INSTAGRAM FEBRUARY 2014

The month of February was such a big breakthrough of blessings & travel dreams that went into reality for the year 2014. It was also a tough season wherein I went into a roller coaster of personal & emotional issues & conflicts that made me realised I'm entering the new era of my adulthood stage, needed to be strong & mature in facing challenges & reality of life.

Most often people will ask me why I often travel & go overseas mo of the time. Wanna know why? Aside from travelling as my ultimate passion in life, I'm also taking it as a chance to see the world & comeback with a renewed spirit and a new set of eyes that can see things from a different perspective.

  

Anyways here's the photo diary of my food & travel experience for February 2014. Keep on reading my blog for more details. As the saying goes, "Not all those who wander are lost!"

Just TRAVEL & REFLECT.

GOLD ATM Machine in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

JUNSUI BURJ AL ARAB RESTAURANT

When it comes to dining experience, this international restaurant located in Burj Al Arab, Dubai will be the best restaurant in the world I have tried so far with amazing food, quality service beyond words that is worth to come back again.

Imagine yourself eating the best of Asian specialties offered from 12 live cooking stations with an excellent service & nice environment. We have tried the breakfast buffet here & experienced the best meal I ever had. The Asian buffet food is unbelievable having the best & freshest food from around the world. The food was indeed exceptional while having the excellent service & nice environment.

PURE PLEASURE- The rich flavours of Far East Asia delight diners at Junsui, which means "Pure" in Japanese. Bathed in Swarovski crystals, this stylish dining room and cocktail lounge offers an opulent setting for a spectacularly flavoursome culinary journey. 

There are 12 live cooking stations with various masterpiece coming to life before your eyes; a team of no less than 45 chefs dreams up mouth-watering creations from a diverse selection of only the finest ingredients. Drawing on influences from Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean dishes, the open plan kitchen makes for truly interactive dining at its finest. Come & witness the creation of a meal you'll always remember.

BURJ KALIFA & DUBAI MALL

Dubai travel experience highlight will be day I saw the tallest building in the world - Burj Kalifa! Near this wold's most famous building will be the iconic Dubai Mall, one of the biggest shopping mall in the world where you can also see Dubai Aquarium as one of the top tourist destination of UAE. So here are some of the photos worth remembering & I should say one the the places you must visit before you die.

The infamous Burj Kalifa.

DUBAI MUSEUM

A visit to any country will not be complete without visiting it's National Museum. I'm so lucky to visit Dubai Museum that showcases it's short yet rich culture. The museum offers the best part of the history of United Arab Emirates with its authentic Arabian history & the life of old Dubai.

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON DOWNTOWN HOTEL DUBAI

Our stay in Dubai was exceptionally memorable not only for the experiences and memories we had but definitely because of the accommodation while we were in the sandbox. We're lucky enough to get great discount in this hotel managed by Sheraton company where my friend's sister was working. We stayed in this hotel for 5 days and we had the best stay in this tourist haven you should definitely book when you get the chance to visit Dubai. 

The Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai is strategically located for business and exploration, only a few minutes away from Dubai International Airport, nearby to 2 Dubai Metro Stations, and within easy access to the most important business district and local attractions.

Step out for great local shopping and exploration with Bank Street, Burjuman Mall, traditional souks & historic sites just a short distance away. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai International Financial Centre, World Trade Centre, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and Jumeirah Beach Park are also a short drive away, being the ideal choice for both business & leisure travellers.

Room Selfie @ Four Points by Sheraton.

MIRACLE GARDEN DUBAI

Imagine a vast colorful garden in the middle of the desert, that's how amazing Dubai Miracle Garden was. I have never seen such awesome garden in life not until I visited this fiction like genius attraction of Dubai. Its a place for people of all nation and age where everybody will surely enjoy so let me share my Dubai Garden experience with you all.

More than 45 million blooming flowers in stunning designs, awesome shapes and structures. An eye catching color combinations achieved through 45 different flower varieties and color. Miracle Garden is one of a kind in the region and in the world for such a unique display and extravagant outdoor recreational destination.

Miracle Garden has the record in Guinness Book of Records for having the longest wall of flowers which will give a new landmark for Miracle Garden and for the City of Dubai, which is believed to be the leader in diverse and cultural tourist attraction.

With more than 45 million flowers this season, Miracle Garden in Dubailand now opens its door to the public. Located in Dubailand, Miracle Garden's entrance fee is Dh30 per adult while disabled and kids three years and below will allowed free of charge. It will be open all through the week 9am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 11pm during weekends.

ABU DHABI MALL & WORLD TRADE CENTER MALL

Travel will never be complete without shopping. UAE is known for their extravagant shopping malls that you shouldn't miss. We were able to visit Abu Dhabi Mall & World Trade Centre Mall for a day. What else would be better than window shopping, food tripping & having coffee after a whole day of shopping therapy.

