their staff on customer service or any other related courses.
But I will leave the decision for you ladies to make. If you have tried Zen Asia Spa before, what did you think? what services did you try? which branch did you visit?
If you haven’t then I would recommend it as an option if you live in the JLT area, and would like to go for a massage but are tight on time.
After all, I am called the Rebellious Saudi Diva 😉
On my last day in the city, I decided to treat myself to the famous Asian foot reflexology. And I wasn’t disappointed when I chose Gao’s Foot Massage Co. The place was listed as one of the best places to get a foot reflexology in a travel article that I read while searching online. What makes the foot reflexology in this part of the world unique is that the massage is done all the way up to your knee. The pressure and rubbing techniques were perfect. They also serve complimentary tea with rose petals!
At Gao’s Foot Massage Co., you can choose how long you want your reflexology treatment to last. I think I went for the 50 minutes foot massage which costs 198 Hong Kong dollars. I only say this because I have that in my notes, so I’m guessing that that’s what I went for. Well it has already been five months since I got back from that trip, so you can’t blame me for not remembering every single detail!
For more information about Gao’s Foot Massage Co, check out their web site:
After my wonderfully relaxing and soothing foot massage, I went to meet my friend who lives in Hong Kong and who I met while I was taking a course at London College of Fashion! My friend Tanya lives in Sai Kung, which is a town located by the sea, an hour away from central Hong Kong. That’s mainly why I couldn’t see my friend as often as I would like, but I guess we made up for it on the last day 🙂 We had steamed fish balls in a noodle soup for lunch. The traditional dish was recommended by Tanya’s mom after I had explained to her my stomach issues from experimenting the local cuisine! The food was light, healthy and tasty.
Me and my friend’s Mom
Me and Tanya eating Fish Balls!
Afternoon Tea with my Local Friends!
Final Words on my Trip
At first glance, Hong Kong reminded me of London in so many ways. With its highly populated and busy streets, the layout of the city’s streets and shops, the high walkability of those streets, and the liveliness and hustle and bustle the city emits. I even told that to my local friend, who agreed and said that Hong Kong is a lot like London, only it’s an Asian city. So, that’s how I saw Hong Kong from the 8 days that I spent there.
Would I go back to visit? definitely. But I would prefer to stay at my friend’s place in Sai Kung for two reasons:
Because I felt lonely staying in a hotel alone in Hong Kong.
To experience the relaxed life by the sea. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
What bothered me most about this trip was that I wanted to escape from busy and fast-paced Dubai to a more quiet and relaxed place. Only to find myself in an even more populated and overly crowded city! with no space for a single person at any coffee shop on the weekends! At least in Dubai, that is never the case. So I was greatly disappointed that I went on vacation to a busy and populated city. Especially that it was the holiday season too.
Another thing that I would change if I plan to visit Hong Kong again would be to go there during the Chinese New Year instead of the busy holiday season as I did. And I might stay for at least two weeks to have enough time to relax by the sea and explore the rest of the city.
I hope that you enjoyed reading my review of my 8-day Hong Kong trip. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to comment on the relevant post.
I had previously written a review on the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa UAE residents weekend package. You can read all about it here. Today, I was delighted to visit the lovely beach property again (yes, I rarely go to the beach) and spend the day at this relaxed and revitalizing beach.
I arrived to the beach at around 11:30…the weather was a bit windy today, but it was great for swimming and lounging by the sea.
It’s always a great feeling when you sink your toes into the warm grains of sand…
At around two o’clock, I decided to have lunch at La Fontana restaurant. You have the option of taking a cold or a hot buffet. I went for the cold buffet which includes a selection of salads. It’s unlimited so you are allowed to refill your plate 🙂
The salad selection includes a variety of Arabic mezzas such as hummos, mtabbal, and baba ghanouj, in addition to other Western salad dishes. This is what I had in my first round of salad 🙂
a refreshing cold drink by the water
DJ playing fun summer tracks
And finally, no trip to the Jebel Ali Beach Resort and Spa is complete without seeing our friends; the magnificent and outstanding peacocks!
Even if it’s on our way out; after a long day spent unwinding and relaxing at the beautiful pristine beach.
The resort offers a number of outdoor sport activities, such as horse riding, tennis, golf and various water sports. You can find all the information on their web site:
The day pass for the pool and beach access is AED 220 for adults. And AED 325 including an extensive lunch buffet with live cooking stations and an outdoor barbecue station.
