If Dubai summer is a tough time of the year to be outside in the desert heat with temperatures above 40 Celcius (100+F) every day, the winter seasons is completely the opposite with “cold” weather from 16 to 26 Celsius and do I need to add sunny with no rain. Is the time of the year where you only plan to do things outside enjoying the great places Dubai has to offer like going to the beach, seating outside in a restaurant for a drink/meal, watch a nice sunset or ride a bike across the city exploring it.
Beach during winter months is a great option, water is cold for my taste but just enjoying the sun is more than enough.
We have been living in Dubai Marina for the past 2 years and as empty nesters it offers a great environment if you don’t mind being in a tourist area; being so close to the beach, restaurants and bars makes it an enviable place to live. From Marina you have easy access to the metro, tram, water taxi, scooters, and bikes, there is no excuse to enjoy yourself outside and have a good time.
JBR BeachBurj KhalifaMuseum of the FutureDubai landscape is great for some impressive pictures…
A couple weeks back we decided for a different outing and enjoy the benefit of having a Careem bike station in front of the building, for $20AED ($5.50 USD) you get to rent a e-bike for the day with unrestricted trips of 45 minutes. The service is very easy to use, you just need a mobile to download the app, register and be ready to enjoy the service, the only thing is that every 45 minutes you need to stop a a station lock the bike and then unlock it again to start new 45 min.
Dubai Internet CityThere are roads exclusive for bicycles and scooters, you can move freely and stop for a photo or snack if you want.
Dubai is a flat city, riding an e- bike is easy, plus the infrastructure help to get you along good distances. Our plan was to bike 40km, from marina to Dubai mall and do some sightseeing along the way, finishing in the mall for some shopping and a good late lunch. The route would be mostly across the beach shore making it more enjoyable, passing through some of the most iconic places in Dubai like the Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, and the Burj Khalifa.
Maya RestaurantDubai Palace HotelPier 7 – The SceneThere are also a great number of Brunches to go, and they offer outside seating…
As you can see from the photos, it is a great way to explore the city and exercise a bit (bike e-system makes it easy). Now that winter has arrived, we will enjoy the next 3 to 4 months outside before is time back again to go inside the buildings and turn on the AC to manage the intense heat of the desert.
Bliss Lounge, overlooking Bluewaters
If you come to Dubai during these months, take advantage of the great weather and explore all the beauties of this great city. Thanks for reading the post, please share to your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
When growing up in Puerto Rico, planning a trip to Japan usually was not at the top of the list (For sure Disney or a Caribbean Cruise). Going to Tokyo from San Juan means to travel more than 20 hours before you land in Tokyo. If you ask me, before moving to Dubai the land of the rising sun was not on our travel plans. As part of my current assignment the opportunity to visit Tokyo arrived and we decided to stay additional days to grasp the rich culture, energy, and history in the most populated city in the world. What an excellent decision it was.
Tokyo impressive nightlife is definitely something to build the schedule around
We spend 5 days exploring the city and the result is we fell in love with Tokyo. This city is so impressive that a year will not be enough to really explore it; from the delicious food (Okonomiyaki, a must try), meaningful theater (Kabuki, so unique art), beautiful parks and public spaces (Cherry Blossom season is inspiring) Tokyo has it all. I have decided that my first post on Tokyo would be what for me was a big surprise, the impressive bar scene you can find in Tokyo and that can be a great complement to your daily activities and a way to end a day of sightseeing. In the post will share 3 bars we went and had an absolute blast, making our visit even more spectacular.
3 great bars that you will enjoy for sure!!!
The first bar is Bar Orchard Ginza, is located at 6-5-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The premise of this bar is very simple you select a fruit from the display they have on the bar and they will make you a drink. Here come the twist of this place, don’t expect just a drink in a glass with ice, they will create a drink that will tell a story while enjoying it. In Bar Orchard you go for more than a drink, you go for the entertainment, craftmanship, and creativity of the bartender.
