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Dubai, a popular vacation hot spot that offers something for everyone. From lavish lifestyles, to markets, endless shopping, beaches, deserts, etc…It is also very family friendly, which for all intents and purposes served as more than enough reason to prolong a stopover to explore the city a little bit more.

From a family perspective, Dubai offered something for both young and old alike. Coming up with an itinerary of things to see and do was a breeze, as there was so much to see and do…

Day 1 – Kite Beach – Festival City Mall

The first stop of the day was Kite Beach,  which offered a lot of water sports, kite surfing in particular amongst other things.  Despite the sun being out, it was quite windy, so we only took the beach in from the shore, walking the boardwalk and enjoying the sites of those kite surfing.

In the evening, we went to Festival City Mall to walk around and and get some food. The mall has a lot to see and do. While we weren’t doing any shopping, we did stop in a play area for a little jumping for the little one to expend all the energy.

Day 2 – The Dubai Mall

One of the largest, if not the largest mall in the world; the mall has all sorts of stores, from your everyday run of the mill to high end stores. And due to its vast size, there is so much to see and do and entertain oneself here.  A bit of perusing  here and there, while waiting for the light show on the Burj Khalifa (world’s tallest structure). The light show was quite a sight to see as everyone gathered, cameras in hand to take in the show.

Day 3 -La Mer Beach -Sheikh Zayed Mosque  (Abu Dhabi)

The next stop was off the beaten path to find the latest beach front attraction that had just opened up a few months prior. Being that it was so new, it was a little hard to find, as not everyone knew of where we were referring to. Needless to say, it was worth the trek to La Mer.  A very picturesque beach setting to satisfy photo enthusiasts as well as instagram users alike. Most of the area is still under construction, so not all the stores / restaurants were open, but there are a couple places to enjoy.

Did you know that if you fly Emirates, they provide a free shuttle to Abu Dhabi? Well, guess who jumped on that, to go see the grand mosque, Sheikh Zayed Mosque. It was about a 2 hour journey, so there was ample time to rest on the bus. Once we got to the mosque, all women were required to be fully covered, and proper attire (abayas) were provided to change into at no cost. The mosque is worth the journey to see, as it quite the sight and one is blown away by the architecture and setting. It is a place of worship, so be respectful of the culture, in way of dressing, posing, etc…In other words, use common sense and respect the area…

Day 4 -Burj Khalifa -Underwater Zoo / Aquarium

On our last day, it was only right to visit the Burj Khalifa, which is a tall skyscraper, known as the tallest building in the world. The view is amazing at the top, as looking down it literally looks like a game of Sim City. In the sense of seeing the vast infrastructure and all the new construction taking place among the already established.

As mentioned previously, the mall is so large with lots to see and do, so we opted to visit the underwater zoo and aquarium which was part of a combo we purchased with the Burj Khalifa, view from the top.

TRANSPORTATION

– Getting around was a breeze as we stayed in a somewhat central area that was a short walk to the metro station. The metro station is convenient to getting around to most places, and is definitely recommended as it is affordable.

– Taxis are plentiful and are easy to spot, alternatively, you can use Uber. Not all taxis take cards, so its best you ask before getting in. PS. We found out the hard way, taxis in Abu Dhabi do not take cards and there is no Uber in that area. Be sure to have cash!

Below are miscellaneous pictures taken during the trip. Enjoy!!

Hello Dubai! Dubai, a popular vacation hot spot that offers something for everyone. From lavish lifestyles, to markets, endless shopping, beaches, deserts, etc...It is also very family friendly, which for all intents and purposes served as more than enough reason to prolong a stopover to explore the city a little bit more.

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"Skateboarding is a way to let your body control the mind." - Shaun White #skateboarding #skateboard #control #motion #raleigh #downtownraleigh #streetphotography #mpgyphoto

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"I'm just here for the cake!" Happy Birthday, Camden. #birthdayboy #birthday #cake #celebration #baby #birthdaydecoration #dcphotographer #dmvphotographer #mpgyphoto

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I build sand castles in my dreams. #beach #vacation #vacationmode #sunkissed #palmtrees #wanderlust #puertorico #luquillobeach #kids #blueskies #bluewater #mpgyphoto (at Luquillo Beach,Puerto Rico)

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Out on the old bayou! #swamp #swamptour #bayou #nature #wilderness #water #fallcolors #nola #neworleans #louisiana #wanderlust #blogger

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'Drawing is like making an expressive gesture with the advantage of permanence.' - Henri Matisse #art #drawing #stilllife #streetart #nola #neworleans #blackandwhite #painting #mpgyphoto

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She's got style, she's got grace, she's a lady! #bacheloretteparty #bachelorette #traditional #african #africanattire #tbt #party #bridalshower #dmvphotographer #dcphotographer #mpgyphoto

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'After so much waiting and anticipating two hearts unite for a single beating and finds love, not, peace, and contentment.' #engaged #engagement #proposal #love #joy #forever #dumbartonoaks #georgetown #washingtondc #dmvphotographer #dcphotographer #mpgyphoto (at Dumbarton Oaks)

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'Young love is two hearts with only one thing in mind.' #younglove #love #tbt #scenery #heart #shadow #shadows #lines #dmvphotographer #mpgyphoto

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'Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.' - Douglas Pagels New post later today! Check out previous posts in the meantime #labordayweekend #laborday #relax #timeoff #vacation #wanderlust #rumpoint #cayman #caymanislands #dmvphotographer #mpgyphoto

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'Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.' -Frank Herbert Be on the lookout for the next blog post on the Cayman Islands! In the meantime, click on link in bio to read on all our other travels. Mpgyphoto.com #captivity #freedom #slave #pedrostjames #caymanislands #cayman #oldestbuilding #history #blackandwhite #travel (at Pedro St. James Castle)

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"I love Miami; I miss it so much. I miss the beach, the peace it brings you. I love the sound and smell of the sea." -Genesis Rodriguez Link in bio to read all about the trip and view more pictures. #miami #miamibeach #beach #peace #dmvphotographer #dcphotographer #relaxation #vacation #traveler

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“As the Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel warned years ago, to forget a holocaust is to kill twice.” – Iris Chang, “The Rape of Nanking” #holocaust #holocaustmemorial #miami #jewish #miamibeach #botanicalgardens (at Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach)

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The Mighty Spiritual Lights

Antonio contacted me about wanting to have pictures taken of the group he was in , The Mighty Spiritual Lights. They were a Gospel group, who would be performing on stage at church, and wanted to capture the moment. 

It was very interesting to say the least, to see the Baptist way. Here are a few pictures that showcase their performance.

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Somi + Goldie - Anniversary

"Where love reigns the impossible may be attained"  -- Indian Proverb

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to attend an Indian wedding. Well, this past weekend provided an opportunity for the next best thing.

Somi and Goldie were celebrating 10 years of marriage and there was a lot of Indian culture, tradition and cuisine on display.. 

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Adonia - The Little Princess Turns 5

"I think every young girl at some point in her early life wonders what it's like to be a princess. They like the idea of dressing up and the fun of it."  -- Julie Andrews

For her 5th birthday, Adonia was a little princess, complete with her own castle! Surrounded by her friends and family, she was as happy as can be and enjoyed her day. Happy Birthday Adonia!