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**Dubai: A City of Wonders - When to Visit, What to See, and Where to Stay**
Dubai, a glittering jewel in the desert, has transformed from a sleepy fishing village to a global metropolis that's synonymous with innovation, luxury, and adventure. Whether you're watching golden sunsets silhouetting towering skyscrapers or haggling in the bustling souks, this city is a mesmerizing blend of old-world charm and avant-garde developments. **The Best Time to Visit Dubai** The most comfortable time to visit Dubai is from November to March when the weather is mild and perfect for every type of outdoor activity. Be warned, though, it's also peak tourist season, so you'll be sharing the magic with many fellow explorers. One can also consider the months of April and October where the heat isn't as intense, and you can find better deals on flights and accommodations. Plus, the transition months have the advantage of fewer crowds! **Top Attractions in Dubai** - **Burj Khalifa**: The lofty spear piercing Dubai's skyline, the Burj Khalifa is a must-visit for breathtaking views. - **Dubai Mall**: Shopaholics prepare; Dubai Mall is retail nirvana with an Olympic-sized ice rink and an impressive aquarium to boot. - **Palm Jumeirah**: An artificial archipelago that's a marvel of modern engineering—home to luxury resorts, posh eateries, and swanky shops. - **The Dubai Fountain**: A choreographed fountain system that wows with water, light, and music synchronized shows. - **Desert Safari**: Sign up for an exhilarating desert safari. Dune bashing, camel rides, and a starlit barbecue – it's unforgettable! **Budget-Friendly Stays in Dubai** If your wallet feels a tad light, fear not! Dubai has options like Rove City Centre or Ibis Al Rigga that won't break the bank. These spots offer comfort, connectivity, and convenience, sans the hefty price tag. **Luxury Accommodations** On the flip side, if you're looking to splurge, Dubai is your oyster. The Burj Al Arab is often touted as the world's most luxurious hotel, standing on its own island with suites that are the last word in opulence. Or try the Atlantis, The Palm – a magical kingdom that offers everything from underwater suites to up-close encounters with marine life. Whether your budget is modest or extravagant, Dubai offers an unforgettable escape. Book your tickets, pack your sunnies, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. In Dubai, the extraordinary is just another ordinary day. Ah, “Creekside” is a spot in Dubai that truly pays homage to the heart and soul of the city's rich heritage. Located along the Dubai Creek, it's where the city's trading history began, which served as a lifeline to the growth of Dubai. For budget-conscious travelers, staying near the Creek offers a glimpse into a more traditional side of Dubai. Plus, it's an absolute treat for the senses. The area is teeming with bustling souks, including the famous Gold and Spice Souks where bargaining is an art form. You can take an abra (a traditional boat) ride across the creek for just a dirham or two – a can't-miss experience that shows a starkly different rhythm of life compared to the glitzy new neighborhoods. Budget-Friendly Stays near the Creek: Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa: Offers a cozy heritage-style stay that's wallet-friendly and has easy access to the Dubai Museum and heritage sites. XVA Art Hotel: Nestled within the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, a stay here immerses you in artistic charm and regional architecture. For those seeking a touch of luxury near the water’s edge, you’ll find the Park Hyatt Dubai, providing a serene, elegant stay with views of the Creek and marina. For a modern opulence coupled with traditional designs, the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel is another fantastic option, renowned for its warm hospitality and beautiful art collection. Creekside demonstrates Dubai's multifaceted personality, offering both affordable stays and luxurious retreats against the backdrop of the city's historical lifeline. It's a place where every traveler can find something delightful, whether it's diving into the past or relishing the present. Personally I love spending time walking through the old city area of Creekside, but any traveller really should visit the luxurious shopping venues to experience some of the vast and interesting differences that Dubai offers. Contact Us if you'd like to book a trip to Dubai Ok, we arrived in the beautiful port city of Marseille late last night and went to our first World Cup Rugby Game today. How very exciting! All Blacks absolutely "broke" Italy, at a score of 76-14. Shame - for Italy, but since I love All Blacks, thanks for kickin' Italia's ass. It was REALLY exciting to be watching one of the World Cup games and get to see NZ perform the Haka on the field. That was a highlight for me, and I posted the vid. Marseille: such a VERY Mediterranean port! Go figure - its ON the Med! The city is very arid and hot (all the spectators during the game sat out in 90-degree heat for 3+ hours. Talk about "berled" potatoes! The buildings, while not whitewashed, are very sun washed and all light colours, with the terra cotta tiles for rooving. Pics attached Early tomorrow morning we are off to Rome. MORE travel excitement! We are starting to feel like we're competitors in the Amazing Race! **Oh, our latest funny story: RyanAir. For anyone who hasn`t travelled on this airline, what can I say? It's a frenetic, and interesting flight and travel experience! There is no assigned seating (unless you pay for it), so they load you up like cattle, but cattle don't run fast, so let's say line up like horses, behind a barricade (at the gate) and you all get ready to walk RAPIDLY to the plane to get a seat. I`m still not sure what the benefit is of no assigning seating. It's not like anyone got a preferential seat on these planes. I don`t even think they have emergency "larger" rows. Who knows** MARY: Yes, of course I went to Anne Frank Huis. Amazing eh, her story (as well as all survivors during that period). Can you believe someone painted a Nazi cross on her statue? How despicable! Amsterdam is a very pretty city (even throughout the infamous red-light district ["RLD"]).