Fresh fruits of the day… for you to select and enjoy a drink
It is so cool that you just want to try a new drink to see what else they can master… A Shark that just had lunch… A Hippo that can devour you… A Flower pot, that you need to pour some “water” before drinking… or a trash can with a syringe and test tube for you to make the drink (clean and sanitized before prep). All of this preparation happens in a small locale (not more than 12 people) with the Chief bartender and the apprentice. They are good at the small talk while preparing the drink, also some background music is there to have the proper ambiance, still you can easily have a conversation and unwind after a full day of exploring Tokyo massive landscape.
No 2 drinks are alike… Need to ask for something different every time
Now that you found the place, need to ask for a good a good drink… and let me tell you here they are also very creative in the way they put together their drinks. In the bar you can find a Candy Floss machine, not for kids to enjoy but to put together as part of a drink!!! talk about sugar rush. One of the drinks we order was the Empress Garden, thy use Mochi as part of the garnish like a cherry; another drink we tried was the Bridgetown Old-Fashioned, here the mix of rum, angostura, Pomegranate, sugar and orange oil makes one delicious cocktail that will make you have more than one (My wife preferred drink now).
Cotton Candy machine… not for kids to enjoy
Tir na nog, is much bigger than the other bars we went; here you can easily have 35-450 people in the bar at the same time, but the service was also very good and like I told you earlier once you enter time will stop and you forget that you are in one of the most impressive cities in the world where million of people leave in a fantastic display of harmonic chaos. I would recommend the bar if you are in a group.
Nice music in the background, but you can talk and enjoy a laugh with friends
The last bar we visited is named Star Bar also located in Ginza (1-5-13, Chuo-ku, Tokyo), you find it also in the basement of the building but more easy to identify as it has a good size sign in the entrance. This bar is very classic, you enter the room and is all dark wood and leather with the right light (Not to dark or to bright). You will served by the Chief bartender, the apprentice, and 1 or 2 additional supporting staff (one speak great English and help us translate to Japanese) they all are focus to provide top notch service and upscale experience.
Japanese whisky is fine!!! Here master Hisashi Kishi sharing some of his stories
Here at Star Bar you find “Ninja Ice”, this ice is so pure that is invisible to sight when in a drink, they use very pure water and 72 hours to freeze it creating the effect of Ninja Ice. I tried a Whisky highball and it is really impressive the quality and purity of the ice, but for me what I found impressive was Japanese whisky. During the trip had the opportunity to try and bring home a couple of them: Yamazaki, Hakushu (2021 Single Peated Malt was my favorite), Hiniki – this are some of the brands you can find at every bar, feel free to explore them you will not be disappointed. My wife had the crème de cacao /menth and fresh cream a sweet drink that is an excellent choice for after dinner.
Look at that ice on my drink… Ninja style!!!
During our visit we meet Hisashi Kishi, owner and master bartender of Star Bar. Winner of bartending championships his a celebrity in this arena. We had the opportunity to chat with him and also learn that Seiko used 2 of his drinks to create special watches for a collection. This guy is so famous that someone enter the bar to get his autograph and have a drink prepared by him. At the end of the night we took a photo with him outside the bar, we were so impressed not only by the level of service but also by the personal touch.
What a great opportunity to meet bartender champion…
The bar experience we had in Tokyo was not only great from the drinks we had, but also by the great people that work in there and how each place reflects a different personality; they made our Tokyo visit even better. At the end of a long day of sightseeing we were energized by the fact of going to one of the many bars they have in Tokyo and explore something different. Some of this bars have been in top 50 bars in Asia list, and is clear now for me why they have been selected.
Need to be on the watch to find the entrance to this different bars… Cheers!!!
This is my first of a couple of post I will do on Tokyo, it is a great city and the people we met and places we went are a small sample but we can say Tokyo needs to be high on the list of places to visit. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
Will take the opportunity to finish the list of things you could do here in Dubai, making the most of your time in the Middle East for the world cup in Qatar. Many of the big Airlines have announce the use of Al Maktoum International (DWC) airport to serve as a bridge between the 2 countries during the soccer event. Dubai is just 1 hour flight from Doha so definitely doing a couple of days here can be a great addition to what will be the biggest sport event of the year.
