Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Discover Dubai

Dubai lying south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula has always been perceived hot and dry throughout the year, with no rainfall. Little did everyone know that almost half of the year, Dubai, perhaps UAE as a whole experiences brief winter months December to February which does brings some mild cooling, especially in the hills and mountains of the northeast. Whilst Summer the high temperatures reach the low 37° C  during the months of July until August, while the lowest winter temperatures occasionally drops below 4° C and surprises everyone with mountain-top snowfall on the mountainous areas of Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain, plus unexpected hailstones in Sharjah and Dubai.

Aside from the extreme weather conditions, UAE is as well as perceived to have majorly comprised of deserts, oasis, camels and oil reserves. (I haven’t even gone to the desert for a desert safari myself and haven’t even tried to ride a camel for life.) But this notion is generally true; nonetheless some might not know that UAE has already developed quite massively over a decade. The change is seriously quite impressive as Simone Heng perfectly said it, “Dubai is the City that never looks the same way twice”. Skyscrapers, architectural icons sprung here and there almost everywhere, nothing seems to be unstoppable. Loads of theme parks, water parks and recreational centers are also put in place for millions of expatriates that have found haven in the UAE as their second home. Hence Dubai never forgets its heritage, amidst modernization there is strong tie among culture, history and religion. Still you can find equally magnificent mosques all over which are religiously visited by our brothers/sisters in Islam. Near Jumeirah Beach Park you can find Jumeirah Archeological Site the most important archaeological site in the UAE depicting arrival of Islam in the Gulf.

Below are the lists of best places in the UAE which I suggest that you need to visit or experience if you are travelling for vacation, leisure or even for business and you have that extra day to go out and see the city. Go on and check out the list/photos and see which of the places is accessible or is more exciting hence memorable for you to do in the region. You might get astounded on an Arabian night in the Sahara desert with a sumptuous Kabab dinner, a calming chai, and a scintillating belly-dancer. Who knows? Dubai is the one of the most unexpectedly-full of surprises and festive cities in the world.

The euphoria of Dubai shoppers has been satisfied by placement of luxurious malls the world can offer. Name it Dubai has it. Conversely Dubai also offers countless deals to its equally-valued modest consumers. There are Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Summer Surprises and other festivities. As it give travellers once-in-a-lifetime shopping, entertainment, winning, and lifestyle holiday experience.

Some of the places below we have already sighted thus far, however will surely visit the rest on the coming days/holidays if UAE government won’t forbid (haha!), will fill in the photos for any update, I just hope soon (crossing fingers). Other places we also have visited but have not yet prepared the photos, will just add them later. And some places like gold souq which we have visited several times before but have not taken snaps yet will definitely go back just to finish this blog for you. And also I need some bangles-shopping to do for my sister. :) 


For now let me bid you in famous Arabic way of saying…goodbye!…


YALLAH MAA SALAAM!!!  xoxo


Here is...


Fish-Eye view of the Al Noor MasjidMosque, Sharqah






The Dubai Metro Station, Al Mulla



Bus Stop along Al Nadha





The Famous, Clock Tower



The Floating Bridge



Hatta Mountains


Bebang posing atop Hatta Rock Pools


Bebang, Garreth & Shake posing on a graffiti posted on the rocks behind them


Other spectators from different walks of life


Amazing view of the other side of HattaMountains, and other fellow campers


Sunset


HattaMountains




Fujairah – Al Aqah Camping Site

The Convoy, Fujairah, Al Aqah Beach


Mga Yapak sa Buhangin


Saranggola

Checking the network reception


Audi checking the water before taking the morning swim


The Convoy, Behind is a Majestic bed of rocky mountain


Father and daughter kite flying bonding at the Al Aqah Beach side with Audi and Kuya Mike


Breaking Dawn


Bukang Liwayway ni Haring Araw


Magic Wand


Campers


Lovers in Fujairah









The Metropolis




The Skyline




The Power Lines






Big YELLOW Bus!


Vehicles patiently awaits for the GREEN signal


Araw nang Kolekta



Delivery vehicles strictly following Road and Transport Authority assigned schedule


Commuters and students awaits for there buses/services on the bus stop.



Congested Ittihad road en route Sharjah to Dubai morning usual, covered with sand and dust at the far end of the road on a sand-stormy weather.




Sight of theMovenpick Hotel Deira

Dubai Police Headquarters




The Burj Khalifa



Not the best photography but it will do for now will just update you next time we drop by the Dubai mall during the day time, unfortunately we don't have an external flash to get a good capture during night time specially with this gigantic subject :)



Side view of the Khalifa coming from the Mall Entrance



Burj Khalifa's front view, whilst longing on the water fountain area outside dubai mall, in-front of Souq Al Bajar


Another front shot, its massive size cannot even fit the ground floor, i have to  drop on the ground to be able to get the whole building or move at least 150meters back, crazy!  


Can't wait for the showing of Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, December this year, my siblings, Mitch and I will surely won't miss it for anything as parts of it was shot in Dubai and one of the major highlights is when Tom Cruise jumped off a helicopter and climb the tallest building in the world, none other than, ehem! The Burj Khalifa!!! I feel proud, and I'm not even an Emirati! haha!


















Photos to follow......



The Burj Al Arab



Atlantis The Palm





Hydropolis Underwater Hotel

Ferrari World

The World Islands

Dubai Mall

The Maktoum Bridge

Shindagha Tunnel

Jumeirah Mosque

Grand Mosque

Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House (Museum, Port Rashid, Dubai)

Jumeirah Archeological site

Wild Wadi Waterpark

Dhow Wharfage

Deira Spice Souk

Gold Souk

The Heritage Village

Ski Dubai (Indoor)







"Dubai is the City that never looks the same way twice" 
~Simone Heng~


Photos by: Me, Mitch
Editing by: Yours truly

Monday, July 4, 2011

Hataw sa Tag-Araw

It has been ages since the last time we drove off for a long-weekend holiday with friends and family. Have been waiting for this 3-day break from toxic work in history. Thus have not wasted a single day to hunt for a perfect holiday getaway resort to accommodate a 16-pax unwinders, exluding an infant and a minor. Spent a stressful 3-day search, phone call inquiries, google search, BBM'ing, yahoo chatting, just to get confirmations and all that, finally ta-dah! was able to book a 2 family rooms (interconnecting-rooms) to Verona Resort in Sharjah. 


"Verona Resort Sharjah ideal for leisure & business travelers offering 70- Rooms, All rooms and suites are spacious and well appointed. The room ambience is one of elegance, privacy & relaxations."


Verona Resort Pool Area




Lanlan checking out our room...


Room Types:

20 - Standard Rooms
30 - Deluxe Room
10 - Executive Suites
10 - Family Rooms (interconnecting rooms)


Room Tariff:

Room Type Pax RO
StandardSingle 500
StandardDouble550
DuluxeSingle 600
DuluxeDouble 650
Executive SuiteSingle 700
Executive SuiteDouble 750
Family Interconnecting Rooms - Single 800 ; Triple 850; 4 Pax 900

For Resort's Summer Promotion we were able to get the family rooms for 8pax at only 425aed each total of 850aed for 2 Family Interconnecting Rooms accommodating the entire group. 



My plan to get a dip at night immediately when i reach the resort was a MAJOR-FAIL!!! because mitch and i arrived late sending off our dear friend Jean to the airport we missed the pool curfew of 10pm so i wasn't able to have my much-awaited night-swimming scheme! boo!






having few hours of sleep from a night-session of drinks and party, still getting up hazy-eyed! was extremely excited knocking their doors down! and woke everybody up for morning breakfast and an early swim! to take advantage of the pool cause i was so disappointed for missing out the night swim.. so, for everyone's surprise! here we are giving them an ecstatic greeting "good morning sunshine!!!"

Colin is super cute by the way :) 










The Gym

Nice view of the kiddie pool



i'm UP and ABOUT!

ready to get wet!

audi trying the water...oohh...

she came prepared...

little diver... had a chance to make a lot of bonding with audi.. we had a lot of fun :)

lucky its just us for that day... ;)

enjoying the sun..took photos before plunging in...





finally!! the water is soooo refreshing!! been waiting for this haha!


group picture!


let the fun begin!


back splash! with audi, coney, edison mitch and chester.. they did two tries it is amazing!






just me :)



billabong ad?


more fun! i got a tan because of these shots!


another one with kuya mike, edison, mitch and chester




the original jumper! BE!!!


this we call DO-NOT SHOOT! hahahaha you can obviously tell why :P

See you next holiday! 


Photos by: Me, Mitch
Editing by: Yours truly