We were also able to visit the SOUK Market which was the traditional market place of the Arabian culture. We were again amazed with all the must buy items from souvenirs, foodies & traditional handicrafts. So here's some of the awesome photos taken that I wanna share with everyone.

Wooden architecture of Abu Dhabi Mall.

SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE ABU DHABI

Shaek Zayed Grand Mosque is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates. It was initiated by the late president of UAE Shaek Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and is considered to be the key for worship in the country.

As the country's grand mosque, it is the key place to worship for Friday gathering & Eid prayers. The mosque was constructed from 1996 to 2007. It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates & the eighth largest mosque in the world. The mosque size is equivalent to the size five football fields approximately. During Eid it can be visited more than 40,000 people.

It was named after the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nhayan who is the first president of the UAE. Zayed had a keen interest in the history of the Arabian Peninsula. In the Arabian Desert, Zayed learned courage & chivalry. The experience that Sheikh Zayed had growing up in a harsh environment had  a tremendous impact on shaping his exceptional personality. He was known for his patience, insightfulness & optimism but the central trait of his personality was wisdom.

Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque was a dream in the heart of Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. The  Mosque is an expression of a visionary leader who believed that nothing is impossible & conceived that  the most gracious achievements start from the heart. 

The Shaek Zayed Grand Mosque.

AL MANSOUR DHOW DUBAI

What a great experience to spend the first night of our Dubai experience at Al Mansour Dhow Dinner Cruise by Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai Deira Creek. From Abu Dhabi, we spent 2 hour bus ride to Dubai. From IBN  Batuta Station, we went straight to our hotel in Four Points by Sheraton in Bur Dubai. We got ourselves some good rest & went straight to Dubai Deira Creek for an exciting dinner cruise. We got this awesome deal at cobone.com for only 75 dirhams ($30 SGD) or around Php 1,100 pesos. You just make online payment same with Groupon, then present your coupon, then you will be welcomed by hospitable staff aboard the majestic wooden hand crafted dhow for an amazing dinner cruise experience. The two hour cruise will let you experience the sight, sound & taste of true Arabia.

Majestic view on the open deck of our Dubai first night Dhow experience.

FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI

Ferrari World is a Ferrrari amusement park on YAS Island in Abu Dhabi. It is considered to be the largest indoor amusement park in the world. It officially opened in November 2010 and is home to Formula Rossa, the world's faster roller coaster at 240 km/hr.

The iconic roof of Ferrari World was designed by Benoy architects. The central park is situated under a 200,000 sq. meters roof making it the largest in the world & has the largest Ferrari logo ever made. The centre of the roof is marked by a 100 metres glazed funnel. 

Attractions:

Formula Rossa- accelerate up to 240 km/hour in less than 5 seconds in a true F1 experience aboard the world's fastest roller coaster.

Fiorano GT Challenge- Kump into a Ferrari F430 Spider as two competing GT coasters race to the finish line.

Scuderia Challenge- Experience the ultimate state-of the-art racing simulators on a variety of Ferraris, solo or with a group.

Bell'Italia- Enjoy a refreshing change of speed as you explore a miniature Italy, in a small-scale 1958 Ferrari 250 California.

Made in Maranello- Cross the gates in Maranello and into a tour of the historicFerrari factory to see how a Ferrari is born.

Driving with the Champion- Live the dream of the sitting shotgun with a racing champion in this motion-based simulator.

Galleria Ferrari- Get up close and personal with the ultimate display of Ferrari cars, hailing from Maranello and top collectors from around the world.

V12- Journey into the heart of a 12-cylinder Ferrari 599 engine in this exciting flume ride.

DESERT SAFARI ABU DHABI

Discover the Spirit of Abu Dhabi for an ultimate desert life experience.

This was one awesome once in a lifetime experience to finally witness & experience the Desert Safari where you will truly experience the true desert of Abu Dhabi. We booked a half day safari tour for only 180 Dirhams by Sunshine Travel & Tours which I highly recommend for every dollar you spent was worth the experience. Out tour started at 3PM where tour service fetched us straight from our hotel & made our way for an exciting drive over the sand dunes. Watching the sunset from the dunes, visiting the camel farm & visiting an Arabic camp were just so amazingly memorable. 

Our journey continued in the Arabic camp where varieties of activities including henna painting, sand boarding, Shisha & the infamous belly dancing. After which, they served us with Arabic BBQ dinner as sunset started with local music for a night you will never forget & you will be treated to traditional Arabic hospitality with coffee & dates served as they have been foe centuries & continue to be served in Emirati home today.

Sunshine Travel & Tours

P.O. Box 46806, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Tel: +971 2 444 9914 / +971 2 444 7228

Email: sunshine@adnh.com

adnh.com

Top of the world at Al Khatim Desert during sunset.