Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Al Bahar at the Corniche | Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates

July 16, 2019 0 Comments

Al Bahar at the Corniche | Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates



Hey Hey Hey! Ceddy Here!


I'm back again for another travel review.
This time, I am writing about Al Bahar Corniche,  still here in the lovely city of Abu Dhabi.

Beach Please!







Al Bahar is a beautiful beachfront overlooking the Arabian Gulf and Marina Mall. This was open in public, last first quarter of 2018.

Every time I hang out on this place, I always by a coffee at Tim Hortons (yey! my favorite double-double coffee!) speaking of coffee, there's a lot of retail shops and food stall here in a stylish "unit".

Some of the retail shops are selling souvenirs like keychains and t-shirts even a nutrition shop that sells whey protein is available ('cause there is an outdoor gym here folks).













They have a Happy Pill... I got a Happy Place 😀







I call it my "Happy Place". This is where I write content, It's very peaceful and very relaxing.  I can focus and think of any ideas as I am free from distractions. 

Events like concerts usually held on this area as the beachfront has a coverage of 80,000 sqm mixed used of 48 retail shops and dining.  Pretty wide area right?

What's on Al Bahar?


The developer of Al Bahar created a variety of sports facilities on the beachfront. Volleyball and basketball courts, outdoor gym and football pitches and it is free to use for everyone.







Safety and Security


Worry-free as lifeguards and security guards monitoring the area. So you worry free on any unforeseen circumstances.

Transportation


If you have a car, Al Bahar offers a valet service too.



Bus number 11 and 71 passes by at Al Bahar. If you are a tourist and staying for a week in the city. You can buy a weekly pass on the big ticket machine which is available on every bus stops. It will cost you 50 dirhams or if you want a monthly pass, that will cost you 80 dirhams. You have the option as well to reload or buy a card at Abu Dhabi bus station. Bus card is usable for 5 years.

If you are not into bus commuting, Try to hail a cab. Inform the taxi driver that you are going to Al Bahar at Corniche and that's it.

Bright lights | Serene Place

At night, the pristine beachfront turns into a serene place where family and friends gathered together and spent some quality time. Lovely lightbulbs are carefully cross hanged into each unit. Indoor seating is available if you don't prefer the climate outside. Indoor seating comes with a television inside and has a second floor











Wood directional signs will guide you to reach on the spot that you want to visit.






More pictures 😀















So, Is it worth it?


Yes! Definitely! If you love beachin' out or just to enjoy the cool breeze of the Arabian Gulf, try to hang out on this place. It's a one-stop place for everything. Combining the dining and retail experience over the beachfront. Simply the best thing to hang out during the weekend or weekdays.
I highly recommend visiting the place around 5:30 PM. Less humid and less temperature by this time.


Thanks for reading my review.
See you on my next blog!

--Ceddy








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Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Qasr Al Watan | Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates

July 10, 2019 1 Comments

QASR AL WATAN 

ABU DHABI UNITED ARAB EMIRATES


Oh! Hello there! 😃


I'm back again for another travel blog. I'm looking forward to visiting this place a long time and finally, I made it. This is Qasr Al Watan situated at the heart of Abu Dhabi, A few kilometers away from Emirates Palace. If you are visiting Abu Dhabi, here is the best thing to see in the city. 

What is Qasr Al Watan?

- or simply "Palace of the Nation", It is the meeting place for official state visits or where global leaders are hosted. This year, Pope Francis visited Abu Dhabi and a specific event was held on this location.

How to get there?

- If you are a tourist and trying to avoid the scorching weather, better ride a taxi and tell them that you are heading out to Qasr Al Watan, they know it already or if you are an expat. Ride a bus number 34. For more details about the bus timings, you can check this link for more info.

How much is the cost of the entrance?

  • Palace and Garden Ticket 

This includes all access to in and out of the public spaces
An adult will cost 60 dirhams and 30 dirhams for children 4 to 17 years old, while 4 years old below is free of charge.

  • Garden Ticket

This ticket can give you access to the grounds and visitor center.
An adult will cost 25 dirhams while children cost 12 dirhams, 4 years old below is free of charge as well.


