It was time to celebrate a Christmas gift – a weekend in the Emirate of Sharjah, the third largest in the UAE and new to us. It’s right next to Dubai, so less than a few hours away, but definitely a world away from its more famous neighbor. We found out hours before leaving that it’s a dry Emirate. Oh, well – that’s why we hit up Dubai for beverages and beach views on the way home! Check out some highlights below…
Our home away from home was the Radisson Blu
The Corniche wasn’t as grand as Abu Dhabi, but a nice stroll nonetheless
Here’s Hisn Fort built in 1820 – as you can see, the city cropped up around it
The arts and culture area was surrounded by the original city walls, which have been painstakingly restored
Beautiful mosques were everywhere
This mosque by our hotel was all lit up at night
Here’s a view of the Al Qasba entertainment area from atop a ferris wheel
Sharjah from a few hundred feet up on the Eye of the Emirates ferris wheel
We went around the ferris wheel – Eye of the Emirates – seven times!
The Blue Souk – a shopping haven!
Sunset – and lots of birds – outside the Blue Souk
Here’s a panoramic shot of Sharjah at sunset (CLICK to VIEW)…not bad!
We had to hit up Dubai for a nice sunset drink atop the Hilton Jumeirah
What an amazing feat! A bank that’s open for 7 hours in one day!
A short video of us in the Eye of the Emirate – the tallest ferris wheel in the Middle East, Africa, and West & Central Asia at over 60 meters in height! It had a great view of Sharjah and the neighboring Dubai!