Whether you are someone who is looking for a quiet day to relax by the beach and read a book, or if you are more adventurous and would like to try a new water sport or outdoor hobby, or are simply looking to chill by the pool on your day off of work, I assure you that Jebel Ali Beach Hotel will do its best to meet your leisurely needs.
The Arabian Travel Market is a travel focused exhibition that is held annually at the Dubai World Trade Centre exhibition hall. This year, the organizers focused the content from the show into five main areas:
Industry updates, trends and social media.
Air travel.
Accommodation and hospitality.
Inbound and outbound travel.
Travel agents and technology.
I found the layout of the stands at the travel show very creative and innovative. Most stands that took up a relatively big space had two story built stands with counters and seating areas where clients can sit and have something to eat or drink while discussing their business or personal inquiries. This made for a more relaxed and casual trade experience, and an unconventional way of networking with the exhibitors.
Honestly speaking, it was my first time to attend the Arabian Travel Market. I think. At least it was my first time since I moved to Dubai a little over three years ago. But walking in the busy exhibition hall – and getting annoyed at people pushing and brushing at me – took me down memory lane to the mid-90’s when I used to visit Dubai with my family. My mom being a highly active business woman in those days used to drag me and my sisters along to every single exhibition that was of interest to her and her beauty salon business. Of course, I didn’t always enjoy attending those shows since I had no personal or business interest back then. I was only a high school student at the time! Now though, I’m a lifestyle blogger who is covering main and interesting events in the city. So attending an exhibition wasn’t such a bad idea.
Back to our topic, the stands at the show represent different countries across all the continents. So you won’t be disappointed no matter what country you have on your hot list of places to see before you die 🙂 There were even some talks held at the Google stands on various technology related topics.
On my list (which is the same list that I’ve had since I was living with my parents and dreaming about traveling alone or with friends) were these three countries:
Turkey
Cyprus
Greece
They are not far away places from the Middle East region. But, I haven’t been to any of them yet. My main concern when approaching the exhibitors at the stands was the visa requirements. I’m a Saudi passport holder and therefore I require a visit visa for most countries. I was told that I would need a European visa for both Greece and Cyprus. But luckily, I know that an advance visa is not required for me to enter Turkey 🙂
Since I have great friends in Turkey, I didn’t bother going to their stand at the show. I did however have a nice chat with the lady at the Cyprus stand who later gifted me a lovely key chain and beaded souvenir (we call it mesbah in Arabic). Please correct me if I’m wrong.
As a last thought, I can confidently say that anywhere you go in this world depends in a great part on the company that you have with you and the times and moments shared with other loving people and friends. So as I walked down the exhibition hall alone today surrounded by a crowd of strangers, I couldn’t help but remember my Hong Kong trip and the loneliness some of its days brought to me. That’s why, the next time I plan on traveling, I will make sure to share that trip or at least most of it with a friend. I think the majority of you would agree that traveling alone for leisure can be an interesting experience, while a lonely one at the same time.
Where do I plan to travel to next? I think the answer is simple: to where the opportunity takes me. But essentially somewhere with a relaxed pace of life, a white sandy beach, where good friends reside (or live close by), and preferably where a prearranged visit visa is not required 🙂
The Arabian Travel Market is open until the 9th of May this year. Happy travel shopping and happy holidays!
As you may have noticed, I haven’t written any new posts for a while. It’s not that I haven’t done anything interesting in the past week or so, or am suffering from writer’s mind blockage or apathy or anything like that. Mainly, I haven’t been feeling too well for the past few weeks. That was due to the weather change and to me doing too many things and not getting enough rest. That’s why I decided to take a short break from blogging and the whole rat race (as people call it). Mind you, I still managed to check out a newly opened cafe in my area (to maybe write a review about it), and I had to keep checking and responding to my e-mails, and of course my Facebook page. I also continued to post stuff on that page in an effort to keep things going. Even when I wasn’t feeling too good myself.
But I believe that something good comes out from everything that happens to us in our lives…Taking a short break helped me reflect on my priorities in life and maybe add some balance into other areas of my life. For the past couple of years, due to personal circumstances, I have been focusing mostly on my career. And since that hasn’t been going too well for me, I think it’s time to re-arrange my priorities in life. I’m not saying that I will write less blog posts or put in less effort into my career path (because I’m not even sure I can do that after all this time and effort that I’ve invested in that area), I just plan to put in more effort into other places that I might have neglected all those years in my search for financial and personal freedom and independence.
