Dubai: Day #7 Oasis

We were supposed to take a break from busy trips for a while, woke up late or something like that, until the kids demanded to go to the pool.

Please note, it was winter. It was chilly and the kids still wanted to swim outdoor. Brrrrrr-aaaaaarrrggh. *brain freeze*. I let Mat go to Springs Park with his dad and cousins while I stayed at home with Owen.

Sure, not long after they came home only to tell that the water was so cold indeed. *sigh*.


HAMDAN SPORTS COMPLEX

Then late in the afternoon, we went to Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Sports Complex. That's half of the mouthful name of His Highness (hi, handsome!) Prince of Dubai.

This sports complex was built, covering 24ha for buildings and 22ha for landscaping area. Claimed to be the largest aquatic sports center in the world with a capacity of 15,000 spectators, it was like a huge oasis with its blue buildings standing out of the desert. 

The Blue Oasis

State of the Art

It could host 13 different sports, such as swimming, tennis, basketball, volleyball, cricket, field hockey and badminton. Completed with 3 swimming pools - a 50m Olympic size pool, a 25m diving pool with 5m depth and a 50m training & warm up pool). And those pools were convertible into dry sport or non-sport events. They would drain the water - hopefully they keep it for refill somewhere - and cover the pools up. (There's a video posted on their official website of how they convert the pool into a basketball field).

Braden and Alex had their diving class there. For about 1 1/2 hour or so, we watched kids climbing up the tower and jumping into the dive pool. Climb, jump, climb, jump, repeat.

The Convertible Pools

Just for the Royals and VVIPs

The complex was super bright, super clean and super cool in and out. I had a hard time feeling the surrounding desert. And the sun also came in very useful. They used solar energy to power all external lights, and to heat the pools.

Daylight Sight

Evening Sight

Somehow I failed to document this giant beauty. So I got all the pics above from the net (credit to owners).

DUBAI OUTLET MALL

Come, come, all you shopaholics who thirst for branded stuffs with good price. 

Dubai Outlet Mall was nearby.  It was the only value concept mall of its kind in the Middle East, with 240 stores, food and beverage options and children entertainment.

When we arrived there, the sale season had not even started yet. But it was Friday evening (Friday is a holiday/weekend in Dubai), and the mall was really crowded.

Since we had no intention to shop 'till we drop, we just browsed. Then we decided to come back another time during weekdays because we really couldn't stand the crowd.

However, it became a habit for not letting a day went by without (at least window) shopping in Dubai. We didn't get anything from Dubai Outlet Mall, we certainly got some groceries from Carrefour at Mall of the Emirates. *grin* Yes, we did hop to there again.