6) Explore the Dubai Mall and see the city atop the Burj Khalifa
In Dubai breaking records is a common thing, is not strange to find the second biggest shopping mall and tallest building in the world next to each other. They are both located in downtown Dubai, thousand of people go there daily to shop, dine and entertain. It is crazy to see hundred of people walking in bunches from the metro station to the Dubai Mall entrance, just the walk is 1 mile long.
Impressive view of the Burj from the outsideView from Atop the BurjFountain show at Dubai Mall is a must
Once you are inside the mall, there is plenty to do… Some of the attractions are full hockey court, 22 movie cinema, Fountain show (Las Vegas Style), 150 million old Dino Fossil, VR Park, 1,000+ stores, more than 100 restaurants (Fine dinning, Casual dinning, Fast Food, Cafes). You need to plan ahead just to not get lost!!!
Dino is here to salute you… 150 million years oldLook for Time Out Market Dubai, great place to eat and drink
From the Dubai Mall you can directly to the Burj Khalifa entrance where you can take an elevator and go up to different floors and admire Dubai from the altitude. In the lobby you will find interesting information on the development of the building and all the great technology it has. It is an impressive building from the inside but for me is more spectacular admiring it from different places of Dubai, you can see the building from many miles in the distance
Night View of the Burj Khalifa, being part of the Fountain show
7) Visit Dubai Marina and have a good time in one of the many restaurants
30 minutes by car from the Dubai airport you will find Dubai Marina an artificial canal city that opened in 2003 and now makes home for more than 50K people. Getting to Marina is very easy, you could take the metro and get down in the Dubai Marina Metro station, from there you can walk to many places or take the tram that will make it more accessible to move toward the outer parts of marina.
Some great places to take PicsLove to use the Lime Scooter
You can find great places to eat and have fun, during day or night… check for daily brunches and happy hours to benefit of good specials in food and drinks. There are places with great views of the Marina and JBR, some of the places I like are Pier 7 (7 restaurants under one roof), Bliss Lounge (great view to the Dubai Eye), Chalco’s Cantina at Marina Gate (Great Mexican food and Corona Beer, you will find me here during the World Cup). Very close from here is Dubai Harbor one of the places that will have FIFA fan zones to enjoy the games.
At night even more spectacularView from Dubai Marina MallHere with my friend Rei at Chalco’s cantina
8) Jump into a Water Taxi and admire Dubai Skyline from the sea
In Dubai you will see a huge number of exotic car on the streets, you can even rent a Ferrari for 60 minutes and take it out for a spin; there is also many public transportation alternatives and one of them is a water Taxi service where you can move to key locations around Dubai. It is a great way to see a little bit of the city from the see with great skyline views of Dubai.
Enjoy a different view of the Dubai SkylineLooks like a postcard, Dubai Internet City behind the cruise
Some of the locations you can go and start a trip are: Dubai Marina, Dubai Creek, Al Ghubaiba (Old Dubai). Depending the distance you will pay between $6USD to $20USD, taking the longest route will bring you some great views of different landscapes of the city. For sure is a great activity for all people, and you can combine it with other transportation methods to cover all the city.
This one takes you from one end to another end of the Dubai Marina
9) Visit Expo 2020 site and watch a game in this FIFA fan zone
In October 2021 with a delay of 1 year the Dubai World Expo 2020 opened, for this even that run until March 2022 Dubai created a city from zero a place where more than 180 countries got together to share the best they have to offer from innovations, culinary arts, folklore, business opportunities. It was an event that brought more than 20 million visitors in 6 months, and now the Dubai Expo site is being prepared to become a center for entrepreneurs to develop ideas and foster innovations that will impact the world.
This attraction will reopen October 1
In October they are reopening some of the country pavilions and activities that where part of the Expo, and during the world cup the central plaza will be converted into a FIFA fan zone where you can go and enjoy football with for sure thousand of people of different nationalities. It will be clearly a place to go during the world cup and after it, since it is reopening as Expo City Dubai.
