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Monday 26 December 2016

UAE 2016 Day 04: Madinat Jumeirah

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

Stepping out to the courtyard we were again amazed by the architecture that mimicked the buildings and wind towers of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.


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!

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