AkosiMangJuan that was

this image is taken from Google

I started this blog in February 2016 aimed to share all interesting places and food I have experienced in Dubai and UAE as a whole. Akosimangjuan.com is actually an offshoot of another ofwsijuan.blogspot.com blog,  which I decided to stop posting temporarily,  but still continues to get website traffic.

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You can check two of the most populat post here:

http://ofwsijuan.blogspot.ae/2011/07/new-polo-owwa-location-in-dubai.html

20,800 views and 97 comments

http://ofwsijuan.blogspot.ae/2010/02/overseas-employment-certificate.html

15,600 views and and 1 comment

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There are lots of places to visit in Dubai. For 2016 I have visited new places like the Al Qudra Lake in Dubai and Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah. I shared about my experience in The Last Exit and tried my best to look for the best deal at the Outlet Village. 

I shared also my dining experience at Aden Restaurant in Sharjah, my favorite Yemeni restaurant.

I also shared my travel and food experience during my one month vacation Philippines. I enjoyed the fine sand of Boracay and did a 24-hour stay in Sagada. I visited some places in Batangas, visited old churches and tasted local food like the famous tapang Taal and of course the loming Batangas.

What is my plan for next year?

I will try at least to post one blog post a month despite of busy schedule and will try to drive more traffic to my blog. I will try to visit and discover more places in Dubai and share all my experiences with you.

See you in 2017!

Where can you find the Blue Souk in Sharjah?

this image is taken from Google

I am a long time resident of Sharjah but I did not know its called Blue Souk or Central market before. I only refer to it as a Gold Souk because my favorite Gold shop, OM Jewelries, whose people can fluently speak Tagalog by the way, are located in the building. Blue Souk got its name from its roof because it is colored blue and some of its walls are decorated with some Arabic designs which are again colored blue. 

The Blue Souk is actually composed of two buildings connected by two bridges at the second floor. One building is where you can find shops selling gold, silver, watches and some small shops selling electronics while the other building is occupied by garments, abayas and ready to wear clothes. The second floor is mostly occupied by carpets, glasswares, souvenir shops and antique dealers. Here you can try to practice your haggling skills. There is no fixed price and tag on the items. I remember one time I bought a Seven Sand souvenir. The smallest one just cost me 5 aed after a hard bargain. The same item cost double the price in other shops or in shopping malls.

A huge digital signage inside the souk displays daily gold prices of gold.

With the recent growth and newer and more modern buildings continues to rise around Sharjah, visiting one of the iconic buildings like Blue Souk will transport you back in time. And at least adore the intricate artwork that comes with it. 

The building also features several wind catchers on top of the building. In ancient times wind catchers are used to catch the cool breeze to provide natural ventilation in the building.

The interiors are well maintained and clean for a 35+-year-old building.  The souk is also a popular destination for tourist. 

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Opening time: Saturday to Thursday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
                        Friday 9:00 am to Noon, 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Getting there:
From Dubai: all buses from Dubai going to Sharjah stops at Jubail Bus Station.
                     Blue Souk is just 10 minutes walk from Jubail Bus Station

Within Sharjah:  take Sharjah taxi

Nearby Attractions:
Birds and Animal Market
Souk Al Jubail

The Last Exit

My FB feeds have been showing a lot of friends photos and "check-ins" about a new place in the outskirts of Dubai where motorists can simply do a short stop and grab a burger or hotdog and drive off towards their destination. Perhaps it is aptly named "The Last Exit" because its  location is close to Abu Dhabi-Dubai border.

I was wondering what was so special about the place that I had to drive one hour from my apartment one weekend just to get a grab of burger and fries or a hotdog sandwich. But the food truck concept is new to me. I think it is a western concept and first of its kind in UAE. 

What I like about the place is its unique and colorful design that were made to look like a pit stop for cars where you can order from the food trucks neatly lined on the streets. The food trucks are birghtly decorated with unique painted designs. There are small outdoor tables and chairs but of course if the weather is too hot for you there are seats inside the small dining area that can accomodate more 50 people at a time. 

The walls are decorates with car parts near the toilet entrance. Some decorations were made to look like a vintage piece or those were really genuine parts.  I am amused by the toilet concept by the way. Because the washing area looks like a truck driver seat and you need to press a pedal to flow the water from the faucet. The toilet door handle is replaced with petrol pump dispenser. 

The  Last Exit offers both drive-thru and dine-in options 24/7 and some of the restaurant available are the following:

The Hotdog Stand. American
Urban Seafood.
Big Smoke Burger.
Burger Pit
Baja Fresh. Mexican Cuisine
Falafel. Arabian Cuisines
The Brass
Starbucks. Coffee and beverages
71 Cafe
DON Pizza

How to get there:

If you are travelling from Dubai, drive towards Abu Dhabi and make a U-turn back to Dubai at the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border Exit 403.

If you are travelling from Abu Dhabi, keep to the right lane after the Abu Dhabu-Dubai border.

The Last Exit is close to the newly opened Dubai Theme Parks and Resorts.