Tiptoes!
I opened my eyes and looked around the misty air. I could see the palm shaped island in a distance – Palm Jumeirah they call it. Difficult to imagine they made it from scratch, but it’s Dubai, anything is possible! I could see the majestic Atlantis hotel in a distance. The emerald water beneath my feet, a few feet of air separating us and it felt like flying. No wonder I feel like parasailing at each costal town I am in, it’s the best feeling. Only next to scuba or snorkeling or wait, skydiving! Jumeirah has a lot of options for parasailing and staying at the Sheraton in Jumeirah was a blessing. Waking up to the beautiful view of water, walking along the private beach each morning and then kayaking on it only to be followed by parasailing. The hotel rates were steeper than what you might find on the outside, but it worked for me as I was pressed for time. The water temperature was perfect in April mornings and all I did was stay in the water. For fun, we also took the water taxi to Bur Dubai from the taxi station. We had heard a lot about the hyped 7 star experience (a rating that doesn’t exist) of Burj Al Arab, so we made reservations for High Tea. We dressed up a bit, obviously for the extravagance. The service was delightful starting off with sparkling wine, finger sandwiches, cookies and tea. I cannot forget that the ultra-luxurious hotel had a lineup of 7 Rolls Royces. The famous sail shaped exterior and exquisite interiors, almost like a huge Mall. Of course we couldn’t see the famed Royal Suite costing $24,000 a night, it was a restricted area. It is definitely at par with my Emirates Palace experience of sipping gold coffee in Abu Dhabi, read about it here. The Atlantis is a beautiful hotel, almost like a huge palace, built on the Palm Jumeirah, the man-made island in the shape of a palm tree. I was so past the extravagance of Dubai that nothing surprised me anymore! Visit the Atlantis for a beautiful water park, where they let you swim with dolphins, or just the exquisite interiors. When you take a train to Atlantis, you can see the palm branches and on the tips are built one of the most expensive bungalows. The Atlantis also has an aquarium and is beside a beautiful rocky beach to view the perfect sunset. There is an ice bar called “just chill” where the menu, tables and chairs, the entire décor is made of ice. They give you outerwear to layer up like Eskimos, including shoe covers! A great fun experience, but sadly no alcohol, they had hot chocolate. And if you are into skiing, the Mall of the Emirates has an indoor ski option too. Not forgetting the ice skating rink in Dubai Mall. Yes, there is nothing that Dubai doesn’t offer! After an exhausting day, nightlife feels like a gift well deserved. Dubai is brimming with options – some on the pricey side but worth it. There is the open-air 360 Degrees which has gorgeous views of the sea, Bar 44 in the Grosvenor House at the rooftop with amazing views of the Marina, or Le Meridien Mina Seyahi's Barasti, a beach bar. Enjoy all the drinks, humus, sheesha with flavors such as double apple. I spent a lot of time relaxing at some of these. And then there’s Buddha Bar, the quintessential fine dining themed restaurant and bar that requires reservation made a few days in advance. Luckily, my stay at the Grosvenor house helped, which spoilt me with an entire suite. I really didn’t know what to do with all the space, but the view from my room was fantastic. I specially loved all their restaurants too, and the décor in the lobby changed every day with fresh flower arrangements which always made me smile. A few days spent at Sheraton, Jumeirah was worth it for the beach and then Grosvenor House for a few days for Buddha Bar et all. Jumeirah is a sight in itself especially during evenings when the beachside road is clogged with the wealthiest of cars and hippest of crowds. A number of restaurants line up on Jumerirah, making it a perfect place to spend the evening and hang out during the night. Love
Tiptoes!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMy name is Lovya. I left home when I was 17, to study and pursue my dream of being an Engineer, which I am now! But my love for travel never parted with me and even as I grow older, I know there are places and adventures in the world which I have to see. It feeds my soul in a unique way. This blog is a means for me to share my travel stories and hear about your experiences. Categories
All
Archives
May 2017
|