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  • Category: Travel

    • 2017 Spring break in the US

      Posted at 7:09 pm by witsandnuts, on May 6, 2017

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      Since last year, we have planned to spend the 2-week Spring break of 2017 in Italy. We have obtained the Schengen visa and made all the related bookings. Surprise, surprise! We made a bold decision of changing the plan to visit the US instead (i.e. Chicago, Washington DC, New York and New Jersey). The second photo will tell you why. After our first visit in July 2015, we were really eyeing to visit US again in Spring of 2018. The short story is this — after considering all the other factors, that having had 2 to 3 weeks left to plan for the US trip — it pushed through. Whew!

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      Apparently, Little J is a HUGE supporter of Bangtan Boys (otherwise known as BTS). She had never asked anything substantial the past years for her birthday and whenever she deserves a prize for the several times that she did well in school and other aspects of and milestones in life. In fact, she begged not to have any grand celebration or spend a dirham/ dollar this year for her birthday. Hence, what she got was a labor of love consolidated video greetings from her closest friends since kindergarten — some of them are based at other continents. From her parents, she only got video greetings as well and something extra, a letter and an enclosed downloaded/ dummy ticket for a BTS concert from the internet, with a note, “This may come true someday.” Enclosing the dummy stuff was my idea. Hence, when she finally got hold of it and saw her crying, I thought she liked it so much.

      It turned out that she was joyful with how her recent birthday celebration unfolded, except for the dummy ticket that (seemed to have) ruined the fluidity of genuine happiness + fun out of simple stuff. The dummy ticket misrepresented something. It so happened that BTS really had an upcoming concert which was happening during her Spring break. She thought the ticket was real. (Oh no! So, dear readers, learn from my ‘I thought that was a great idea’.) We had to re-evaluate everything, financial and non-financial factors. The point was I did not know that this Korean group, who has the largest international fan base, was going to have a US tour. However, since we have been planning for the Italy trip since last year, she did not want to bother or re-route anything.

      Sure, there would be other BTS concerts in the future. Chances are they do not coincide with her school break (e.g. they have the Wings tour in Philippines on 6th May, as I write this) and you know, it is always best when one is at the peak of her ‘enthusiasm’ about the group. (Note: After the concert, she exclaimed, “My life is complete. I can die now.” Whaaat? A separate post/ entry about the BTS concert is underway.)

      BTS was having (superb!) concerts in New Jersey, Chicago and Anaheim. We chose to go to the one held in Chicago because of date/ timings involved (the one in New Jersey coincides with our flight) and we have been to other nearby cities (e.g.  Los Angeles).

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      Feel the breeze of Lake Michigan.

      We are so grateful though because the 2-week Spring break turned out to be a worthwhile and memorable trip. Apart from visiting Chicago, we thought of visiting Washington DC for a few days mainly to meet up/ spend time with a long time friend whom I met during our old blogging days, who is based in Maryland and works in DC area. (In 2015, I have met up with 2 friends whom I met through blogging, too. I know I have remained ‘virtual’ to many for some reasons, but I am getting there. Meeting up with them in 2015 was among the highlights of that trip.)

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      Wrigley Tower.

      How I wish I had a photo at Wrigley Tower with my friend whom I have not seen for over 10 years. We were re-united during this trip (with her husband and very amiable daughter) and I cannot thank her/ them enough for spending time with us for few days during our stay in Chicago. I remember we were walking to our hotel that evening and she said, “Look up, I really like this building.” I liked it, too, because it is really a great one + she likes it, hence, I liked it more.

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      I loved deep dish pizza! We tried the ones from Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s. I am also now a fan of Chicago hotdogs. Too bad we do not have all these in UAE. There is Shack-ca-go dog in Shake Shack Abu Dhabi, I have yet to try that though.

      Spring break in US. 2017.

      Founder of Chicago, John Baptiste Point du Sable, is mindful of Trump, err, the tower.

