Picnic/Day trip in UAE: The best beach near Dubai

UAE is the best country to enjoy beaches in all seasons. Of course, summer days are not advisable (it is possible but you definitely would get sunburned all over) to stay or play at beaches, but even evenings in summer and all other seasons you can enjoy swimming at the beach all day.

However, some beaches are private (e.g. hotel or private property), crowded on weekends, no showers or very expensive parking areas and no shade.

Lots to consider when we needed to find a nice picnic area or a beach., Especially, when we had no idea what we can do and what we should not do at the picnic area or the beach. So, I'll tell you what beach is my favourite one, where it is and what are the official and unofficial rules for visiting there./

1. Beach for camping and cooking - Al Aqah Beach (called Snoopy Island and Aqua Beach)

Benefit: It is suitable for camping, cooking even lighting bonfires. I saw many people snorkelling, swimming and fishing there also. I couldn't see anybody doing surfing and kite surfing but I think it may be possible. You can park your car on the beach road or at the beach.

Disadvantage: There is no toilet and fresh water showers. That means there is no place to change your clothes after swimming. The other things are crowds of people on weekends and holidays. Many people go camping during the weekends and holidays. This area has a famous beach since a long time ago, called Snoopy Island beach, Aqua Beach, but the official name is Al Aqah beach. As usual, you could see some trash and burned charcoal easily in the sand. However, I don't think there is much dirtier than Dubai public beaches.

Tips: If you want to go camping at the beach especially during the weekends, you should go there as early as possible. Of course, the nice camping spots at the beach are first come first serve. The best camping spot is just next to the resort. For picnics or swimming, don't forget to have some fresh water to wash your feet and a small tent for changing clothes. Remember, you cannot find a toilet or any spot for hiding, so don't drink too much! If you go there from Dubai, you can find the last public toilet in Kholfakan city area. Lastly, the beach is the west side sea of UAE, so you can see the best sunset at the beach.

Locations:

The beach - From 25°29'13.4"N 56°21'37.0"E to 25°29'27.3"N 56°21'39.8"E

The beach parking - From 25°29'12.3"N 56°21'35.9"E to 25°29'27.1"N 56°21'35.9"E. Also, nearby 25°29'24.9"N 56°21'34.5"E

The best camping spot - 25°29'27.1"N 56°21'38.4"E

The best sunset point - 25°29'19.5"N 56°21'36.6"E (You can see the best sunset on Snoopy island)

High seasons: All seasons, but remember there is no shower and no shade.

2. Beach for a family picnic - Khor Fakkan Beach

Benefit: You don't have to bring your sunscreen or sunshades or chairs. You can find a free table under the big tree just in front of the beach. Also, you can park your car just next to the beach area. The other benefits are free hot water shower and the newly built toilet that has A/C. If you want to ride a boat, many boats are waiting for you for 70-100AED (The price for a one-time ride for a group, not for a person).

Disadvantage: No fire, cooking and camping allowed in all of the beach areas. If you make any kind of fire or cooking, they will give you expensive fine. However, you can find many local and international food restaurants nearby the beach. I'm not recommending to wear a bikini and no shirts. The beach is in front of a mosque, so I wore a shirt as soon as possible after swimming to avoid any misunderstandings. 

Tips: Not many people were there on weekends. However, if you arrive there after 10am, you cannot find any free tables under the trees. As you know, the local families used to make some distance with others, that means one family will use one big tree shade. So, if you don't want to bring much stuff like sunshade, tents, table, and chairs, arrive before 10am or after 5pm.

Locations:

The beach - From 25°21'22.0"N 56°21'05.1"E to 25°22'13.4"N 56°20'57.5"E

Free hot water shower - 25°21'23.3"N 56°21'03.9"E

My tree (Don't stay here!) - 25°22'11.0"N 56°20'55.1"E just next to a cold water shower, KFC, Pizzahut, and Wendy's!

High seasons: All seasons, but not recommended to visit in Summer daytime.