What are those other areas you might ask? well, I will leave that for you to figure out. I think it’s easy to know what they are once you read my about page and find out some simple facts about me and my personal life.
One main positive thing that came out from this short break and the connection with other blogger friends was to realize that we should not loose ourselves in our chase for material or success-related goals. We should always be reminded that life is a game and we should have fun while playing it. We should stay grounded and stay true to our selves. We should keep our sense of self-integrity and keep our standards high no matter how bad the going gets tough.
Most importantly, we should try to always help others along the way when we can.
Finally, I would like to mention that a few things need to be revised in my blog. Mostly concerning the topics that I write about. I have driven myself into extreme stress and exhaustion by trying to cover as many interesting topics as I could. And the time has come for that to end.
That’s why I need your thoughts and ideas on what you would like to read more about in this blog?
Here are some options to get you thinking, but any other ideas or views are welcome too.
About me and my perspective on life and things from a Saudi woman’s point of view (note: I live in Dubai, UAE)
A review of various events taking place in Dubai (you can specify the types of events you like to know about most)
A review of restaurants or cafes that I go to
Topics/events related to my job search and trying to make it in Dubai (mainly publishing/blogging/journalism)
Would you like to learn more about Saudi/Middle Eastern culture (as that’s where I’m from and where I grew up and lived most of my life)
Daily life stories and rants
Simple stories or deep thoughts and ideas
Or would you like me to keep the blog as it is and keep doing what I was doing earlier, which was basically a combination of all the above points?
Do let me know by commenting on this post what you would find most entertaining to read about in this blog. I will keep this discussion open, so please feel free to comment any time you read this. There is no deadline for your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks a lot for passing by and following my blog, and I hope that I will continue to offer interesting and helpful posts to my readers and followers. If you think otherwise, do let me know as well!
I wasn’t feeling at my best on the day of the world’s richest horse race – The Dubai World Cup. Mainly because I had started to experience all sorts of symptoms of a cold and have been taking echinacea supplements for a week or so to help prevent further developments of my sickness. But since I was running around all weekend getting ready for the concerts and the Dubai World Cup and dancing the night away at the various indoor and outdoor venues of Dubai, I barely had any time to rest and let my body regain the energy it needed to go on.
But as I have completed three years living in Dubai on this very day (April 1), and have not been to the Dubai World Cup ever since I moved to this city, I knew that I couldn’t afford to miss out on this highly acclaimed and significant event.
So there I went dragging my extremely exhausted and dehydrated body to the lush green race courses at Meydan hotel in Dubai. Where I had been for my social dinner with Jack Canfield. Only this time, I got to spend a whole day outside at the apron views section of the event doing one of the following things:
Trying helplessly to snap good pictures of the speeding horses that passed (flew) by at the course, while standing in a front row next to all the photographers and who knows, maybe there was a blogger or two in the crowd!
Watching the people in the surrounding area and studying their outfits, hats/hair pieces, shoes, hair styles, and everything else that caught my attention. While at the same time making mental notes of what I should be wearing next year at the World Cup!
Pretending to be high society (which I believe has nothing to do with material wealth) and not really enjoying it that much 🙂 Yes, I’m a simple girl who likes to do fun things and random activities. But a change is good every once in a while!
After the final race, the champion was announced: American-based Animal Kingdom won the race. You can read all about it here. A number of acrobats and performers made an appearance after the race was over. Then there was an extravagant display of fireworks ending the ceremony, before everyone headed over to the stage area where Seal would be performing for the after-race party. Unfortunately, my friends had to leave and I was also too tired to stay, so I wasn’t able to see Seal perform.
I will leave you with some random pictures from the event, in addition to some thoughts and tips in case you planned on attending the Dubai World Cup next year. First, I would try to get VIP tickets, or any other type of tickets. As they would offer a better view of the race course and a more enjoyable experience. Especially if you don’t like busy crowds like me. Another tip would be to invest in a unique outfit and hat for the event and enter the Jaguar Style Stakes competition where you can win amazing prizes such as a Jaguar for a year!
Honestly speaking, I’m not a huge fan of dance or techno music. I grew up listening to all different genres of music, and dance was an occasional thing on my play list. Maybe mostly when I was working out. Another reason is the fact that I’m a 90’s girl. So if I wasn’t listening to Michael or Janet Jackson or Madonna, then I would be singing along to Boyz II Men or Lenny Kravitz! Yes, It was a wild mix of tastes and music types.
