A Taste of Sonamu, A Bit of Korea in Dubai

Last Sunday, I had experienced Sonamu, a Korean resto inside Asiana Hotel, Dubai.

I booked a reservation 3 days in advance for 5 people in a private dining room and was actually expecting they will put us in a Korean room/table inspired like in the 2 images below (images grabbed online) since I requested a private room .



So when the resto staff sent us to the private room, I was really very disappointed. It was nothing like the above photos. A very ordinary, a very plain room with a table with a divider/partition. Nothing special at all. I didn't even feel that we were inside a Korean resto. Partly my fault, didn't tell them it was a birthday celebration, sort of and that we wanted it in Korean style.

So anyway, we ordered Jeongol (a noodle dish), seafood Japchae (hotpot) and one "whole" cow set and a bottle of soju. We liked the Korean pickled dishes (kimchi, etc) and the Jeongol. The Japchae is fine though. I enjoyed grilling our own slabs of beef and eating it. We didn't finish the soju, it tasted like gin (or gin-tonic according to my friend.) The food and the complimentaries we had is more than enough for 5 persons, I think I should have had brought 2 or more friends.

Japchae

Soju and the pickled dishes

I think this is a beef soup or the vinegar, I forgot. LOL

gyeran jjim (Korean steamed egg)

seafood jeongol (hotpo)

jeon (Korean pancake)

raw beef

grilling the beef

I'm happy with the bill/price because it is affordable. I was actually expecting it was a tad pricey. :)

Parasailing, Banana Boat-ing, Creek Park-ing (Oh What a Day!)

Just let me float, just let me drift on by...

This is the entry you've been waiting for (I just assumed, teehee)..

I'm going to divide this entry into three: the first part is about my parasailing, second is the banana boating and the third is at the park.

Here's my life last Friday the 13th in jpeg..

Getting High in the Sky

I was soaring like a bird (or a big kite?) 250 meters high above the Dubai waters for 15 minutes looking down at my three friends on the speedboat screaming in excitement. I was the smallest in our group but the first one to try the parasailing out.. ;-)

Up, up and away!

 

It was a bit boring above, the sky wasn't that clear because there was a sandstorm the day before that. Got a bit scared too everytime they were letting me go and was feeling the wind, you know when the rope was getting longer and longer.. it felt like it was going to be cut off anytime. I was actually looking at the water calculating how far is the shore, convincing myself that... "Oh well, if ever I fall I won't get drowned. I'm wearing a life jacket. I know how to swim. And I'm pretty sure the speed boat will come to rescue me." Weird thoughts but it was FUN though! Haha.



Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR)



moi, struggling in the wind after parasailing



Getting Thrown into the Water

Banana boating was an unplanned activity. We didn't bring extra clothes nor wearing swimwears. It was like, since we were already there, why not try the ride. And so we did. Haha.

I chose the first corner the first time we got onto the Banana boat because I thought it was "safetier" there. Though I wasn't the first one who fall off the banana boat still that corner is not what I thought it was. The water splashed all over me and it got to my eyes so they were closed most of the time. Didn't see what was actually going on but felt how the boat tips sideways and how it bounces back onto the water.

After few turns, the driver began to speed up, the B-boat tipped over, and we found ourselves thrown into the water, LOL.  It was difficult pulling ourselves back onto the B-boat (I was the one on the last corner of the boat trying to climb back).

The adrenaline rush and not wanting to get drowned (even if we really won't) took over. After 'struggling into the water', the driver pulled us (3 girls) back one by one onto the speed boat and then transferred ourselves to the Banana boat. After we got back onto the B-boat, we shouted for more because we already knew what to do. Our positions were reversed and no one fell off. I tell you, the most relaxing sitting position is at the last corner of the B-boat.

After the ride, we stayed at "The Walk" to dry ourselves. We were sure no taxi driver will allow us to get in his taxi and drive us back home.

Warning: Banana boat ride will give you muscle pains. You will wake up next day with body pains. Same feeling you get after rollerblading and falling off the ground over and over or after a ride in a bump car. But it's okay, Banana boating is uber-thrilling!

Getting Full at the Park (LOL)

So we hurriedly washed ourselves up, changed our clothes and headed to Creek Park to attend some birthday lunch partay-partay of another friend. We were running late. The first thing we did after arriving at the park was eat to the fullest. It was like raining foods. There were lots to feast on. After eating we strolled around, took pics, some played cards, etc. We made ourselves busy because the wind at the park made us so sleepy. I think it was because we were tired. Then after an hour or two, we ate again.. LOL.

The Creek

The Park

And the bonus part :p

the FULLER moi ;-)

And it all happened in just one day...

♪♫ I'm twisting (twisting..., twisting...) ♫ I'm turning (turning..., turning...) ♫ I'm aching (aching..., aching...) ♫ And it's burning ♫ In one day..., in one day ♫♪

-the end-





The Noise-makers of the Year goes to ...

There were sets of noise-makers in my neighborhood last NYE.

I love celebrations and parties even silly ones, LOL, but the noise-makers in my hood really ticked me off that night. Some people started doing those silly noises 11 pm flat!! Excited-much?! That gave me and the rest of the hood more than an hour ear-pain and headache.

I was home only, since I had to work next morning, watching the live coverage of NYE countdown, fireworks at Burj Khalifa but couldn't hear the TV so I was kinda hoping police will come and take them. LOL. That's the evil within me talking.

When I peeped out of the window to check what they were doing, I was surprised, the noisy people in the hood aren't Pinoys but Masris!

You can't blame me, being Filipino myself, I know how LOUD my countrymen can get. Ask the church people, the watchmen, the real estate agents, building owners, etc on how much noise complaints they are receiving against us, say every weekend, to have an idea what I meant by us being loud. LOL

Anyway, I never knew that Egyptians are way noisier have better sets of silly noisemakers and littering throwing confetti in the ground than us. LOL.

So how was your holidays and NYE everyone? Hope everyone had fun and is happier this year.

Beach-ing

Eid al-Adha Mubarak to all the Muslims around the globe!!! (so sorry for the late greetings)

Last Sunday, I celebrated my Eid al-Adha Holiday at Mamzar Beach Park with my roomie and her group of friends (total of 11 people). We had a wonderful picnic, great walk and fun swimming though the beach park was crowded that day. Check out the photos (thanks to roomie's friends for taking awesome pics)..

Our group (7 out 11 people) goofing around.