Wild Wadi Waterpark

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It's almost summer, perfect time to hit the beach, pool and other water themed parks. Summer here in Dubai can be too hot and you'd rather stay indoors with your A/C on. Residents and tourists alike usually plan swimming and other outdoor activities between Feb to April.

picture courtesy of wildwadidubai.com

So one of the popular waterpark here in Dubai, UAE is Wild Wadi which is located on Jumeraih beach and on the same stretch as Burj Al Arab. So you get to enjoy the different rides at Wild Wadi and the view of Burj Dubai at the same time.  


                                                 from wild wadi official website 

Mall Hop: Ibn Battuta Mall

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I'll be featuring different malls within Dubai and other emirates because they are so huge and grand! I adore them! I love to shop and I'm a certified mall rat.

So for the first Mall Hop, i'll be featuring Ibn Battuta Mall named after a Muslim Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta. Last February 25, Google Doodle featured him to celebrate his 708th birthday! I wrote a little background on him and his travels here.

Ibn Battuta Mall is situated on the far side of Sheik Zayed Road (going to Abu Dhabi) near The Gardens and Jebel Ali . It's a huge mall, boasting of over a million square feet of retail space. It is divided into 6 clusters or courts named after some of the countries or cities Battuta visited. Those are China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia and Andalusia.

Personally, I had hard time going through the entire mall in one go so I have to plan each visit which shops to check. I usually go the th China court where the cinemas and Asian restaurants are located. 

How to get there:

*by Metro train

  -take the red line and exit on Ibn Battuta Station

*by Bus
  -there are several bus available depending on your initial location
*by car or taxi

  -drive towards Abu Dhabi direction on Sheik Zayed road, between interchage 5 and 6

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Around the Mall

(pictures and italized descriptions from the official website of Ibn Battuta Mall)

Andalusia Court Grand in style, convenient in design. Andalusia Court takes care of your everyday needs, be it a quickie hair cut or an impromptu bouquet of flowers for the one you love. The centre-piece of Andalusia Court is its magnificent Lion Fountain, inspired by the Fountain of Lions in Alhambra.

 

Tunisia Court Blue skies and white fluffy clouds guide the way through 14th century inspired Tunisia Court. Here, you can let the kids enjoy a little time out at Fun City while you buy the weekly goods at Geant. Afterwards, why not follow the sensational aromas to one of Tunisia Court’s 16 international food outlets, where culinary delights await.

Egypt Court Pyramids and fairy tales, hieroglyphics and temples, kings and queens – Egypt Court brings to life the wonder and romance of its ancient history and leads visitors on a journey of discovery. For books galore, there’s Magrudy’s. For gadgets and playtime, there’s The Toy Store. For outdoor pursuits, there’s Sun and Sands. And for children’s clothes and toys, there’s Mothercare. Be sure to take away the perfect gift after your travels of Egypt Court with a tailor-made piece of silver jewellery, engraved with Arabic Calligraphy.

Persia Court The jewel in Ibn Battuta Mall’s crown, Persia Court is home to the dome, a captivating masterpiece which was hand-painted by a small group of talented artists. A host of distinguished stores have taken residence along her streets – the glamorous Paris Gallery, Debenhams and high-street favorites such as H&M and Forever 21. Take a moment to relax and enjoy a street-side coffee at Starbucks or Hediard and simply absorb the atmosphere and beauty of Persia Court.

India Court Showcasing the latest fashions, India Court is the place for those in search of classy boutiques, luxury brands and stylish stores. Outlets include Evisu, Bauhaus and the award-winning Ginger and Lace.

China Court Home to the Entertainment Zone, China Court has the region’s first IMAX theatre and 21 cinema screens. For casual dining with the family, there’s a host of restaurant to choose from including Finz for Mediterranean cuisine and Pizza Express for Italian. The mall’s largest electronics store, Sharaf DG, is pure entertainment in itself, housing every imaginable electronic device and gadget.

United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi is the capital of United Arab Emirates and largest in terms land area among the seven emirates.

 Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Capital Gate Building

Emirates Palace

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s land surface measures 67,340 square kilometres, which is equivalent to about 80% of the UAE’s total land area. Only 30% of the emirate is inhabited, with the remaining vast expanses covered mainly by desert and arid land — constituting about 93% of the total land area

 Abu Dhabi thus holds 9% of the world’s proven oil reserves (98.2bn barrels) and almost 5% of the world’s natural gas (5.8 trillion cu metres).

Source Wikipedia and Google for pics

Places to visit in Abu Dhabi

I’ve been to Abu Dhabi quite a few times already but never really had a chance to tour around

* Emirates Palace
* Capital Gate Building
* Khalifa Park
* Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (just passed through)
* Yas Island (just passed through)
* Ferrari World (just passed through)
* Abu Dhabi Heritage Village (been there)
* Abu Dhabi Corniche (been there)
* Saadiyat Island
* Lulu Islands
* Abu Dhabi Mall
* Marina Mall (been there)
* Al Wahda Mall
* Khalidiya Mall
* Jebel Hafeet (been there)
* Al Ain Zoo (been there)


How to get there from Dubai (Public Transport)

By Bus

At Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, from 5:30 am to 11:30pm busses are available at 30 minutes interval or when the bus gets full. Fare is 25 AED to and 15 AED return (I don’t know the reason for the difference) and the trip is around 2 hours.

By Taxi

You can flag down taxi anywhere in Dubai and ask you to bring to Abu Dhabi but of course it would cost a lot more.

Welcome to Fitness First, Diera City Center

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Fitness First DCC finally opens it's doors last January 7, 2012. They started signing in members as early as August 2011, that's around 5 months of promises and waiting for members like me. Is it worth the wait? Let's see.

Different group activities are already scheduled but more are planned for the coming days (another promise!).

Fitness First
Diera City Center
Operating Hours 7am to 12mn

Longest Fireworks set to kick start DSF 2012

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DSF 2012 will officially start with a Fireworks display along Dubai Creek. Said to be the longest so far in the history of DSF with 40,000 fireworks set in the 6 kilometer stretch within 5 minutes. Wow, as if we haven't seen enough of fireworks lately, from the New Year Fireworks at Burj Khalifa and now this one. But the organizers of the event said this is totally different and should not be compared.

picture from newzglobe.com

DSF 2012 Opening Fireworks

Dubai Creek

8:30 pm



Dubai Shopping Festival 2012: Dubai at it's best!

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Dubai Shopping Festival is the most anticipated yearly shopping event not only in UAE but also by nearby countries. Tourist and locals flock to different malls, souqs, hotels, events to find the best bargain and freebies.

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) takes place every winter with its mammoth array of discounts, competitions, prizes, fireworks and entertainment. DSF offers amazing shopping discounts, attracting holiday makers from around the globe keen on grabbing a bargain. The festival began in 1996 as an initiative of the Dubai government to promote trade, and it gets bigger and better every year. DSF is not only a retail festival, but also a family festival with a large focus on mall-based entertainment and early evening shows. http://www.dubaicalendar.ae/

This is a month long shopping bonanza from Jan 5 to Feb 5, 2012.

Dubai at it's Best! A real shopper's haven. Let's go!

Burj Khalifa Welcomes 2012

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With a big bang!

If you missed the fireworks display like me, don't fret because we can still watch it here

We decided to have a laid back dinner at La Mesa Restaurant, Asiana Hotel instead.

Happy New Year! May everyone be blessed this 2012!