Good Parks at expo, you will find some big screensCentral Plaza, will feel like a stadium I presume
10) Make a short trip to other Emirates, they are all very close
If you want to explore beyond Dubai there are other great Emirates and activities to do a couple of hours from downtown. Here are a couple of ideas if you want to adventure: Go to Abu Dhabi just a 40 minute drive and do a day tour to see this Emirate and enjoy Ferrari World, WB Park or try some car racing in the Yas Marina Circuit. I will be doing a full post on Abu Dhabi so I can share detailed information on the richest Emirate of the UAE. The second idea is go and do the longest Zipline in the world at Jebel Jais in the Ras Al-Khaimah Emirate is around 2 hour drive, you will not be disappointed with this adventure.
Beautiful Mosque in Abu DhabiPure adrenalineZipline is lots of fun
There are many other things to do in Dubai but this 10 that I just shared are definitely must do if you have the time, the World Cup in Qatar is near and Dubai will be a great destination to enjoy the event. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
This last August mark my first year living in Dubai, what was a six month assignment is now a one year and still going adventure. I will tell you that time flies… and more when you are having fun, during this past 12 months been having the opportunity to go to different countries in the AMEA region (Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia), met great people and experience closely their cultures, something that you don’t get to experience so intimate living in the USA or Mexico.
Museum of the Future… Emirates Towers behind… Some of the great architecture you will find in Dubai
In November of this year the world will be looking to Qatar for the 2022 world cup, one of the biggest sporting events in planet earth. We expect more than 1 million people going to see matches there and many more just visiting Qatar as tourist. The UAE is also preparing for this event as both countries are very close just one our flight can take you from Dubai to Doha, so we expect to live the world cup like we were live in Qatar.
Dubai has great roads to manage huge number of visitors
As part of the world cup Dubai will have official FIFA fan Zones, and also hundreds of flights will be available to go and see a match in Qatar to then come back a couple of hours after the match ends. This initiatives plus other private initiatives are to support the tourist infrastructure of Qatar and generate tourism spend in Dubai taking advantage of the millions of persons coming to the region. We are all in Dubai excited for the world cup, not only for the sporting part, but also for the additional events (Artistic, Open Air Watching Parties) that will happen in Dubai during this very intense 30 days.
Qatar world cup will bring a good number of visitors similar to the World Expo on 2021-22
Taking into consideration that many people will be first timers in Dubai and maybe with limited time between the games, I just want to share 10 things that you should put on the list to do while in Dubai. Dubai has many things to enjoy, so the idea is to share some information that will help you decide what to do. I will separate the list into 2 posts so I can describe a little bit more each activity, weather should be great in November to be outside and enjoy 100%.
1, Take the Metro and connect to many attractions and Shopping Malls
Dubai Metro is a very simple 2 lines system connecting many great places for dinning, shopping, or entertainment. The red line is currently the longest self driving metro line in the world. You can buy tickets at every stop in machines or in a booth where personnel can help you. Cost for a single trip in the silver cabin goes from $1.50 USD to $3.00 USD, also there is Gold cabin that cost 2X. Some of the key attractions connecting the metro are: Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall / Old Dubai has a stop / Museum of the Future / DXB Airport / Dubai Marina (connect to tram) / Expo 2020 (Site of Event).
The metro makes the city very mobile, you will need to use taxi or buses but the trains makes a great opportunity to see the city from an elevated track; if we have a clear day it makes for a great trip to explore the city. Metro runs from 6AM till 12/1AM depending the day so it is available many hours during the day, it can get packed during peak hours but you can always squeeze in.
