#MyDubaiTrip Itinerary For Peeta Planet | A Photo Essay
Back to Dubai after a long summer hibernation in Kolkata and other places in India by jumping into a very interesting campaign. If you have been reading my blog and knows me for long, would know that Dubai for me, means more than just a city of blingy shopping malls and highrises. I have created a Dubai itinerary for the award-winning travel series Peeta Planet and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) initiative #MyDubai. This unique #MyDubaiTrip campaign showcases Dubai around the world and brings in 12 international instagrammers to Dubai to experience the city according to 12 selected itineraries and these will be filmed as webseries. It’s a great opportunity for me to have a film made on how I want to portray Dubai to the outside world (provided mine is chosen!). To shower your votes for me … click here!
The itineraries have been created by Dubai’s selected social media personalities, including FooDiva and me, and deserve a look in their own rights. How does my itinerary look like?
1) Breakfast place: The Majlis Cafe in the Jumeirah Mosque premise. A hidden gem for sure. Munch on everything made from camel milk – the cupcakes, the date shakes, camelchino, Al Nassma icecream (again with camel milk), white camel milk cheese, creams and also some Emirati gems like Balateet and Chababs. It’s plush and elegant but very serene and is perfect to unwind after a short trip to Jumeirah mosque (conducted by SMCCU). Try the Zattar Chai.
2) Activity/Adventure: Pearl Diving with a team of traditional Pearl Divers and dive into UAE’s trade history and heritage. The Pavilion Dive Centre at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, organises pearl diving excursions.
3) Lunch place: Seaview Restaurant in Jumeirah (my review here). Stunning views of the Fishing harbour as you sit on the terrace. Reasonable bill, stupendous spread. The restaurant has it’s own fishing boat… so on principle, the fish caught on the day is served.
4) Emirati Culture place to visit: Bastakiya of course… stroll along Bastakiya – explore the various galleries, specially Al Mawaheb from Beautiful People which is an art studio for adults with special needs. Learn to dabble in Arabic calligraphy, stroll along the textile souq, buy *old coins*, take an Abra and cross the Creek to explore the Spice souq in Deira.
5) Emirati thing to do (activity, food etc..): A midnight cafeteria stop. Pardon me, but this is fun and I must unashamedly admit that I have done it many times with my Emirati friends… you have to order chai/juice from a cafeteria post midnight, preferably sitting inside the car. These cafeterias are legendary and if the serpentine queues are anything to judge by, the service impeccable. Whatever one orders – whether it’s a Shawarma or a sandwich or a burger (tastier than any popular fast food cafe, I can vouch for that!) or juice, the right order reaches the right person in a jiffy. Example – Arabian Seashell Cafeteria on Jumeirah Road or Falcon Cafeteria on Al Wasl.
6) Dinner place: Bu Q’tair ofcourse! This is perhaps the only restaurant in Dubai that hasn’t changed over the years, despite it’s soaring popularity and its enormous media publicity in recent times (my review here). The charm of Bu Qtair lies in the contradiction in its location – the sudden discovery of a modest porta cabin selling fried fresh fish on the beach, with the 7-star hotel Burj Al Arab acting as the unusual backdrop. My suggestion – hit the place around 5pm and see the action and the chaos that builds up as night sets in. From an empty courtyard to a crowded *hot spot*, it’s Bu Q’tair. On the footsteps of my very popular video which although an amateur one has had more than 25,000 hits on You Tube… http://youtu.be/o62tjWb4u9U
I love Dubai, and have considered it my adopted home for the last 15 years. We have shifted homes in between, but have oscillated around Dubai. The Z-Sisters have been born here and that probably makes it more special. From an encyclopaedic earlier post of mine… ‘Dubai, my home for almost the last decade, is a quintessential tourist’s haven. It’s a shame that the only thing that comes to mind when one hears Dubai is Shopping. But, walking through the art alleys of Bastakia and the old quarters along the Dubai Creek, watching the sun go down the beautiful and never ending beaches of Jumeirah, catching the stars in a moonlit night over the desert sky… there’s so much more to Dubai. Dubai is a juxtaposition of extremes – the world’s tallest tower to the old Creek where still the Iranian vessels anchor their moors and trade goes on as it did at the beginning of the history of the city. It’s a vibrant and growing city where expatriates from all over the world are striving to make it a true international city. Modern technology is pitted here against absolute consumerism. Zero carbon footprint is a concept that Dubai-ites are trying to learn after emitting gallons of carbon in the air!‘
Signing off with a lot of love for Dubai and hoping that your love for my blog will be translated into votes for me. Voting closes tonight at 9pm Dubai time. In any case, do look at the fabulous itineraries that have been created. Dubai resident or not, there are a lot of interesting stuff that will seem absolutely novel and unique. Again, to shower your love and votes and don’t forget to scroll down to see a glimpse of my itinerary in pictures… here’s the link!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Disclaimer: Please note that this post is not a sponsored post and the subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and are independent. While you enjoy reading the posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from this post. You can catch my daily food and travel journey on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Bastakiya…
Breakfast at The Majlis in the premise of Jumeirah Mosque… 
Lunch at Seaview restaurant…
Dinner at Bu Q’tair Seafood restaurant…
4 Comments
Madhu
I am sorry I am a wee bit too late. Good luck with the contest Ishita.
IshitaUnblogged
Hey thanks Madhu… well, I am out of the contest, but it was quite fun planning it!
Sally
Your itinerary looks spot on. Sorry you didn’t get through. Must go to Seaview when the weather cools down
IshitaUnblogged
Thank you Sally for your support… it was fun though, coz I was a last minute entrant!
Let’s all go together then 🙂