Today I decided to try a new beach. I really haven't done much beaching since I came to Dubai-- I'm just not a 'go lay on the beach and do nothing' kind of girl. However, I thought I'd give another kick at the can and see if I liked it. Dubai has so many beaches that it'd be a shame not to try some out.
Today I went to Al Mamzar Beach. It is actually in and around Al Mamzar Park. I zipped through the Shindagha Tunnel and headed to Al Mamzar. The drive out reminded me of Al Ain-- every few metres we had a roundabout to go around. I must have gone around 4 or 5 before I go to the turnoff to Al Mamzar Beach. Then I had another couple roundabouts to navigate before I got to the beach- how people around here don't get dizzy is beyond me! :)
After paying my 30 AED fee (cars are charged a flat fee; pedestrians are charged 5 AED), I drove through the park to the beach. I actually had 4 beaches to choose from. I decided to go as far back as I could and went to beach 3. When I walked through the little gate/pagoda to the beach area, my mouth dropped open. In front of me was white sand, azur water and the bluest sky you could ever imagine. There was also virtually no one on the beach, so I quickly nabbed a couple of shots.
It was so lovely-- I set up shop under a palm frond umbrella, read for a bit, then napped while listening to the thunder of the waves hitting the shore. The smell of the salt was in the air, and , except for the fact that it is warmer here, I could almost pretend that I was at Crystal Crescent Beach in NS. 'K, the water here is WAY warmer! After a while, more people came along and I was struck by the interesting mix of beach goers-- Russians in their bikinis and (gulp!) Speedos (we really need to ban those things!), other westerners in their bathing gear and local/ Gulf visitors including some women who went in to the ocean fully covered-- I actually wondered if they had gone in with their regular clothes on or if they had a bathing suit under their long cover. One lady was even bobbing and diving in the water while wearing her shayla. I was truly impressed that she was able to keep that on. Had it been me, I'd have lost it the first time the waves crashed over me. Perhaps she had a barrette or something to keep it in place. Other ladies were wearing long pants, 'coats' (they kind of looked like lab coats) & shaylas, but they didn't go in the water. Wednesdays is ladies' only days, so perhaps then they do not need to cover up when they go in the water? I was so taken with the differences I was seeing, yet no one batted an eye about it. I just think it's so neat and interesting to see the difference in cultures.
After 1.5 hrs, I decided to go as I had had a headache all morning that was now getting worse. I chose a good time to go b/c a group of elementary school boys from Al Ain showed up with their teachers just as I was going-- so much for a quiet beach at that point!
Driving back to Dubai, I was thinking that I felt like I'd been on vacation and was now heading back to town, yet the beach is only 15 mins from home. That is what I love about Dubai-- you never have to go far to feel like you've had a wonderful vacation and that your batteries are re-charged and you're ready to face another crazy week!
Today I went to Al Mamzar Beach. It is actually in and around Al Mamzar Park. I zipped through the Shindagha Tunnel and headed to Al Mamzar. The drive out reminded me of Al Ain-- every few metres we had a roundabout to go around. I must have gone around 4 or 5 before I go to the turnoff to Al Mamzar Beach. Then I had another couple roundabouts to navigate before I got to the beach- how people around here don't get dizzy is beyond me! :)
After paying my 30 AED fee (cars are charged a flat fee; pedestrians are charged 5 AED), I drove through the park to the beach. I actually had 4 beaches to choose from. I decided to go as far back as I could and went to beach 3. When I walked through the little gate/pagoda to the beach area, my mouth dropped open. In front of me was white sand, azur water and the bluest sky you could ever imagine. There was also virtually no one on the beach, so I quickly nabbed a couple of shots.
It was so lovely-- I set up shop under a palm frond umbrella, read for a bit, then napped while listening to the thunder of the waves hitting the shore. The smell of the salt was in the air, and , except for the fact that it is warmer here, I could almost pretend that I was at Crystal Crescent Beach in NS. 'K, the water here is WAY warmer! After a while, more people came along and I was struck by the interesting mix of beach goers-- Russians in their bikinis and (gulp!) Speedos (we really need to ban those things!), other westerners in their bathing gear and local/ Gulf visitors including some women who went in to the ocean fully covered-- I actually wondered if they had gone in with their regular clothes on or if they had a bathing suit under their long cover. One lady was even bobbing and diving in the water while wearing her shayla. I was truly impressed that she was able to keep that on. Had it been me, I'd have lost it the first time the waves crashed over me. Perhaps she had a barrette or something to keep it in place. Other ladies were wearing long pants, 'coats' (they kind of looked like lab coats) & shaylas, but they didn't go in the water. Wednesdays is ladies' only days, so perhaps then they do not need to cover up when they go in the water? I was so taken with the differences I was seeing, yet no one batted an eye about it. I just think it's so neat and interesting to see the difference in cultures.
After 1.5 hrs, I decided to go as I had had a headache all morning that was now getting worse. I chose a good time to go b/c a group of elementary school boys from Al Ain showed up with their teachers just as I was going-- so much for a quiet beach at that point!
Driving back to Dubai, I was thinking that I felt like I'd been on vacation and was now heading back to town, yet the beach is only 15 mins from home. That is what I love about Dubai-- you never have to go far to feel like you've had a wonderful vacation and that your batteries are re-charged and you're ready to face another crazy week!
No comments:
Post a Comment