Flying Saucer in the Water

Whoa, what’s that? Is that a flying saucer in the water???


Uh-oh! What are those things surrounding the flying saucer?!?


Run!!! It’s an alien invasion!


Alien on the ground! Get out of the way before it… Wait, is that an alien or a big fat octopus?? Oh sheesh, it’s just an octopus prop for a pirate-themed Light, Sound and Water Show named "Imagine" at Dubai Festival City. And the flying saucer’s just the friggin projector!

No time to write. Took 2 days off earlier this week. Celebrated Jayden’s 6th birthday. We spent the night camping in the hills, some random spot we picked off a dirt road, under the stars, far from anyone else for miles. It’s off the road in between Wadi Shees and Nahwa village in the Hajar Mountains of the UAE, but the spot is technically within the borders of Oman! Interesting, init? Scared the bejesus outta us whenever we heard cars driving past in the night in dirt road below – I could still remember how many – 4 throughout the night from 9pm to 7am. Gonna take another 2 days off in the coming couple of days, to celebrate Durga Puja (the biggest festival Anu celebrates). Decided to clear some annual leaves and spend time with the family since there’re no friggin places to go. Anyway, Jayden’s photos will have to wait (I’m about …errr, just a quarter done, collecting photos of him for the past year, for my annual post on the kids).

Yes, it’s only 2 days off, but a ton of work was waiting for me when I got back. (Gotta learn how to delegate better… C'mon it's only 2 bloody days!). Running late, so I'm throwing in some old photos of Dubai Festival City, of a time when the malls were thriving and festivals were still celebrated in full splendour… When will those times return? Sigh...

Anyway, to those who’re celebrating, Happy Durga Puja! Happy Dussehra!


Another Imagine show starting. With lights projected onto adjacent buildings announcing the Gulf Car Festival 2017


The kids at the Gulf Car Festival featuring super cars, monster trucks, and the lot – There’s actually a steep entrance fee, but there’re no barricades at the back. What the heck, we just walked in – it was a cold, rainy day (nice for a change in the desert)


Sunset from Dubai Festival City – This used to be a marina (before the renovation) - check out that link, it has photos from the 2008 era


Dubai Festival City Mall’s ‘new’ façade at the marina – I can’t count how many times they’ve had major renovations… This façade dates from umm sometime around 2016 I’d say. Here’s a picture from 2013


The new Dubai Festival City Mall – this huge atrium didn’t use to be there. It used to be bifurcated with an outdoor area with canals that had dhows that you could ride in, and another outer building that contained mainly restaurants. They removed all that and joined them all together, reclaimed more of the sea and removed the marina completely, replacing it with a sound, water and light show!


Honey, you look pretty!


In front of a ‘new’ (then, in 2017) Italian restaurant. We would eventually try it (in 2019 – it’s called Buca di Beppo). I dunno whether it’s still around. So many restaurants have closed!


Circus performers… You’ll see performers like these in almost every mall in Dubai. But I like the colour of this one…


A Confetti Dome! Party time! These features change with time and occasion. It’s usually free if you have some receipts showing you’ve bought something from any of the shops in the mall. (Click here for a Ramadan feature)


The kids in the Confetti Dome

Alright, time to get back to work, enjoy your Puja / Dussehra!