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United Arab Emirates

February 2025
  • Tige
  • Jocelyn Cooper
A 8-day adventure by Tige & Jocelyn Read more
  • Tige
  • Jocelyn Cooper

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  • United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
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  • United Arab Emirates
    Landed in Abu DhabiView from our balcony

    Dubai!

    February 13 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    We hurried home from work on a Wednesday to finish packing for our 930pm flight to Abu Dhabi. Heathrow was a ghost town and we had no troubles. We didn’t expect dinner to be served at midnight so it left us little time to sleep on the 7 hour overnight flight. We arrived at 830 am local time (430 am body clock time) on 2-3 hours of sleep and found a taxi service for the one hour drive to our Airbnb (hotel) in Dubai. Since we arrived so early, we couldn’t check in for an hour so we got some light lunch at the hotel. We got to check in at noon and immediately went to sleep. A one hour planned nap turned into 3.5 hours but we still had time to see the town. Our Airbnb is a hotel residence with an amazing balcony view of the Burj Khalifa. We had a 15 minute walk to the Dubai Mall (first or second largest mall in the world) where the kids begged to go ice skating and we found an old favorite restaurant from back home. After some window shopping, we made our way to see the Dubai Fountain show (like the Bellagio fountains in Vegas). The weather is amazing with full sun and a high in the mid 80s (a relief from rain and 40s for the last 4 months). We finally sat down for food and had a delicious meal at the Social House. We walked around the base of the Burj Khalifa before getting some groceries on the way home. Dubai is so clean and beautiful and tall buildings abound. Kids are wondering where the desert is. Back at home, we went up to the rooftop infinity pool (which just closed, much to the kids disappointment) before showers and tucking in to bed. Big day planned tomorrow so hoping our internal clocks can reset quickly. So strange to be using air con!Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Great city and desert day

    February 14 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    Big day planned for today. We left the apartment after breakfast and headed out to walk to the Burj Khalifa. Once we found out the entrance was in the Dubai Mall we jumped in line. We had heard that the lines were long to get in, and were also told that this “was not a busy day” for them. 2 hours later we were in an elevator. 125 floors in 77 seconds. Total height is the building is 2722ft, nearly twice as tall as the sears/willis tower. Super crazy to be up that high. There was an outdoor observation deck and obviously views everywhere. Very special building that Emeratis are very proud of.

    We thought we had planned plenty of time between BK and the desert safari that we had signed up for mid-afternoon, but the driver we hired was very cool about picking us up a bit later and met us at the mall. He drove us about an hour out of town into the desert to our first stop at an adventure center. Though we were initially not going to do it, the kids and I flipped quickly and convinced Tige to ride ATVs. They fitted us with headscarves for the sand and Huddy and I drove together and the big kids each had one (Tige also). Super fun time driving around a sand field with very small sand dunes. Our driver let the air out of his tires and we went dune bashing. The cars are all luxury SUVs with roll cages inside. Mostly fun, a bit scary, but H and I hung in there in the 3rd row. We stopped for some pics and the kids and Tige did some sand sliding before we headed back to the center.

    Next we did a very short camel 🐪 ride. They actually sell camel milk in the grocery store, but we are not that brave lol.

    After camels we jumped back in the SUV (with full air in tires again) and headed took us to the camp where dinner and shows would take place. It was sort of like an Arabian Luau. We sat at a low table on bean bags and ate bbq’d kebabs, veggies and hummus, several different lentil dishes, samosas and dessert. They had fire and belly dancers and 2 guys from Egypt who did a performance where they spun skirts- very unusual, but they were talented for sure. We left the camp and our driver drove us back and we de-sanded and in for the night. Earlier start tomorrow, so need some sleep!    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Super special birthday!