      The fascinating architecture in Chicago made me feel that I was constantly in an open museum. We joined an official architecture tour though. What a twist, we thought Ed Sheeran was on the same tour. I could not help but asked/ told him, “Hi! Are you aware that you have so much resemblance with Ed Sheeran?” As a side note, he is going to perform in Dubai again this coming November. He was brilliant in his 2015 concert. He is a musical genius.

      Spring break in US. 2017.
      Spring break in US. 2017.

      We went up to Sears Tower (yeah, like the locals I prefer to call it by the original name, instead of Willis Tower). I look forward to blogging in details how my hunger for photography (sometimes) can outweigh the terror of heights. Hahaha.

      Continue reading →

      Posted in Travel, Uncategorized | 2 Comments | Tagged Bangtan Boys, BTS, Chicago, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Photography, Spring Break, US, Washington DC
    • Tips when you are visiting/ revisiting Dubai Miracle Garden

      Posted at 7:56 pm by witsandnuts, on January 23, 2017

      Dubai Miracle Garden

      It is ‘Dubai Miracle Garden weather’ once again. This means that we are enjoying winter at the moment, with caveat on what a UAE winter is really like. If you are planning to visit or revisit Dubai Miracle Garden, this post is for you. This is a combination of ‘how to get the most out of your visit’ and ‘frequently thought of but never been clearly been said out loud and responded at the moment’ type of post, shared from a point of view of someone who have consecutively visited this garden in the past 3 years.

      1. Is Dubai Miracle Garden worth the visit or return visit?

      In general, yes.

      For first time visitors, it would be an enjoyable experience and realization of how Dubai was able to build this beautiful garden despite the brutal weather condition in the lower Gulf. Of course, there is a big chunk of investment, so to speak. For tourists who came from places where there is  an abundance of flowers and nature-related attractions, this might be considered skippable. The other way to look at it though is to think of visiting an architectural exhibit, with replicas of Burj Khalifa (tallest tower in the world), Eiffel Tower, and more, which are made up of flowers/ plants.

      For returning visitors, there is always something new. I almost wanted to skip a visit to this garden this year, if not for a family member who is visiting. I am so glad we went because it definitely outperformed the showcases the past years. I will not spoil it for you, but the giant size replica of Emirates Airlines plane and new architectural replicas are among the additions. Not to forget that Dubai Miracle Garden’s total area had significantly increased since phase 2 of the garden (used to be referred as Butterfly Garden) has been joined with phase 1 area. The entire garden has been restructured with a more logical and appealing (new) layout. There are some artworks and pieces that will look quite familiar, but you would get a ‘first time visitor experience’ feel, in general.

      2. Is the entrance fee expensive/ more expensive than previous years?

      It is reasonably priced.

      In 2017, the entrance fee skyrocketed to AED 40 per adult visitor. That is in comparison to almost AED 15 ticket 3 years ago. However, this fee is reasonable enough for what is in store this year. Overall, it is value for money when all factors are considered, e.g. enhanced visitor experience, parking conditions, cleanliness, safety, security, dining options, customer service, etc.

      Dubai Miracle Garden

      3. When is the best time to visit Dubai Miracle Garden?

      Between December to February while it is still ‘winter’ in UAE.

      If you would like to avoid the crowd and are in the mood to take several photos with less intruders, do visit as early as the opening hour (i.e. 10:00 AM).

      If you would like to see the two personalities of the garden, do visit an hour before the sunset. You will get to experience the day and night personas then. However, it would be quite crowded, manageable though. We visited on a Friday (weekend) of this month of January pre-sunset and there was sea of people. It was worth it because the sunset made the photos and ambiance more beautiful; we have always visited early in the morning the past years. Some visitors like the crowd though, it satisfies their competitiveness.

