#KateGoesWorld

Don’t know why I was so hesitant to go there at first. In fact, it turned out to be one of the best moments of my Dubai trip. Night swimming in gentle and warm embraces of magical Persian Gulf is something I wish everyone could experience. Let me tell you why.

The first time I heard about JBR, I didn’t pay attention. Guided by a 4sq tip, I was planning to visit another beach which was further away and harder to get to. So when my friend suggested me to visit Jumeirah Beach Residence instead, I decided to give it a try. I took a driverless subway and prepared to explore the most famous Dubai beach with the shortest name.

So what is JBR? A huge beach complex with rich daylife/bright nightlife, lots of nice coffee-shops, resorts, entertainment and great infrastructure, including those amazing futuristic changing rooms which made me think I was in a movie. I guess there is something in the air of JBR that makes you feel like being 16 on a Spring Break – hopeful and excited. I spent a whole day there without getting bored: listening to some good music; drinking latte; watching hipsters jogging, cycling or stylishly walking along the seaside with their cute little dogs; relaxing under the sun and feeling absolutely happy. Not a surprise, JBR is one of the most favorite beaches of all internationals living in Dubai, and locals who got tired of their villas with private beaches.

But what impressed me the most about JBR was a totally breathtaking sunset view on the iconic Dubai Marina. Some 15 min more – and water becomes dark, the beach becomes desolate, and the skyscrapers in front of me get lightened up with thousands of lights. And nearby streets, that were almost empty, are now fled by hundreds of expensive cars hurrying for a party.

Few days before this, I was riding a bike along the Palm – yet another human-made miracle, and was looking at the same Marina skyscrapers. That day I didn’t feel much life in those city lights, thinking about the city engine running untiringly and taking our souls in exchange for using its perks.

But now, looking at those buildings, I saw other things – I thought about life behind those windows lights; about the people living there, their hopes and dreams. Swimming in the soft Arabic waves, seeing how a day becomes an evening made me feel very relaxed. In one of the most expensive cities in the world there was a simple cost-free pleasure that made me feel like the richest person in the world, watching the planet from afar.