Dubai skyline from the Canal. 5 years apart - Spot the Difference

The construction in Dubai is non stop. not even Covid has slowed Dubai down.

When I took the first photo just over 5 years ago, I made a mistake as I failed to take into account my ability to return to the same spot to take subsequent photos. If I return to this spot now, I'd be standing in the middle of a 120 meter wide and 6 meter deep canal. 

December 2015

I'm sure it won't be long before I need to find a new vantage point for these two photos taken just over 2 years apart. The Dubai skyline is disappearing from view behind new layers of buildings and is becoming longer and denser.

October 2018

January 2021

Dubai Water Canal.

When we moved to Dubai in December 2014 this is what the Al Was Road in Jumeriah looked like before they started work building the new Dubai Water Canal.

20th December 2014.

4th February 2018
The canal was actually opened in November 2016 I just didn't have a photo of the finished road until this morning.

To build this canal, it involved raising Jumeriah Beach Road and Al Was Road which are both 2 lanes in each direction to allow for the canal to be dug out underneath. During this time, there were slight delays to the traffic but they kept the roads open and completed the work quickly. the biggest challenge in my opinion was raising Sheikh Zayed had which is a 14 lane highway.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.
Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

HDYGG Gardening in Dubai

I found some time to finally get round to planting some seeds that I've been collecting. In typical 'Suzanne' style I haven't labelled anything, threw the empty packets out and I have no idea what will come up, where or when.

 I was totally amazed to see the lettuce and cress sprouting the following day. These are inside the house, the tray outdoors took 5 days to sprout.

There was a trip or two to the garden centre and I'm loving all the Christmas decorations.

The weather is cooling, but it's not consistent. At 4.38 on Tuesday it was 26c and on Friday at 7.11am it was 19c. It makes me laugh that the weather app on my phone says 'mostly sunny'

We've been spending as much time as we can outdoors. Dubai is simply stunning, this picture was taken after work at Costa Coffee.

 The new Dubai Water Canal is now officially opened. The skyline has changed dramatically. I'm looking forward to Safa Park being fully restored.

My Sunday Photo - Week 98

Peter phoned me on Wednesday night to say he would be late home as the 16 lane highway, Sheikh Zayed Road was closed for an hour. I was sitting in a coffee shop and googled it to discover that HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was officially opening the Dubai Water Canal. Following the signs for the dignitaries and being turned away from the official area, I parked up on the side of the road and walked through to the canal.

Considering this is Dubai, I was surprised at how few people were in attendance, but then it is rare events like this are advertised. I was not disappointed and while most of Dubai watched the event on the TV, I along with a few hundred others got to experience it first hand.

I've been documenting the build, through photographs, since our arrival in Dubai in December 2014 and I'm slowly putting everything together in a time lapse blog post.

There was music, parades and entertainment that ended in a firework display, hence why the road was closed for an hour.

I took many photo's that evening, met some lovely people and ended up back at the house of 2 random strangers for a drink after they offered to let me use their loo.

My next project is to start taking photo's of the world's tallest structure that is being built in Dubai Creek.

Week 45 - One Daily Positive and Project 366

A strange week, no one has really made an effort to persuade me to stay in my teaching post, which only confirms that I'm making the right decision to leave. I've been trying hard not to over work myself but I inherited a class when I started that wasn't up to date in regards to paperwork and I found it very stressful, so for my own peace of mind I want to make sure it's all in place. it's also KHDA inspection next week, think Ofsted, so there is still a lot of pressure, then it's National day and a 3 day week, then 2 full weeks till the end of term. I've left work on time every day this week, been swimming and stopped off at the garden centre and a mall for coffee. I put of thoughts of work from my mind, but I still have to do next week's lesson plans and at 4.30pm on a Saturday, with work in the morning I'm not getting much done, having spent today wandering around the Mall of Emirates.

Day 311 Something Red.

A weekend of R&R, shopping, global village for fireworks, the Souk Madinat for coffee with friends and relaxing at home.

