Spring in Dubai

I've just had a lovely 5 day spring break in Dubai. It's a city where you can do anything and everything - it caters for all. I was obviously hoping for a blast of warm sunshine and although it was sunny for the most part, it wasn't as warm as I would have liked. Day one was blowing a gale and whipped up the desert sands into the air making it a hazy start. Luckily it rained a little and the dust had disappeared by early afternoon.

I took an overnight flight and hadn't slept much so the first day was pretty chilled. First stop was a light lunch at La Mer, a relatively new area with an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops, cinema, a beach with a water park - a great place for families. Dinner was outdoors at Trattoria Toscana, an Italian restaurant at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah with a lovely view of the iconic Burj Al Arab. The food was great but what I really liked was their genius pasta drinking straws. No single use plastic here. A note though, if you take your time with your drink the straw will eventually go soggy! 

Day two I took a trip to the Miracle Gardens which opened in 2013. You can visit from mid November through to mid May and entrance costs UAE50 which is roughly £10 or US$13 at the current exchange rate. There are literally millions of flowers growing around arches and structures and massive topiary sculptures. A great place for families, children will love the animal and Disney displays. There are swings and hammocks and many cafes and shaded areas to sit when it's hot. The floral spectacle is very impressive. 

Alongside the Miracle Gardens is the Butterfly Gardens with a separate entrance and additional cost of UAE55. The butterflies are kept in large domes and fly freely around you and the environment created for them. It was lovely to see the different varieties and their beautiful colours so close up, but my criticism would be the slightly tacky props, fake birds and piped birdsong. The real birds they did have were housed in small cages - a pet hate of mine. I hope they will have a rethink about this and will be improved on for the future.

Sticking with the day of themes, a visit to Global Village that evening was on the agenda. Open from November to mid April, entrance is from 4pm till midnight or 1am depending on the day and costs UAE15. It houses pavillions from all over the globe showcasing music, food and produce. It has a Disneyland like atmosphere and appearance with a huge fun fair at the far end, making it a perfect destination for families and people who enjoy a theme park experience. We ate Syrian falafel, bought pashminas from Pakistan and browsed carved wooden artifacts from Africa.

The highlight of my visit this time was a visit to the Dubai Opera to see Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on a large screen with live music by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. It was only on for 2 days so I was fortunate to have been able to go.
Dubai Opera’s Chief Executive, Jasper Hope, commented: “If you haven’t seen a Hollywood blockbuster accompanied by a full live symphony orchestra then you’ve truly never experienced the incredible power of music to bring films to life.”  So very true!
If you ever get the chance for an experience like this, do it.

Located in downtown Dubai, the Opera building is a beautiful contemporary structure. Designed to be multi-use, it's able to be transformed from a theatre to a concert hall to a 'flat floor' to host banquets and events. 

We had a fab late breakfast at L'Eto Caffe at Dubai City Walk on Day 4. The food choice is a mix of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and European dishes. 
I had eggs royale (pictured left) which were absolutely delicious.

It was a beautiful breeezy, sunny day and a perfect one to visit Kite Beach to watch the kite surfers. It's my favourite beach as it's free (unless you want loungers and an umbrella). It's wide open space means it never gets crowded and although there are a few places to eat and shower and toilet facilities, it's not developed to the level of La Mer. I also had a chance to try out my bag from the new collection of Holiday Queen beach bags. I love the new colour combination.

Dinner that night was in the Al Seef area at Dubai Creek. It's appearance is that of old Dubai but it is very much a new development, combining shops and restaurants along the waterway. We decided on Al Hamidieh restaurant. Known for its authentic Arabic cuisine, we opted for a variety of Syrian dishes. It was absolutely delicious and I would highly recommend it if you like Middle Eastern food.

My last day took in some shopping and lunch at Social House at the Dubai Mall with a view of the fountains and the Burj Khalifa. It's a buzzy atmosphere with good food. One thing to note if you are an Emirates Skywards member - you can earn miles from retailers and restaurants on any purchase over UAE100 (£20 or US$27 at current rate). Download the Dubai Mall App to register and start collecting. 

My last supper was at P.F. Chang's at JBR.  A collection of Asian and Chinese cuisine, the food is exceptional and the Dynamite Shrimp and Mongolian beef my new favourites.

When I departed from Dubai International the next day, I was lucky to have a fabulous view (although a little hazy) of The Palm through my airplane window. Great to be heading back home and to the day job but knowing I'll be back again soon to experience the wealth of things that this city in the desert has to offer.