Stations are big spaces with A/CSee Red and Green Line. Red Line connect to the Dubai Marina TramGold Cabin has less people, more chance to get a seat
2. Visit Jumeirah Mosque and learn a little bit of Islam
Close to La Mer Beach, you find Jumeirah Mosque a very beautiful place that open doors in 1979 and operates using the Open Doors, Open Mind program of the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) promoting and sharing of Muslim culture and Islam to non Muslims with the idea of better understanding their beliefs. The activity is 90 minutes long, where they share a little bit of what is Islam and the core values where it stands, also they open a session for questions looking to share some wisdom with the participants. For me was a great learning experience, that makes me more sensible to their culture and beliefs. There are some requirements (Women wear scarf covering head, Men have long pants), but is open to anyone that want to have the experience
3. Go to JBR beach and enjoy a bath in the Persian Gulf
Dubai has many beaches along the coastline, one of them is know as JBR. This urban beach is filled with many restaurants and hotels is the perfect place to enjoy a full day of beach activities with good food and cold refreshments. You can come with your car and park in one of the underground parking or if you are staying in one of the many hotels of the area just walk and find your place on the beach. You could easily forget that you are in the desert, once you sit and enjoy the sun and the calm water in front of you. JBR for me is special since you can find activities for everyone: Rent Jet Ski and go along the Palm, Rent a boat and go out to sea and see the sunset, Go to one of the many beach clubs and enjoy the pool, Get some food and have a picnic on the beach.
4. Go to the desert and have dinner under the stars in front of a Bonfire
One activity that for me was exceptional last year and also was lots of fun was an outing to the Desert, it is one of this things that you can do with different budgets. There are desert trips that you go and do dune bashing, sand surfing, live shows, BBQ, the whole enchilada or you could do a more intimate gathering to have good food and enjoy the company of friends and family. Be there by Sunset is a must, also be comfortable with sand on your shoes but most important admire the sky and the stars that you will see. The farther from the city the better as you will have less light contamination.
No oasis near!!!Awesome to eat in the desertBBQ… YummyGlad to be in Dubai with this great team
5. Visit Old Dubai, explore the Gold and Spice Markets
Before all the big building and majestic developments Dubai was a merchant port that was supported by maritime industry, Old Dubai is a place you can’t miss if you come to Dubai, here you will find some interesting stores offering wacky gold, diamond stuff like women clothing or you could try and buy the biggest gold ring in the world. The market is not only good for sightseeing but also prices are good for gold since Dubai does not charge taxes on it. Beside the gold market you will also find the spice market where you can get your favorite spice or explore new ones. A trip to this part of the city will take you 2-3 hours, you can get by using the metro.
Not your typical clothing storeRing Size 1,000,000Variety of Spices to explore
In my next post will finish the list of things to do in Dubai if you have a couple of days in the city, one thing is important Dubai will not fail. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
30 minutes from the airport on Sheikh Zayed road you will arrive to Dubai Marina, one of the top communities in the UAE, established in 2003 is considered one of the biggest man made marina in the world (If you ask here they will tell you is the biggest). For the developers to make it real, they excavated and brought the Persian Gulf waters into the development creating a 3KM long canal.
A great urban space with activities for everyone
There are 2 big areas that are part of of the community, one is Dubai Marina with many buildings across the canal and the other is JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) which is in front of the JBR beach. The JBR project is massive with more than 30+ buildings, that include hotels and apartments with many retail outlets. JBR is the largest single phase residential development in the world (another Guinness record for the UAE), the project looks impressive when looking it from the sea.
Great Skyline of the Dubai Marina from the different points in the Promenade
There are hundreds of boats that go in and out every day, from daily excursions, big yachts rentals, and private boats that are anchored on the marina. Just sitting in one of the many restaurants and look into the canal and see the boat movement can make for a relax experience. You can rent from a couple of hours to full days and get to explore a different view of Dubai from the sea.
One of the secrets to view Dubai Marina is the RTA public transportation boat you can board, at 4:30PM every day the boat leaves from a station near the Dubai Marina Mall it goes through the canal and to open sea, making it way back when it reaches the hotel Atlantis, the trip is one hour long and provide great views of the many attractions in the area. The price is around $30 Dirhams ($8 USD)
Dubai Marina connects with JBR beach, this adds tons of additional things to do and enjoy
If you like to run the Marina promenade give you the opportunity to run around the marina, with great views of the buildings, boats and tourists. The route is around 6KM so you can do some work before going to one of the many restaurants and then to the beach. The views are simply spectacular, the massive buildings and the canal waters makes it for great views something very difficult to find elsewhere.