For more information, watch this Youtube. Like and Subscription is very helpful for updated information.

Tell you all about Dubai prices & Living cost! 두바이 물가에 대한 고찰

(After I had lived in Dubai over a few years) 몇년 살아본 주민 생각.

  Dubai Prices are expensive than Chicago and definitely than Seoul Korea. Maybe some parts of goods would be cheaper than these major cities but the average costs for living in Dubai is much more expensive. 

  To explain about Dubai prices and the living cost, I should tell you my living style and backgrounds. First, I have two kids, one secondary and one primary student. They do not require any specific education or advanced care for normal living. Sometimes I bought some gift especially Christmas, and 1-2 times per quarter when they did something very good or family events. My kids don't have any additional education or extra education like an extra class for sports, golf or learning instruments (except a couple of years in Korea, one tutor had taught piano my daughter, will explain detail expenses for that). Annually, we used to travel to other countries, but smaller amounts of money used than Dubai even we travelled London, Rome, Naples, Vienna, Oman (of course). 

  Anyway, the summary of living cost for 4 people family is as follows. 

- House rent: 100,000AED per year (Cheapest one in Dubai, Check dubizzle.com. You can see all types of property prices) 

- Utility: 770 - 1200AED DEWA (Water + Electricity + Municipal tax... Usually, much more electricity consumed during summer season) 

- Car Insurance: 2000 AED per year per car (Compact SUV) 

- Car maintenance: 2000 AED per year per car (Engine oil 400-500AED 2-3 times and minor repair included) 

- Driver license: 400AED per year 

- Other taxes or fee: 500AED per year 

- Gasoline: 200AED per month per car 

- School: International School & mid range in Dubai 70000 per year per kid 

- Grocery: 2500AED per month (Check the YouTube I added the link in below, you can see the actual prices in Spinneys store in Dubai)

 - Home internet: Slowest plan 400AED per month with 20mbps. We have two mobile phones. 

- Mobile: 100AED per month per phone with 2G data

 - Restaurant or food delivery: 1000 AED per month 

- Additional expenses: 1000AED (Cloths, Camping gear, Parking fee, Cosmetics, Laundry and so on) 

For 2car, 2kids, average monthly living cost is 27277AED (appx. 7426 USD per month) If we move to a smaller apartment (currently, we are living a cheapest and smallest townhouse in almost edge of Dubai), maybe we can save more from rent and utility bills. We even only take monthly baths to save water. Of course we are taking a shower every day :-) 

 As we know, Dubai, UAE does not put income taxes on my payslip but actually the living cost is much more expensive than other countries globally (much more expensive than Tokyo, Seoul and Chicago). So I think the remains and savings are almost the same as if I lived in a tax free country. However, the different culture, high racism situations, non-English speaking country (here is an Arabic speaking country), Children's education quality, extremely hot weather make it difficult to live here. 

 I know here you can find the most luxurious infrastructure in existence and a diverse population, but here is a very small city and over 70-80% of people are from India and Pakistan. The other 5-7% of the population are from other countries with most of them coming from other middle eastern countries such as Egyption-Canadian, Lebanese, Afganistan-American, Indian/Pakistan-American, Indian/Pakistan-Canadian and so on.

Frankly, Dubai is not a diverse country. Here is one of the nicely built Arab cities. So, personally, I think this country is more like a large beautiful city in India with huge deserts.

Check the additional information YouTube: Dubai Prices in Spinneys Dubai 

추천하는 Fonts 들 다운로드 및 적용 (MacOS) Recommended Fonts and how to apply to MacOS

세줄 요약

- 눈누 상업용 무료한글폰트 사이트에서 골라서 다운로드/설치

- Google Fonts 에서 트렌드 검색하여 많이 사용하는 영문 폰트 다운로드/설치

- 깔끔하게 모든 어플리케이션 종료, 맥북 재부팅 후 어플리케이션들 실행

자, 일단 누구나 하는 방법이지만, 구글에서 그냥 "무료 폰트"를 검색해 보자.