Day 312 Fill The Frame

Day 313 8am. 

Well actually 5.30am and 12 hours later as I left for work and returned home.

Day 314 Money.

Grand Opening of the Dubai Water Canal.

Day 315 Wish. 

I left work on time and sat at the Souk Madinat for a coffee and to update student files.

Day 316 Time.

Spent the day with friends for Brunch.

Day 317 Where I'm Standing.

Visiting the Dubai Water Canal during the day light.

South Wales to Dubai, so much changes with HDYGG

Last month I made a quick visit to the UK for a funeral and sign the papers on an apartment we bought in South Wales.

The weather in Dubai is now pleasant enough to be spending as much time as possible outdoors, sadly though we still don't really have seasons, although I have felt chilly in the mornings before sunrise, despite the temperatures being in the low 20's.

I was surprised on my trip to the UK in Autumn that I wasn't cold, I certainly felt the rain and realised after 2 days that despite thinking I missed it, I don't really.

My last trip to the UK was in July and August this year, it was very green and I hadn't realised just quite how much I'd missed it. On this trip it was lovely to see the changing colours of the landscape and I especially enjoyed the falling leaves and stopped to take quite a few photo's as I drove around.

I didn't have any other option, other than to stop.

Mum's garden.

The view from the apartment.

This is our new back garden in South Wales, will be making full use of it in the Spring.

Peter sent flowers while I was in the UK for our 14th wedding anniversary.

Back in Dubai, this afternoon having a coffee at the end of another week teaching.

The Chriatmas Decorations are up and I'm looking forward to seeing the magic has to offer in Dubai this year. Last year's Christmas trees can be found here.

Enjoying the outdoors at Global Village.

This is what happened while I was away for a week, a footbridge was erected and the canal was filled.

I can't wait to explore the canal side in the daylight, there is a lot of work to be done still, such as building hotels, restaurants and a mall and develop the strips of sand that line the banks (do canals have banks or sides?)

Week 97 - My Sunday Photo. Dubai Water Canal.

The ever changing skyline of Dubai.

October 3rd 2016

November 3rd 2016

This is what happened in a week in Dubai. I went to the UK for a week and when I came back, this happened.

It's part of the Dubai Water Canal Project started in September 2013 and now filled with water. Next is the construction of hotels, shops and restaurants as well as completing cycle, foot and jogging paths.

Week 40 - One Daily Positive and Project 366

I ended the week in bed with the flu, I also lost my voice. I had a real proper invite to go out Thursday evening, but ended up cancelling after leaving work early as I was too unwell. It was Peter's birthday, one card arrived on time and that was it, no phone calls and a handful of Facebook messages.

I'm really NOT going to bother now with ensuring cards and gifts reach people on time. I've also been so busy the past few weeks with work that I've been rather lax on contacting family and friends, but too be honest it's not like I've had a string of messages and missed calls I've needed to reply to. I wrote a few letters over the weekend, where I knew I owed a reply.

No one seems to have missed us, so I guess I don't have to miss them anymore. Yes I know EVERYONE is super busy these days, time passes you all by, but guess what? the same happens here and I'm just not going to put myself out any more.

Sunday Day 276 Sleepy. Woken by the cat at 5.30am who wanted to play, it was the Islamic New Year and a public holiday.

 Monday Day 277 Doors. Once excited dog chewing on his bone outside.

Tuesday Day 278 Selfie. After being out for 13+ hours at work. Leaving and returning home in the dark.

 Wednesday Day 279 Cake. Really not well enough to be baking for Peter's birthday tomorrow.

 Thursday Day 280 Cuddles. Left work early, lost my voice and spent the day in bed.

Friday Day 281 Park. Safa Park 3kms up the road, being remodelled while the RTA dig a 6 meter deep canal, connecting the Creek to the sea in Jumeriah.

Saturday Day 282 My Town. Crossing over one of the 3 new bridges, built to accommodate the canal, which will be filled with water in November.