Great place to catch a run or simply walk to relax after a hectic day
There are restaurants for every taste from the classic fast foods, to local cuisine or international restaurants; many of them have tables outside and when the weather is good makes it for a spectacular gathering. One of my favorite places is Pier 7, this locale has 7 different restaurant where you can go to eat, drink and have fun with great views of the marina.
Great view from the apartment
Walking distance from the JBR beach is a new development called Bluewaters also a place with many entertainment options and also restaurants, here you can find Ain Dubai the tallest and biggest observation wheel, another record set in Dubai. Is a great place to get a good view on the Dubai Marina skyline
Ain Dubai and Bluwaters at the top of the photo
If you are in Dubai do not miss it, take at least one full day to enjoy it. For sure I will be writing again about this great place, if you just read the post please forward to a friend and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
Dubai is full of great activities to do… some outside and extreme like Skydubai and the tandem skydiving jump, others inside live Ski Dubai where you can go and have a great time doing some skiing in an enclosed ski park. Options are numerous, so companies need to put lot of thought and investment on great shows with the best of the entertainment industry.
Yes… Daredevils are part of the show!!!
If you been to Las Vegas, you would know regular shows like KA, O, Blue Man Group, Mindfreak. This are regular shows that have their own theater, with shows almost every day of the week (2 functions per day). The theaters used for the shows in some cases in some cases are built with unique specifications only designed for that show, investment goes into millions of dollars.
La Perle is located in Al Habtoor City – Close to the Dubai Creek
La Perle is based on the same concept of a permanent, 2 daily functions held in a custom made for the show theater in Dubai consisting of performances by acrobats, gymnasts, and daredevils with awesome music and special effects. The show opened in 2017 and was developed by Franco Dragone, hi is one of the creators of some Cirque du Soleil shows.
Theater Ambience is great, you feel close to the show
You can buy tickets for one of the 3 zones they have, in my view all tickets are good since the theater is not that big and the way is designed let you have a good view from any vantage point. Once you enter the ticket area, you can buy a drink and some snacks, take them to the seat and enjoy the 90 minute show.
One of the performances… The acrobatics were awesome
The show has a good balance of big performances (high flying) and other more light (comedy), making the 90 minutes very enjoyable with a very energetic finish. As you will see in the photos the theater decoration make you feel that you are part of the show.
Great Family Outing
If you want you can go earlier to the theater and have some food at restaurants that are in the same area where 3 Hilton properties are located, also you can do it after the show as Dubai is a night city where people are outside enjoying themselves until late in the morning. It is a great alternative for entertainment in the city, it doe not matter if you been to similar shows La Perle has it’s own essence.
t Incredible how the stage transform during the show
If you are in Dubai do not miss it. This is all for now, if you just read the post please forward to a friend and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD . Until next time….
To end the year in Dubai, I had the opportunity to bring my family for a couple of weeks so they can also enjoy the great things the UAE has to offer. We planned to not only do things in Dubai but also do activities in other Emirates including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah; you will see other posts of the different activities.
Me and my Kids.. getting pumped to do the adventure!!!
With 2 big kids (21 and 17 years), we need to found high energy things with lots of adrenaline. Doing some research I found that the UAE has another Guinness world record (to many to count) and is the longest zipline in the world. We already had some experience trying the Monster Zipline in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, currently 3rd longest behind Jebel Jais in UAE and one located in Chihuahua Mexico.
Great roads in the UAE… From Jebel Jais mountains you can see the neighboring country of Oman
The trip from Dubai is around 2:30 hours, the first part is a bg road but then you get to the Jebel Jais mountain where you will spend a good 40-50 minutes going up to the Zipline entrance. Roads in Dubai are spectacular, no issue for us to drive with a clean and well paved road up to the entrance of the attraction.
Jebel Jais mountains are spectacular… Impressive views!!!