위에 보이는것 처럼 이것저것 다 들어가 봤다. 너무 많다... 처음에 당연히 욕심도 나고, 뭐 필요없으면 안쓰면 된다는 생각에 이것저것 받고, 이것저것 다 때려 넣고 깔고... 이것저것 하다가 맥북 다시 밀었다.

물론 폰트 깔고 지우고, 뭐 잘못 복사 좀 하고 다시 컨트롤 Z 하는게 맥북을 부쉰다는것은 (전문 용어로 운영체제 뻑난다) 아무런 근거없는 얘기고 불가능하다고 전공자로서 얘기 해야 겠지만, 어쩌다 생기는 크래쉬 (다시 전문용어. 블루스크린, 파란화면 - 실제 맥북은 파란 화면이 당연히 없다. 윈도우만. 맥북은 회색화면이쥐..)도 괜히 폰트 때문이라는 생각이 든다.

어쨋든 내 맥북 다시 리셋하고, 필요한거 깔고... 이틀이 걸렸다.

먼저 적당한 유튜브도 만들고 이미지 편집 개인적으로 좀 하고, 문서 좀 쓰는 기준으로 무슨 폰트를 내가 찾았고,  맥북에 넣었는지 설명하려고 한다. 지극히 개인적인 선택으로 선택된 폰트이니, 원하는 폰트를 골라서 넣으면 되겠다.

우선 어느 사이트에 가서 다운 받아야 하느냐...

제일 먼저 보이는 "눈* 상업용 ???? 사이트" 에 갔다니 참 다양한 폰트가 많았다. 기본적으로 Arial 이나 한글 폰트도 맥북에 있으니, 나는 몇가지 우선 많이 색다른것 위주로 다운 받았다.

네다섯가지 다운 받았는데...

요정도 있으면, 동영상, 이미지 표지 등으로 굵은 폰트들 사용하고, 가끔 정감있는 내용에서 산돌국대떡볶이체 쓰고... 메이플스토리 볼드 쓰면 될 것 같아서 요정도 다운로드.

폰트를 클릭하면 위 화면이 나오고, 우측위에 다운로드 버튼이 있다. 클릭!

사용 약관에 동의 후 폰트 다운로드!

다운로드 후 파일을 보면 아래와 같이 나온다.

여기서 OTF (어도비와 마이크로소프트가 만든 폰트 표준), TTF (애플과 마이크로소프트가 만든 폰트 표준) 파일들이 있는데, 인쇄용 고화질 작업이 아니라면 TTF 나 OTF 둘중에 한 종류, 섞어서 해도 상관없이 하나씩 더블클릭!

우선 하나만 더블클릭하고 아래의 화면이 나오면 설치!

인스톨 폰트를 클릭하면 폰트가 설치된 화면이 나오는데 1-2초 정도 기다리면 설치완료된다. 이후 별다른 오류가 없으면 종료!

이렇게 하나씩 설치하는 방법외에 한꺼번에 설치 하는 방법도 있으나, 괜히 문제 만들지 말고 몇백개 설치하는것 아니면 이렇게 무식한 방법이 확실할 때도 있음 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

그리고 깔끔하게 맥 다시 설치한 후 폰트, 필요 어플리케이션 설치한 다음 필자는 타임머신으로 빽업을 하나 했다. 담에 깔때는 금방 되겠지...

여기까지. 씨유!

What happened in Dubai? 락다운 해제 첫 주말 두바이의 모습

What happened in Dubai??? After UAE govt easy the COVID19 lockdown, I drove Dubai city centre by E311 highway and Sheikh Zayed Rd (Main highway of UAE. Connected between North UAE and Saudi Arabia border for UAE).
I saw many empty Ad boards even these were just next of the Sheikh Zayed Rd. I'd never seen this before and looked like the economy is terribly broken. Hopefully, it recovers soon but I don't believe it is possible in a few years.