It's very funny to see the working women in a doorway (or "kamers,” as they're known in Dutch), then stroll along to find a piano bar the next door, then a kamer, followed by a coffeeshop, kamer again, and then a restaurant. Many Kamers, shall we say!! The RLD is plentiful with men, and couples, and groups, and it’s definitely a high-interest touristic area. Perhaps it is PURE HELL or PURE HEAVEN for certain folks to see the women dressed so scantily & shakin' their "goods" at them, and then there’s me, trying to find a burqa for my upcoming trip to Egypt. Such a contrast! A VERY funny thing - we have a bar (gay), 🤔🤔, maybe 3 doors down from our hotel called the (close your eyes if you're a good Christian) - the Cockring! Ok, so funny story about this bar: we're strollin' down the streets here in the red light district, and there are endless touristy shops of all types, jewelry shops and "coffee-houses" (marijuana boutiques) a plenty, cafes and lots of pizza shops. You get the jist, (everything you could ever want to purchase), so I stop ... looking at this "jewelry" or maybe it was kitchenware, because... you KNOW, most people love household goods. James asks," What are you looking at?" I turn to look at him ... after all, wasn’t it OBVIOUS?! I was looking at sterling silver table settings, duh!! 🙄😵💫🤪 Gees. It was at this moment that (*puzzled look*) I noticed an out of the corner of my eye one of the “napkin holders” around a big dick (sorry Mom & Dad). Would "phallic symbol" be a better word to use here? ... Riddle me that!!?? 🙄😂😱😳😵💫. However, it was at that moment that I realized what I initially believed to be LOVELY sterling napkin rings for one’s formal dining table settings, were actually ...ahhh, is there another name? for cockrings?!??!?!? Needless to say I decided against this table addition, and scuttled off down the alleyway, both of us laughing our faces off. 🤣🤣🤣 Oh the dear! Arrived in Paris and hit the ground running after we dropped our bags at our postage-stamp sized room in the Eiffel Seine Hotel, located in the . The hotel location is incredible for sightseeing, and they make incredible use of smoke & mirrors to makes spaces seem larger than they are. For the amount of time we're staying, it will suffice, and the desk clerk is very helpful ad friendly. Service really does make a difference. We decided to take a city hopon-hopoff bus to see the city's highlights. I've determined that my SLR camera I've brought, can't upload pics directly, so you`ll all have to settle for my 2nd best shots (from the little dig cam). You`ll still get a good idea of what we`re doing.
Today we decided to visit The Louvre (incredible/incroyable!) - too much to see in such a short city stay actually, and Napolean`s apartments. We got disoriented (it was James' fault, lol) and it took quite a bit of time to actually find our way out. "Sortie" does not REALLY mean "exit" at the Louvre as the *Sortie Sign* pointed us to all kinds of fake exits. Who knows? As someone who has done French immersion, I thought I could fund my way out of a building in France, Apparently not! Who knows? God knows?? We "took" Mass at Notre Dame (just a short one - we`re on a tight sked here in Paris - The Notre Dame Cathedral was very peaceful and our loved ones had a candle lit for them. *sigh* I wish they could be with us, just a call away). In truth, the entirety of this trip is rather fast-paced, given that it's based around the 2007 Rugby World Cup games and schedule! I`m VERY proud of James. He is speaking more French than I (albeit I whisper to him what to say and how to say it) but he is "parlez vous francais`ing" very well. People in Paris will speak English to you at the first sign you`re having difficulty though. God love `em! So we`re off to Amsterdam tomorrow morning. Ya might not hear from us if we get caught in a "kamer" or a "smoker," just kidding. Hope I don`t lose James in the red-light district, lol. K, gone for now. Loves to all our friends and family following our journey. The Us 75-day Trip: Thought I lost my Passport - NICE START! HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA to PARIS, FRANCE:9/2/2007 So, 🙄, I couldn't find my passport and we`re only in Halifax on the way to France, to start our 75-day journey. The panic that ensued!! Nice eh!? What a ditz, it was in James's pocket. I was getting hot and "havin' palpitations" 😂🥵
We`re havin’ a celebratory pre-departure drink in Hali, one would be remiss to not celebrate such a large journey! Departed on Iceland Air from Halifax to Paris, via very short stopover in Reykjavik, in economy. (Looking back as I update this post, that was an experience, not a bad flight, but most overnight flights to Europe tend to be wearisome). Out the plane's window you can see some of the terrain and smaller volcanos, what an interesting spot. Definitely have to circle back for a more in-depth self-drive tour around Iceland. Best & Loves from the J & J Such the procrastinator. We leave in the AM for 75 days, a lil prep wouldn't go astray. :)
The last place we`ll be is first on the list, mmm strange uh! Newfoundland will always be my home, and these beautiful people will always be my family. Rather excited to commence this 75-day journey. Not sure if we'll kill each other or enjoy it thoroughly. Life's short, what would it be without adventures. After we depart on Sept 1, we'll be leaving on a 75-day trip that will take us to: - Reykjavik, ICELAND; - Paris, FRANCE; - Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS; - Marseille, FRANCE; - Rome & Naples, ITALY; - Catania, SICILY; - St. Julian's, MALTA; - Venice, ITALY; - Lille, Lens, and Bordeaux, FRANCE; - Munich, GERMANY; - Budapest, HUNGARY; - Athens, Patmos, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, GREECE; - Istanbul, and Kusadasi, TURKEY; - Cairo, Karnak, Luxor, Edfu, EGYPT; - Amman, Wadi Musa and Petra, JORDAN; - Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Cana, Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee, Massada and the Dead Sea, ISRAEL. We're just a BIT excited!! |
WTW StoriesOur stories from the destinations we've travelled, places we've seen, and experiences we've enjoyed (or not) recent posts
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