To do the attraction, my recommendation is that you book your ticket in advance so you have a reserved spot; once you get there it is well organized with people guiding you through the check in process and security brief before going into a small van that will take you to the launch area. Let me tell you I like adrenaline activities but when you start getting close to the Zipline and see the magnitude of the adventure your heart start pumping blood faster and will definitely get some chills.
You see the lines that will guide your 2.8KM journey
When you are driving across the Jebel Jais mountains you have impressive views of the mountains and the huge gaps between them, 10-15 minutes before you arrive you can identify what it seems the launchpad of the Zipline and at first you think that cannot be, because of the height and the steepness of the drop…. but yes you then realize that it is the launchpad and you will go down more than 2.8 KM at speeds of more than 120kph (75mph). They tell you that you could reach up to 160kph (100mph), I do not know of is true but once you are going down it is fast!!!!!. Once you finish your trip, you arrive into a suspended platform, a la Star Wars from there is a short Zipline to the van that will take you to the starting place.
Suspended Platform where you Arrive – Star Wars !!!!!Look at the red circle… That is me flying to the finish line!!!
The place has a restaurant where you can grab some drinks and food, while enjoying a great view. Also they rent Go Pro cameras if you want to capture video of your adventure. Employees are well trained, you feel very secure during the process from registration, launching pad and coming back. If you want more info you can go to their webpage at https://visitjebeljais.com/
The face of a great adventurePlan to go in the afternoon so you can drive to a great sunsetJust to remind us that we are on the desert
2021 was a great year, where I had the opportunity to visit new countries and places, I hope that the sharing of this experiences set some excitement and that you plan your own adventures. Will continue sharing my experience during 2022, for now if you just read my post, forward to a friend and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD . Until next time….
The premier event of these year to showcase Dubai to the world and also showcase the world to Dubai is the expo. The event started on October 1, 2021 and will be open until March 31, 2002, it was suspended last year due to the COVID outbreak and the organizers move it for one year (right decision to go ahead). A world expo is an international event where the nations can showcase their achievements, their vision, and how they want to continue contributing to earth development
Just get your passport and fill it with memories
One of the entrances to the expo
In the event you have participation from 192 countries, each pavilion has a theme usually based on their culture and customs bringing the best they have to offer and sharing it with the audience in a interactive way. In many of them you also have representation of their foods, and flavors with smalls cafes/restaurants offering their best of home recipes. One important part also are advancements on technology, education and sustainability, in this area you see current projects or ideas to build a safer and connected world.
Very wide spaces for you to walk, also many places to sit around the expo… You will walk a lot!!!
The expo has and area of 438 hectares (equal to 1,081 football fields), divided into 3 big themes (areas): Sustainability, Mobility, and Opportunity. In addition to the country pavilions each area has parks, theaters, restaurants, and stores with full day activities makes making multiple trips to the expo necessary. Every day a country is selected to have special events in the main plazas, great opportunity to drive their message even stronger.
You will find music in any corner… great to learn a little of their music…
In the first month I have been able to see 67 country pavilions, want to get to all of them but takes time because it is also about connecting with the people that work there and are very happy when you ask about their countries. People have shared great stories about their countries for example the story of Lucy in Ethiopia a human fossil that has 3.2 million years, how some Islands in the pacific have citizenship programs to drive investments to their government or the vision of Indonesia to become the 5th largest economy by 2050.
Some of the people from around the world I have met!!!! incredible….
The Expo Dubai presents a great balance of fun, education, and business that should not be missed. If you ever want it to visit Dubai, I would say now is a good time. Getting to know this fabulous place and combining it with the opportunity to know the world is something that only Dubai could offer. The place where records are set….
UAE Pavilion is the biggest, great experience inside!!!!
There are parks for you to relax
United Kingdom Pavilion looks very nice… Also fish and chips!!!!
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion is impressive
Will continue the updates from the Expo Dubai from time to time as I continue stamping my passport, meeting new people and learning new stories from all over the world. For now if you just read my post, please forward to your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD . Until next time….
One of the most signature neighborhoods in Queretaro is called Hercules or how local people like to call it “La Hermana República de Hercules”, the place has more than 500 years of history but the highlight is a textile manufacturing facility that dates from 1838 and worked continuously until this year. In 1838 the owners brought machinery from England and opened the factory working continuously until 2019 to satisfy the local textile market, current market conditions from asia imports made it difficult to continue operating so they decided to close the factory. Maybe 30% of the space is being used for the brewery and the garden right now.
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Aerial view of the Hercules neighborhood / Entrance to the Beer Garden
As part of the evolving changes in consumer taste and taking advantage of growing trends in beer culture the textile landmark integrated a Beer Micro Brewery called “Cerveceria Hercules” founded in 2011 and in 2016 they expanded their offering by opening “Jardin de Cerveza Hercules” , now in this historic place you can find good food, entertainment and more important great beer .
Beer gfor here and to Go / Pizza is delicious (Pepperoni )
We have seen their development during these 4 1/2 years but one thing has been a constant: their quality in everything they do. Today they offer a wide variety of in house brews that mix perfectly with a balanced menu of pizzas, sausages, and seafood options. On special occasions they expand their food offerings with some other specials. For me the pizzas and sausages are gooood and are the perfect fit for the different beer options like the MACANUDA, HURACAN or the SUPER LUPE
Their options continue growing, more than 15 different types of beer!!!!
As part of the development of the space now the garden offers live music multiple days in the week with nice variety from cuban music to electronic sounds and even when a good soccer match is on they will show it on screens, additionally you find ping pong, table games and cornhole. For us Cerveceria Hercules has been a pace to gather with friends and family to celebrate any occasion or just to have a good time
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It has been fun watching Cerveceria Hercules grow, now you can find their beers in many of the restaurants around Queretaro; they invested in machinery to sell their beers in cans and have opened a store were you can buy them directly or thru the internet.
Definitely Cerveceria Hercules has been one of the great places we come to know during our stay in Mexico, it is a required visit if you come to Queretaro. Just gather some friends and taste the many alternatives the “Jardin de Cervezas Hercules” has to offer, hey and if you like them a lot by a couple of them at the store and put them in your luggage.
You can see the chimneys of the old textile factory
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A couple of nights a months, usually Tuesday or Sunday people gather in one of the cathedral of Mexico wrestling “Arena Queretaro” . Many of the top wrestlers in Mexico have wrestled in the Arena: La Parka, Pshyco Clown, Mistico, Caristico, Pagano, Hijo de Wagner Jr., Ultimo Guerrero are some of the biggest stars, but also you find local stars like: Kastigador, Vengador, Gremlin, Dragones de Oriente and many others.
Promotion Material for the wrestling show
It does not matter if it is a school night you will find a full arena with kids, women and men of all ages ready to root in favor of the good “tecnicos” or bad “rudos” guys . People come to enjoy the show and get the stress out: a cold beer “chela” and some snacks “botana” are the perfect add on for a high energy night. Outside and inside the arena you will find the perfect souvenir to bring back to your home.
Wrestlers always on the move “Flying in the Ring”
Once the matches starts it is non stop action, all of the wrestlers are great performers with many hours of training. The first matches build energy, you get the lower card that can surprise you with their great performance. People start throwing money into the ring if the match was good for them, these is because lower card wrestlers get very low pay from their matches. Then you get the last 2 matches semi and main event here you will find the more experienced wrestlers and the bigger names, now almost 2 hours into the show people expect the roof to blow. You will not be disappointed going to a show it is fun and a great way to live Mexico culture.
Always prepared for the action!!!
BTW, the night is not over… After a great wrestling night, you need to hit a taco place “taqueria” it is a great way to end a perfect night… I personally go to Tacos “Los Gusanos de Chucho” 2 minutes by car from “Arena Queretaro”, you will not regret it… guarantee!!! Will be sharing some food insight in the food page.
The action gets very close to your seats!!!!
At the end if you have the chance and see a wrestling show … GO it will be a unique experience full of energy and entertainment….
I will share information in the entertainment pages about the venues you can go and enjoy the wrestling shows.