After the adventures of the
morning and afternoon at Dubai Mall, Ginny and Sern then took us to a themed resort.
Madinat Jumeirah among other
things is a sprawling complex of various resorts, souks, restaurants, bars,
landscapes and gardens spread across over 40 hectares. It is designed to
resemble a traditional Arabian town,
Madinat Jumeirah houses four
luxury resorts namely Jumeirah Al Naseem with an inside-out, open plan concept,
Jumeirah Al Qasr designed in the style of a Sheikh’s summer residence, Jumeirah
Dar Al Masyaf set amongst tranquil gardens, waterways, exclusive pools and its
own private beach and the Jumeirah Mina A'Salam a luxuriously charming boutique
style hotel where Ginny and Sern has made reservations for dinner later tonight.
We first entered the premises
via the
Souk Madinat Jumeirah, an authentic re-creation of an ancient
marketplace with traditional Middle Eastern style and ambiance.
 |
| dejavu |
 |
| faithful replica |
 |
| alluring lanterns and lights |
 |
| faithfully recreated |
 |
| to resemble a traditional souk |
We wandered through the maze of
shops and stalls both along the walkways and were
amazed to find a faithful replica of the souks we had visited a few days ago
in
Bur Dubai and Deira. One thing that
could not be replicated was the heady, aromatic and almost intoxicating scent
of the souks there.
 |
| stepping out of the indoor souk |
 |
| barajeels everywhere |
 |
| view of Burj Al Arab |
 |
| Sern snapping Brendan... |
 |
| snapping him |
 |
| can never get enough of this |
Here we saw several stalls
selling souvenirs, and one particular stall caught our eye. Apart from the
animal wood carvings we were particular impressed by the life-like images of
Buddhist monks.
 |
| in the centre courtyard |
 |
| sculptures and carvings |
 |
| very life-like |
 |
| all shapes and sizes |
 |
| flipping us off eh? |
Walking across the courtyard we
came across a very large and wide staircase leading down to the canal that
snaked along Madinat Jumeirah.
 |
| Christmas tree by the canal |
 |
| down looking up |
 |
| we rested our feet here |
 |
| from another angle |
It was filled with holiday
makers here to enjoy the Christmas season and many took the opportunity to
either take a picture of or with the large Christmas tree in the centre by the canal.
 |
| large Christmas tree |
 |
| photo with Santa |
 |
| selfie with the tree |
 |
| everyone had to take a shot |
 |
| and why not? |
Apart from the Christmas tree
there hoards of excited children gleefully playing with fake polymer snow.
 |
| its snowing in the middle east? |
 |
| wonders of modern technology |
 |
| happy children |
With plenty of time to spare
before dinner Ginny and Sern took us on an Abra (traditional wooden boat) tour
around Madinat Jumeirah so that we could experience firsthand the authentic
Arabian architecture that showcases this luxurious resort's distinctiveness and
charm. The meandering waterways and wide open seas-capes were very relaxing and
provided an opportunity to snap photos of the various resorts along the canal.
 |
| all aboard |
 |
| don't worry, Santa's at the helm |
 |
| setting off |
 |
| excellent view of the Christmas tree |
 |
| driveway to the resort |
 |
| we envy the people staying here |
 |
| making our way around |
 |
| full circle |
 |
| as we docked |
After the Abra tour Ginny and
Brendan tried their hands at decorating ginger bread. This seemingly easy task
looks easier than it seems and Brendan’s ginger bread man ended up with a
crooked smile.
 |
| ginger bread! |
 |
| here we go |
 |
| not as easy as it seems |
 |
| Ginny taking the simpler route |
 |
| some elves laughing after seeing Brendan's creation |
It was soon sunset and the entire place lit up.
 |
| sunset at 6 o'clock |
 |
| and the Abra chugs away |
 |
| the crowd grew as night fell |
 |
| lights everywhere |
 |
| even around the palm trees |
 |
| and along the bridges |
 |
| making our way to Jumeirah Mina A'Salam |
This also meant dinnertime was upon us so Ginny and Sern took us to Zheng He’s, a quintessential Cantonese restaurant located within the Jumeirah Mina A'Salam for our Boxing Day dinner.
 |
| Zheng He's |
 |
| we sat by the canal |
 |
| sense of Christmas in the decor |
 |
| my trusty companions |
 |
| we started off with dim sum |
 |
| steamed buns |
 |
| lovely appetizers |
 |
| was this shark's fin? |
 |
| prawns |
 |
| string beans |
 |
| and chicken rounded up the feast |
 |
| Brendan's obsession with spiral staircases |
After the sumptuous dinner we
strolled back along the walkway around the canal before heading back to
Nuran.
 |
| a very merry scene |
 |
| Christmas lights strung up everywhere |
 |
| goodnight |
 |
| till we meet again |
Another once-in-a-lifetime awaits us tomorrow, for we are going on a desert
safari!
No comments:
Post a Comment