Chasing Dubai

This blog post will be a lengthy one so I apologize in advance. There are just so many good things to share! 

I've heard a great amount of stories about Dubai's famous structures, out of this world architecture and of course, insane sand dunes. And for that reason alone, combined with my insatiable wanderlust, I gathered my bags and loaded onto a plane with my family towards the middle east last March 23, 2016.



When we touched base in Dubai, we first had our breakfast before starting our tour in the extravagant air-conditioned coach to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It's additionally among the world's quickest developing holiday and tourist destinations covering an assortment of excellent tidal ponds, beaches, nature reserves, golf and race courses.



We were able to enter inside the extremely exclusive and the only 7-star hotel in the world, Burj Al Arab. Since we weren't exactly checking in for an overnight stay (The rooms cost $24,000/approx PHP1.1m a night!!!), the best way to get in was by having breakfast/lunch/dinner reservations in one of its restaurants. We had our lunch there and the first moment I ventured foot inside the eatery, I was deeply awed of its flawless perspective of the city. I needed to sneak in my GoPro and video the entire experience as I walk my way towards our table. I don't know whether the 7-star mark made my desires exceedingly high yet for reasons unknown, I don't think it's worth all the money. I'm certain I'd feel different in the event that I really stayed in the hotel since I've heard how hardcore their rooms were.


After breakfast, we went past the world's biggest man-made port at Jebel Ali and onward for a drive along a coastal desert road fixed with acacia trees to Abu Dhabi. The following series of photographs were taken at Sheik Zayed Mosque. As should be obvious, it is the biggest mosque in the UAE and the eight biggest mosque in the world. Upon entering, we were requested to remove our shoes and walk barefoot. In the same manner, we were ordered to cover our whole body and even wrap a fabric around our head to ensure that there were no visible skin aside from our faces. This was precisely one reason why I love to travel. Seeing diverse cultures, meeting new individuals, and experimenting with new cuisines and experiences are incredible ways in exploring the world and getting inspired. There is so much out there that we can see and discover if we simply venture out of our little air pockets. All of these make me acknowledge how madly little we are in the grand scheme of things and how amazing it is to make a positive difference in this beautiful life regardless of the different cultures and customs we believe in.





As of now, I feel terrible that I forgot to write about my Dubai trip. It's long overdue, so I hope you guys find it worth the throwback. I may have overlooked where we had our lunch after exploring all the beauty Sheik Zayed Mosque holds but sometimes, rather than catching the moment on my camera or phone- I enable the joy to truly soak in and pause for a minute to value their cuisine. However, as I endeavor to value the food that locals eat here, I just couldn't resist the urge to compare it with the food I eat back home. No offense, but there was just really some sort of seasoning in the Emirati food I firmly dislike. Perhaps my taste buds weren't generally made for the Middle East. 

When we wrapped up our lunch, we headed to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world's first Ferrari Theme Park and biggest fascination of its kind. It is an intense multi-sensory experience and a must visit for families, fans, and aficionados. By the time we got there, there were Korean artists shooting a film haha! Ferrari World was out-and-out extraordinary. From free sample yogurts to the world's fastest roller coaster... there was no denying that UAE offers the best of the best in every aspect excluding cuisine (this is only my personal opinion).



Before capping off our day and heading to Emirates Palace for our overnight stay, we first proceeded to the Abu Dhabi culture village. After roaming around the entire village and taking pictures with the camel mascots (all the mascots looked sad though), my siblings and I decided to head to the beach nearby which catches the sight of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers where the movie Fast & Furious 7's car jump took place.



Situated close to the Etihad Towers is the luxurious and beautiful Emirates Palace Hotel where we checked-in after our dinner. Known for its "beyond 5 star" rating and enchanting hospitality, everybody who stays here will undoubtedly turn into a shutterbug. The hotel looked exactly like a palace. Wherever I went-- the ceilings, the lights, the seats, the floor, the tables, the stairs, the lifts-- made me feel like I'm in the house of a king. Even outside the hotel, there were two to three limousines, not to mention the palm trees INSIDE the royal residence! They even gave out fresh roses to hotel guests and served complimentary orange juice into the room. Oh, even the room was made out of gold! The bed, the dividers, the ceiling, the tub, the toothbrush, and the room key (btw their room key was a coin!!!) We're not yet even starting with the pool!




It is impossible to record all the good aspects of the hotel in light of the fact that EVERYTHING is great. With its beautifully furnished rooms, unlimited Wi-Fi connection, and flavorful breakfast buffet spreads, I couldn't have requested for a better place to stay! Emirates Palace Hotel is truly a jewel, and the people who work there made my whole experience even lovelier. So to you my readers, here are a couple of snapshots from Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi with love.



Regular quarters for sleeping is all we always aim for since most of our days are spent touring outdoors anyway. But since here in Dubai they actually specialize in hotel experiences, we were convinced that we had to try out at least three of the most popular ones the emirate had to offer. After a night in the Emirates Palace, we went back to Dubai to check-in at Atlantis The Palm Hotel as soon as we finished our breakfast.

The Atlantis details begin perfectly fine as you enter the main doors: fish carved carefully on bronze doors, seashell-shaped lights on the dividers, artistic paintings of mythical marine life. I adored the underwater sculpture made out of twisted colorful balloons at the focal point of the lobby the most. For our rooms, the balcony faced the Arabian Gulf. The Arabian Gulf was quite dazzling, if I do say so myself. In my opinion, the most vital detail about the room was the bathroom since the bathtub area was actually transparent and see-through!


After getting our things settled and having our lunch at Nando's, the time had come to head to the Khalifa Tower. Each famous city has that notable structure to recall it by. The Burj Khalifa is Dubai's and deservingly so. Standing over 828 meters and with more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa holds innumerable records like "tallest building in the world, tallest free-standing structure in the world, most astounding number of stories in the world, highest occupied floor in the world, highest outdoor observation deck in the world, elevator with the longest travel distance in the world, and tallest service elevator in the world." To put it plainly, ikaw na Burj Khalifa. Most mega cities have sky-high observation decks that enable you to get a look at their entire horizon. Dubai is no different. They have just that- except its 124 stories up. Once more, it's the tallest building in the world and obviously it would be in Dubai. The city knows no limits! I figured there was no better method to experience what Dubai has to offer in the coming days than taking a gander at its cityscape from "At The Top". While I was at the top, I realized how perfectly arranged the whole city was through this bird's-eye-view.




When we were done soaking in all the beauty the tallest building in the world had to offer, we claimed our complimentary cappuccino and muffin. By 6 pm, we stood outside Dubai mall and beside the railings of the Dubai fountain just to watch the dancing fountain show. It was worth the wait especially because of the view. The Burj Khalifa was just behind us and the city skyline was just ahead of us. With such a pleasant view like that, I didn't mind waiting for the dancing fountain show to start at all.



After having our breakfast the following morning, it was time to explore the vicinity before heading to the desert for safari later in the afternoon. The coolest thing I thought Atlantis had to offer in terms of influencing visitors to feel like they are indeed in the underwater castle world is the ginormous aquarium which expanded all throughout the hotel. You would literally stroll down the marbled foyers and fishes would be swimming next to you. We were given a ton of time to appreciate the water comforts of the hotel since the place is a resort loaded with water activities.

I found Dory!

To begin with, we needed to surge over to Aquaventure Waterpark at the far end of the resort property. We went there precisely at their opening hour since we didn't like to waste any time falling in line! From afar I could already hear the thrilled screams of earlybirds and there was a considerable measure of electric energy noticeable all around. There were a lot of intense slides in the Tower of Neptune and the Tower of Poseidon, yet the most alarming one was the Poseidon's Revenge. In that slide, you remain in hold up inside a glass tube/container when all of a sudden the floor gets pulled from underneath your feet and plummet at velocities of 37mph before being flipped around. There were even slides that will lead you inside an aquarium loaded with various sea creatures including sharks! My sister's toenail even bled after one ride! The whole time I was there, my adrenaline was pumping extremely hard because of the record breaking slides and rides they have! After trying out all the slides I wanted, like the Zoomerango, Water Coasters, and the Slitherine, my brother and I went to unwind at The Torrent. Be that as it may, I thought it was just a relaxing type of river ride but I was wrong. It was a long river ride with a wave generator capable of making tidal swells over a meter high. I wasn't able to stop after one ride because my brother wanted to ride another round and I couldn't abandon him there since the resort was super huge I'd get lost if I were left alone.

The last thing we did before checking-out the hotel was to hit the pool. For the record, their infinity pool was one of the most cleverly located ones in all the hotel resorts I have seen because it had the hotel as backdrop on one side, and then the beach on the other. Wherever I looked the view was stellar.




Desert. The thing that flies into my mind each time I hear the word Dubai. Why? Simply take a glance at the place! The ideal sunset against the sandy dunes, riding our way up, down, and sideward in white ATVs with professional desert drivers. Envision all these-- being surrounded by such tremendous beauty and hanging out with great company. If that doesn't provide awesome experiences, I don't know what will! In actuality, I'd love to return for other sand activities however everything in Dubai is so costly. More or less, the desert was a standout among the most unique locations I've ever been to, and the safari most definitely employed one of the most unforgettable methods to get there. It will be a mistake to leave this emirate without going on a Dubai Desert Safari. In case any of you is planning to embark on a desert safari, I recommend setting yourself up for one heck of a ride. Literally. Particularly for beginners, I figure you will find the adventure quite something.


Our destination was an Arabian camp some place in the middle of the desert. Our rides were little 4×4 vans that can fit 6 individuals, plus the driver. Before driving out to the desert, the wheels were seemingly deflated in order to have the ability to deal with the soft and delicate terrain somewhat better. Once we touched base at the edge of the desert, our driver requested that we buckle up before  he gave us the most exciting ride around the desert's sand dunes. At the start of the safari, the sandy landscape was somehow even and the ride was fairly calm, however the deeper we went into the desert, the ride gradually lost its control. (I'm talking about your butt floating a couple of inches over your seat in some instances. Imagine riding an enclosed roller coaster that moves left and right rather strongly every turn.) We needed to clutch our seats and strap ourselves in. I wouldn't call it scary since we were inside a van, but I'm also not going to mislead anybody: You might need a doggie bag just in case you get nausea.

While my sister was videoing the entire ride using our GoPro, she unexpectedly vomited inside the van! We didn't know what to tell the driver aside from apologizing because he looked really mad, but good thing he didn't say anything offensive and remained kind despite everything :) I actually considered the incident a blessing in disguise because if my sister didn't throw up, we wouldn't be stopping in the middle of the desert for a quick photo op with the sand dunes before proceeding to the desert camp. By the time we had a stopover, the sun was quickly fusing with the horizon. What a perfect timing, it was the golden hour that time!



Standing in the desert was both different and at the same time exactly how I imagined. I am loaded with awe and wonder, trying to distinguish the things I've seen in motion pictures and read in books from the actual sprawling landscape before me. In both versions there were camels gradually stumbling about, however this moment was when reality presented a clearer picture of things: the ground isn't always a solitary earthly color but an occasionally red-here-yellow-there, sometimes white tinged sand that softens through the spaces between your fingers.


I needed to profit the very last daylight that was left when we arrived at the gates of the desert camp. I could even remember the time I was struggling to take decent photographs of the horizon and the camel. Inside the camp it felt sort of like a fair. There were long rows of feasting tables set atop a long carpet with pillows as chairs and at the center of the camp was a stage. There were cottages/booths for food, booze, coffee, and henna tattoos (plus an open area to smoke shisha with juice!) to my heart's content.


Since I was not that fond of Arabian cuisines, I wasn't excessively pleased with the dinner we had there. After dinner, we got the chance to witness the highlight of the desert camp, including sets of dances performed by a woman. A wonderful Lebanese belly-dancer went first, breaking out some Shakira-like moves that totally catched the attention of the guys in the camp. Sadly, I wasn't paying much attention to this part because I was falling in line for my Henna that time :(


We had our overnight stay in Palazzo Versace Hotel. It is a Neoclassical masterpiece with subtle hints of Arabian design. Highlighting a striking entrance, high ceilings, landscape gardens, and a scope of well-crafted Italian furniture, the hotel is definitely a representation of the Versace lifestyle. Not to forget the fact that Palazzo Versace Hotel is set in the core of the Culture Village, less than 15 mins away from Dubai International Airport and 8 mins away from Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai. The minute we entered the hotel, they served us a complimentary drink and a warm hand towel. I was truly living the dream <3 The extravagant vibe made our last night in Dubai one heck of an experience!




Who goes to Dubai without pressing in a shopping trip? My last day in the UAE and the only thing I had on my agenda was to make a beeline for the World's Largest shopping mall and the shopping mall that has the world's largest acrylic aquarium as well-- the Dubai Mall! While strolling around the mall, Dubai's luxurious crowd was much more evident. Everyone I saw was wearing no less than one designer item, and most of them had it on head to toe!




There you have it- the end of my Dubai travel diary. On to make new ones! I can't wait to share with you my tropical trip to the Balesin Island! 

x

Share:

2 comments

  1. It's ok if your post/s is/are long the important thing is that you can tell your story and how you feel about the place and your experiences and thank you for telling us that it will be a long one. :) It is longer than your other posts but this might have a lot to tell than your other stories. Wow your so lucky to go in Burj Al Arab. Good thing that you did not stay in that hotel it's worth a car already with that money and that is just one night and a car can last for years. Maybe you would feel different since it is a 7-star hotel. It's ok if you just wrote about it now since you're busy with school. Wow i never knew how amazing Emirates Palace Hotel is and i can't believe the room and the things in it is made of gold even the toothbrush amazing and not yet the pool it's already amazing. Wow you're so lucky to be able to go to a nice and wonderful hotel. Wow another nice and wonderful hotel and even a nice view and a see-through bathtub area wow. Wow grabe ang daming achievements din pala ang Burj Khalifa :o . It is also nice that you were able to see the view from the top of the building. The view is so nice for you to not be impatient in waiting for the dancing fountain show. Wow Atlantis is so cool fishes in the hallway swimming beside you and the water activities the hotel offers good thing you had time to enjoy those. Wow so many slides and good thing you went at their opening hour and good thing your nail did not bleed like your sister's did. Too bad for you that your brother wanted to ride again and you do not have someone to wait outside with, it's a good thing that you stayed with him even though you want to stop already. Wow and also a pool with a nice view. Wow even the desert safari view is nice. Too bad everything is expensive or you could have gone back there again. It's good that you were able to go to a unique location and an unforgettable method to get there by Safari. Thanks for the tip for first timers to prepare themselves for one heck of a ride and thank you for teling us that we would feel quite something. :) Thanks for telling us about your ride with a small 4x4 vehicle and that the tires need to be deflated a little and thanks for telling us that wheels for city roads will not do. It's nice that your driver told you to buckle up before giving you a thrilling ride and nice that you also got to experience a thrilling ride. Thanks for telling us that it is calm at the start then the wilder it gets as you get deeper into the desert. Thanks for telling us how it feels to be in the van and good thing that your van did not get stuck unlike that other van and thank you for also feeling bad for that other van. Thank you for telling us to bring a a doggie bag in case we get major nausea. :) I hope that your sister is ok during that ride and the best thing to do is apologize and good thing you did and good that your driver did not say anything offensive and still remained kind even if somethings happened. Lucky for you to be able to stop in the middle of the desert and have an opportunity to take photos. Wow you're also lucky to be able to see the sun quickly fusing with the horizon or golden hour. :) Yep feeling things in reality is different from just thinking about it and amazing that it is like how you imagined it. Wow you even notice the different colors of the sand so amazing :o . Amazing that you feel like your in a decent story. :o . Too bad you don't like Arabian cuisines or you would have enjoyed the food there and too bad you were falling in line for your henna tattoo to watch the show. :( Thank you for telling us how the Palazzo Versace Hotel looks like and it is nice that it is in the heart of the Culture Village and it is also good and lucky for you to be really living your dream and good that the luxurious vibe made your last night in Dubai one heck of an experience! :) continuation on next comment 1 of 2

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's good that you were able to go to the world’s largest shopping mall and the mall that has the world's largest acrylic aquarium which is the Dubai mall. :) Wow and your so lucky to be able to see different people wearing different designer items from head to toe. :) Thank you very much for telling us your Dubai diary. We will be expecting another one from you. :) Ok thank you we will be expecting your tropical trip to the Balesin Island. :) 2 of 2

    ReplyDelete