    February 15 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today was such a great day. We were up and out early for a walking tour in the old city section and met our guide Hesham after a 20 min cab ride. He took us on a fantastic tour through the Al Fahidi neighbourhood, the original/old Dubai. He also taught us a lot about Islam and the history of how people lived in this region. Super interesting to learn about their culture from a local’s perspective. They even have naming challenges like we are currently facing (Persian Gulf and Arabian Gulf are the same body of water). We saw everything from modern smart police stations to old houses with courtyards and the souks (markets). We started in the grand souk which had loads of stalls filled with fresh spices and food. We tried samosas and hopped a boat across to the oldest souks. We bought all kinds of local specialties including sandalwood to burn, mango tea and menthol and Iranian saffron (for Kelly and I to share). Finished with camel milk/date/chocolate treats for our coworkers and counterfeit Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal football kits for the boys and sand art for E. We ended in the gold souk, which was insane (but we didn’t buy anything:) I also spoke too soon, camel milk gelato was eaten and honestly was pretty delicious.

    The kids and Tige revealed that they were sending me to the spa in the hotel for a few treatments and we headed home for the sweetest and most thought gifts, handwritten cards and even an original song. Tige enjoyed the rooftop infinity pool with the kids while I was relaxing. After the spa I met them at the pool and we went back to the apartment for a call with Mom and Dad, dinner and snuggles. I couldn’t have wished for a better day.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    1Sky View TowersMuseum of the FutureEmirate Towers

    Towers and Global Village

    February 16 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    We didn’t plan anything for today and everyone got to sleep in. We ate brunch in before deciding to go to the Sky View Towers observatory. It’s a big landmark in Dubai (and can be seen in our Burj Khalifa pics behind the kids) that’s know for an edge walk, glass bottom floor and glass slide. We enjoyed the views of the city though I did not do the walk or the slide. There was no way I was going on that slide (see video from the outside). From the Towers, we made our way to the Museum of the Future - this time we decided not to pay the entry fee and just enjoyed the view from the lobby and outside. Just behind the museum were the Emirate Towers that Gideon built in his Dubai model. We went to the pharmacy inside for some paracetamol for mom’s headache before finding a burger place for a late lunch. It was a delicious food (High Joint) stand on a beautiful high 70s clear day. From there, it was an early afternoon taxi to the Global Village about 25 minutes away. We just discovered it online today and we sure got a surprise.

    Global Village is like Epcot on steroids but with Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and Kuwait, plus tons of other countries, and instead of local rides, there are markets of local goods and foods. Food stalls are everywhere and there are cultural dance shows every half hour on a main stage. Then, of course, there is a carnival with rides and experiences. It was overwhelming. We enjoyed the Africa and Turkey shows but the highlight was a dance show by the Urban Crew from the Philippines that apparently are on America’s Got Talent. Joce and I enjoyed some Mexican food while the kids did a rope course and zipline. We stayed out way too late and got home just before midnight. Early start tomorrow for a busy day at our last Dubai stop.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    The Storm rollercoaster slideView from Blackout of Burj Khalifa and Burj Al ArabDrop slideBlackoutArabian SeaRoyal resortSeascapes

    Aquaventure and Royal Atlantis

    February 17 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We paid for staying out too late last night when we got up early today for our trip to Atlantis Aquaventure. Billed as the world’s largest (most slides) waterpark, we couldn’t pass it up. It opened at 915 and it was a 30 minute taxi - we arrived just after opening. After getting our locker, we jumped on the first slide we could which ended up being a water slide roller coaster with ups and downs. It was a great start. A couple rides later, Gid and I got in line for Leap of Faith, a near vertical drop slide while E and H took Mom to the Shark tank that ends in an underwater tunnel surrounded by a tank full of rays and sharks. Both were the most popular rides so took nearly an hour. After some family raft rides, it warmed up a little as the sun finally came out - it was supposed to be mid 80s but felt more like low 70s especially when you were wet. A few slides later and it was already time for lunch and drying off in the sun.

    After lunch, we talked Elliot and Joce into trying the intimidating drop slide before moving on to the 4 person mat racing slide and 3.5m ‘cliff’ jump pool. Gideon and I split up again to tame the fastest slide in the park - Blackout. The biggest vertical drop in the Middle East, it did not disappoint and was definitely the favorite. Shorter lines helped though 10 flights of stairs made us work. After our second time, we got Joce and Elliot to try as well and it ended as the favorite slide of all. Hudson loved the roller coaster like Medusa’s Lair where you also raced the raft next to you. We ended the day with the world’s longest family raft ride (nearly 2 minutes long) which was also a big hit. The park closed at 6 and we stayed till the end (though we were all freezing by then) before lining up in the showers - which took much longer than planned.