Facts about Qasr Al Watan: 

I research about Qasr Al Watan, and here's what I found :

  • The size of the area is the 380k equivalent of 53 football fields.
  • It comes with 3 wings. Dedicated to the President, Vice President, and the Crown Prince.
  • It is not a residence thus only a working palace.
  • No one lives here.
  • Inspired by Arabian gulf architecture.
  • The main dome is the largest in the world that comes with 37 in diameter.
  • The facade consists of white granite limestone that built to last in 100 years.
  • White symbol of purity thus the palace itself.
  • The finish stones sun glare to stand out.
  • The Arch colonnades are based on "Liwa"- a large oasis area in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

Why you need to visit this magnificent place?

Traditions and more


If you want to learn more about the governing traditions, values and explore a well-preserved legacy, knowledge and more about cultural understanding, then you are in the right place.

Nation's progressive journey

Qasr Al Watan Library is open for everyone. Individuals who want to learn more about the Arabs contribution to various fields of knowledge. You can find a various collection of books and resources pertaining to the UAE and know about the nations progressive journey.

Cultivating journey to see inside

 I was able to see all the halls that typically reserved for the official summits. Some of the halls are fitted for dining along with beautiful chinawares to name a few. A dedicated hall that consists of gifts given by the other countries who visited the country can be found here as well. The Philippines, for example, gave a figurine of a carabao to the UAE. Other than that, a lot of beautiful gift collections from other nations can be found here. More likely a token of partnership and appreciation.

Parking lot

There's ample parking for visitors and best of it? It is free! Though you might charge for valet service of 80dhs. It's optional anyway.

My journey starts here:

Since I'm staying in the city center, ample buses are available from my location. It's a bit far from my location, So I need to ride 2 buses. First, bus number 11,  I dropped at the corniche walkway a few meters away from Emirates Palace, then I had to cross to the stoplight.  A few meters away from the Emirates Palace, another bus stop shed is available, You can wait for bus number 34 that passes by inside the Qasr Al Watan. The bus will drop you off exactly on the same spot where the visitor center is located at.

Entrance

 



 

I fill up an online form, after which, I paid 60 dirhams ( approximately $17.00). A directory guide and a small card that contains my information were provided.


Before entering the vicinity, I need to remove all any metal object on my body, my belongings are kept on a tray that passes thru an Xray machine. This is there s.o.p for the safety of everyone.

Dates and Tea

 



 


Locals welcomed me with tea and dates. I'm not a fan of their local tea. The dates are tasty though.
Afterward, I went inside the bus. The bus is comfy too, so far the best colorful bus seats I've seen (lol). The bus usually leaves every 30 mins. Lots of Chinese tourists were there. For some reason, the security personnel mistook me as a Chinese. 😂 I'm an Asian so they assume that I'm a Chinese too. 😁

Inside the bus


 


It takes 10 mins from the visitor center to reach the palace. I highly suggest that if you visit the Palace, you should come around 5:00 PM, to avoid the scorching heat. Facts about the Palace can be overheard inside the bus. 


Here’s a glimpse of what inside of this prestigious architecture. 

Starting from the outside...

 








 

  And here we go inside...










Some of the halls are fitted for dining along with beautiful chinawares to name a few.

















  
A dedicated hall that consists of gifts given by the other countries who visited the country can be found here as well. The Philippines, for example, gave a figurine of a carabao to the UAE. Other than that, a lot of beautiful gift collections from other nations can be found here.



























a 















 

 



















 

 


















 And before leaving the palace, I went to the washroom to freshen up myself and look what I found.
Where on earth you can find a gold bidet? Only here at Qasr Al Watan :)






And of course. There is a one-stop shop for souvenirs and a coffee shop.



















look at the ceiling of the shop, fascinating is it?






Bonus...

Light Show at Qasr Al Watan

 






The cashier informed me about the light show that starts at 8:30 PM.
Since I am free at this time, I opt to wait for the light show. So far the best light shows that I ever watched that even the visitors was clapping after the show.

Here's the video of the light show.

I also recorded a video of what's inside the palace.
Here's the link on youtube.
After the show, Dozens of shuttle bus will pick and drop you off back to the visitor's center.

And that's a wrap 😃


Is it worth to visit?

If you're a person who loves architecture and more on the historical side, then I highly recommend visiting this place. If you love to upload pictures on snap-chat or Instagram, this is the right place for you. Other than that, there's a lot of places to see in the City too. 

You have the option to book your tickets online by clicking this link or you can go straight to the palace. Cash, credit and debit card is accepted

Again, thank you for reading this travel blog. As usual, don't forget to like, subscribe and share this content.

Next travel blog again,

--Ceddy 😘



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