But since the world-renowned Dutch musician, DJ and record producer Tiesto was coming to town, I had to reconsider my music taste preferences. The show was being held at an indoor venue. Which doesn’t really suit me much. As the weather in Dubai is at its best at this time of the year, so it would be great to attend an outdoor concert. Plus, the place was packed with crazy dance music fans, who were jumping vigorously the whole time. This only meant one thing: you couldn’t keep track of the number of times that your toes got stepped on, or you were hit by someone’s arms or body while they were dancing and jumping around. Not the best concert experience, I tell you.
I must admit that my second dance music concert for the weekend was more fun and enjoyable. It was the EDMX concert part of the “My Music X” festival at Nasimi Beach, Atlantis. The stage was set outdoors at a spacious area, the ground was covered with sand as it was at the beach, and the visual effects and graphics were simply outstanding. The EDMX night featured famous artists including: Example, Sander Kleinenberg, ATB, Marco V, Miss Nine, Judge Jules and many others.
Hearing Example perform took me back in time to their new year’s eve concert in 2009 when I was living in London. I truly enjoyed singing along to their hits and reminiscing on my glorious London days. ATB is another great dance artist that I used to listen to when I was younger. So many of his tracks were famous hits that everyone could sing along to.
Aside from the stunning graphics and visual effects at the stage, there was blazing fire as well! it was an impressive show that got the crowd pumped up. And the venue wasn’t packed, so there was plenty of space for everyone to dance around and practice their moves.
So I would say that I enjoy listening to dance music with vocals as opposed to just repetitive beats with no vocals. And of course, famous hit songs that I am familiar with and can sing along to, would definitely make for an amazing night at the sands of Nasimi Beach, Atlantis.
It was one of those days when almost nothing seems to be going right. I was tired, but I had to attend “Design Days Dubai”; an exhibition on interior decor and art pieces held annually. It was the last day of the event, so I decided to go and create a blog post about it. Not realizing that what happened during my day of casual and random incidents was far more interesting than the exhibition itself! And that’s what made me get excited about writing this post on a Friday night. When most of my friends are chilling at home and asking about my plans for the evening.
First, we had trouble getting to Emaar Boulevard in Downtown Dubai, where the event was being held. Until this moment I can’t comprehend how the sign that says “Emaar Boulevard” has disappeared from the face of the earth! I always used to see that sign when I wanted to go to The Pavillion, Downtown Dubai, and so didn’t think it would be a big deal to find the location for our design event. Sadly I was wrong, that sign was no where to bee found last night. And we spent an entire hour or more trying to get to the Boulevard! And even when we finally found our way there, there was no clear sign as to where the exhibition was! Apart from some street light banners and ads, there was no sign of a crowd or an event in the area! After my emotion-packed day, I went up to a security guard in a neon vest and asked: “where is Design Days? we’ve been looking for it since a long time!” As if it was his fault that the event was hidden and tricky to get to 🙂
When we finally made our way into the exhibition tent, we took a quick round at the stands and snapped some pictures of some cool design pieces. before heading out for our next “unpredicted” adventure. Our next stop was a birthday party celebration at a new chic patisserie in Souq Al Bahaar, next to Dubai Mall. Since we were already in Downtown Dubai, you would think that finding Souq Al Bahaar should be a piece of cake, right? Well, you were wrong. I still can’t understand that either! Dubai Mall is like the second home to most people who live in Dubai, or at least their second home when they have visitors in town. So whenever my dad is visiting, we would spend a lot of time at malls and Dubai Mall and Souq Al Bahaar are no exception. But last night, for some reason, I was disoriented and could not make out how to walk to Souq Al Bahaar from the Burj steps (OK, it was my first time at the steps honestly, but still). So as me and my buddy were trying to find our way to the birthday place, we see a guy riding a buggy-bike! yes, it was a facility for the area, and we asked the guy to give us a ride to Souq Al Bahaar! For your information, it wasn’t for free (it cost us 25 Dirhams). But it was so much fun! the weather was fabulous for a bike ride, we got so much attention from tourists and residents, and most importantly, we made it to the birthday party! (two hours late, but we made it!).
The cafe where we met our friends and birthday girl had a relaxed and elegant vibe to it. The outdoor area has a great view of the Burj Khalifah, and the weather was perfect for sitting outside.
I guess it’s always fun to do something spontaneous every once in a while. Even if it’s just a simple buggy ride in Downtown Dubai 🙂