    Since we had a big lunch, I found a place nearby called Seascapes to get drinks (Muslim country so no alcohol sold anywhere aside from some hotel areas) and snacks. We walked 15 up the road and got caught in a mini rain shower. When we arrived, we realised the restaurant was actually a beachside bar at a brand new 5 star resort called the Royal. We were slightly under-dressed when we walked into the lobby to flames in the walls, elevators surrounded by a waterfall feature and multiple 50 foot tall aquariums with a huge outdoor fountain and jumping water features. It was the most amazing hotel we have ever seen. We hurried through with our wet suits and dirty clothes and, fortunately, down at the beach, we were all alone and got to enjoy sliders, guacamole and drinks by the Arabian Sea. On the way out, I wasn’t too shy to take some pictures. May be a future getaway for Joce and I. After relaxing, we took a cab back to our place to crash after our last day in Dubai.    Read more

  • United Arab Emirates

    Abu Dhabi, Jubail Mangrove Park

    February 18 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    We had to leave our wonderful Dubai flat this morning and took a 1 hour taxi ride back to Abu Dhabi. We arrived just before lunch and dropped our bags before taking another taxi to the nearby Yas mall. We picked a location close the airport as there is no central area in AD and we ended up on Yas Island. YI is home to many family attractions (Sea World, Warner Brothers and Ferrari World - with the world’s fastest roller coaster at 150 mph) but we didn’t book any of these stops given our previous excursions and limited time. Instead, after lunch and shopping at the mall, we headed to Jubail Mangrove Park for a private electric boat ride. The park was peaceful and quiet and we learned a lot about the ecosystem including AD’s plan to plant a million trees by 2035 to become the greenest city in the world as the mangrove consumes 4-5x more CO2 than regular trees. We had a slight hiccup after we got dropped off and realised E had dropped her phone in the taxi and we didn’t have a way to contact the driver. Fortunately, we had used an app and toward the end of the boat ride, we were able to get his number and arrange for him to come back. Feeling much better with phone in tow, we enjoyed the 2km walk on the mangrove boardwalk. It was cool and started to rain at the end of the walk so we hailed a taxi and headed home for some groceries and cooked in while introducing the boys to Titanic. Up early tomorrow for sightseeing.Read more

  • United Arab Emirates
    Worlds largest hand woven carpetQasr Al Watan palaceQasr Al WatanCorniche Beach

    Last Day in UAE

    February 19 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today was our biggest day out in Abu Dhabi. We started out the day with a morning visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It was stunning! The entire mosque was made out of marble and I think we needed sunglasses for the mosque as well as the sun. The detail inside was even more beautiful. There were columns with inlaid marble flowers, beautiful chandeliers and in the women’s prayer hall the walls were covered with marble flowers done in a relief style. Pictures don’t do it justice. There was a huge food hall and we sampled Dubai chocolate (chocolate with pistachios inside, which is a huge thing here) and sat down at a restaurant that I had actually planned to eat at in Dubai, but we ran out of time. We had hot and cold apps that included delicious hummus, labneh, mutabal (basically baba ganoush), tabouleh and a beet salad, wings, calamari and shrimp. After lunch we headed to Qasr al Watan, the presidential palace where the president (leader of UAE and Abu Dhabi) and vice president of UAE and leader of Dubai, and the crown prince all have offices and receive foreign dignitaries. Incredible mosaics, gold and marble everywhere and exhibits about their contributions to science and medicine.

    After the palace we headed to Corniche beach and let the kids play in the sand while we enjoyed our last day of sun for a while. We walked along the boardwalk to the grand souk so that the kids could get last souvenirs. We found a Lebanese/Italian (weird mix) spot for dinner and the owner really spoiled the kids with free desserts. Came back home and packed up for our flight in the am. This has been such a great trip on a new continent, filled with adventures and family time, which is what we really love the most. We definitely recommend a trip to the UAE. The people have been super kind and welcoming and there is so much to do!    Read more

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