      Dubai Miracle Garden

      4. What should you wear?

      Some UAE residents look forward to the winter season to be able to utilize their winter clothes in full blast or look at it as an opportunity for fashion show off. Although the weather is quite bearable with light clothing. It depends on your stamina and what you are accustomed of. Take note that the temperature is (just) between 17 to 21 degrees C. You would be surprised to see a party of visitors wearing shorts, winter clothes, maxi dress, beach wear, and the unimaginable. That may sound like contradictory of the strict dress code in UAE. The point is the ‘code’ is to be decent enough depending on which place of interest one will visit. I personally would suggest to be on the safe side when you are in a Muslim country. But more than that, it is out of respect and to demonstrate cultural awareness.

      5. Are pets allowed?

      No. But guess what? I saw a white (relatively) small cat carried by a lady. She was not asked to exit the garden. I guess they are less or not tolerant of dogs being in public places.

      Dubai Miracle Garden

      6. What are the dining options? Do they allow food from outside? Continue reading →

      Posted in Travel, UAE | 7 Comments | Tagged Dubai, Dubai Miracle Garden, Emirates Airlines
    • Cardiff Bay, Wales

      Posted at 8:59 pm by witsandnuts, on December 7, 2016

      Cardiff, Wales

      Is it possible to get ‘homesick’ each time I remember Wales? I am not Welsh and do not even know anyone there personally, but I insanely feel being homesick. When I watched this year’s Euro Cup, I followed Gareth Bale and the entire football team of Wales religiously. (And I promise to learn Rugby and watch one of the matches in Principality/ Millennium Stadium.) When I spray on the perfume that I particularly used in Cardiff, it reminds me of the cool breeze of Spring then. When I see images of castles, I associate those to Wales more than I think of England and Scotland not because they outdo the others, but just because #anythingwales. The list goes on. While my life is in order and I am happy with everything, in general, I am beginning to suspect that I am going went through something amazing and bothering at the same time. Upon researching, the one that made sense the most was this Welsh word,

      Hiraeth (noun) which means homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past.

      It is good that my UK visa is already expired, otherwise, I would probably be broke now if I grabbed all those plane fare promotions to UK. Let the truth be told, I have postponed blogging about the other details of our trips to England and Scotland until I am done with the posts related to Wales. The challenge though was I had to get over this homesickness/ hiraeth first because I prefer not to be writing when I may tend to be illucid that I may over or understate some information.

      Cardiff, Wales

      I am ready now. I guess. While I am still trying to figure out why I seem to have consumed a love potion for Wales, I decided to write about Cardiff Bay because our visit here was among those I enjoyed the most. A portion of Cardiff Bay reminds me of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. The wharf is actually more colorful. However, maybe it is the ‘soul’ of Cardiff itself that made it more striking. Continue reading →

      Posted in Travel, UK, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cardiff, Cardiff Bay, Wales
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    • About witsandnuts

      Snapchat-5703935704258315256 Marhaba! That's "hello" in Arabic. I am an expatriate based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). I started writing about my adventures and misadventures few months before arriving here at winter of 2008. I have 2 cats and a dog who live harmoniously together. I am also surrounded by kindhearted, crazy, funny and indescribable humans! I was a dormant blogger for almost 3 years because of countless reasonable justifications like watching football, postgraduate studies, sleeping, traveling, caring for the world, and more! :) I am just so happy that I am back! It is never too late to catch up with the people and things we really care about. Feel free to look around.
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    • Recent Posts

      • 2017 Reflections and being back to basics in 2018
      • Obtaining a license for your dog in the UAE
      • 2017 Spring break in the US
      • Citywalk, Dubai
      • Not in This Lifetime Tour: Guns N’ Roses in Dubai
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    • 2017 Reflections and being back to basics in 2018
    • Obtaining a license for your dog in the UAE
    • 2017 Spring break in the US
    • Citywalk, Dubai
    • Not in This Lifetime Tour: Guns N’ Roses in Dubai
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