Mall hopping, road tripping and more on Eid weekend

Dubai/Sharjah - The usual highlight during Eid weekends for UAE residents is a long drive away from the city.

Residents who decided to stay in the UAE to celebrate Eid Al Adha spend the long weekend 'road tripping' and 'mall hopping'. The usual highlight during Eid weekends is a long drive away from the city to Al Ain to the Zakher Lake, Jebel Hafet, the Hot Springs and the zoo, and to the Liwa Desert for an afternoon of camping and barbecue. People also thronged the parks and beaches later in the evening.
Siddhanth Shodan, a 22-year-old resident of Sharjah said: "We drove to the Zakher Lake in Al Ain. It is approximately 180km away from Dubai and the place is beautiful for sightseeing and barbecues.... The view is excellent."
Tasneem Abdullah, a Pakistani national and resident of Dubai said: "Flight tickets during Eid to our home country is very expensive, so many of us tend to stay here and visit nearby places. We visited the Liwa Desert Resort for some night time photography and barbecue with family members. It is amazing because you are far away from the rush of the city and the view in spectacular." "Eid is a time to be spent strictly with friends and family members," said Shammim Mohammed, an Indian residing in Sharjah. "We lead extremely busy lives ... family members must keep time aside for their loved ones over Eid. Picnics are the best way to spend time with family and the UAE has so many options for travel within the UAE," he added.
The shopping malls were jam packed during the evenings and many commuters used the Dubai Metro to get to their destination. Some commuters said that they had to wait almost an hour to get into the metro at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Stations.
Filipino national and a newcomer to the UAE, Mervin Batista said: "Yesterday was the first time I went to see the Dubai Mall. It was so crowded... I've never seen so many people together in my life."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE