Al Barsha Pond Park

As we settled into our new routine with school, it was taking longer than anticipated to get the kids' after-school activities squared away. We found ourselves with several hours of gorgeous weather in the afternoons, and I wanted to get outside and enjoy it. My neighbor who recommended that we visit Global Village also recommended a local park, Al Barsha Pond Park. Al Barsha is the area of town where the kids' school is located, so the kids and I decided to visit the park one day after school.

Have I mentioned that the weather here is amazing this time of year? I can't help myself, it's just so beautiful! We pulled up to the park and immediately noticed the beautiful scenery. Living in a desert climate, you are usually surrounded by brown sand so any sort of greenery and lush landscaping really stands out.

When we entered the park, we immediately noticed an area with several different types of bicycles and pedal cars. We decided to rent the big pedal car that seats 4 people. There were two huge tracks around the perimeter of the park: one was a softer surface designed for joggers and walkers, and the other was a bricked pathway for bicycles and pedal cars. We set off to explore the park, and it was so much fun!

One of the things we've noticed in the city of Dubai is the large population of feral cats. They are usually very friendly, and many are even quite sociable. As we pedaled around the park, we noticed one such cat and the kids just had to stop to pet them. Kaitlynn and Connor are quite the pet lovers, so they take any opportunity to get some animal love. As they were enjoying one of the little cats, several others popped out of the bushes to join the party. It kind of broke our hearts that we couldn't adopt them all, but we made sure to give them a lot of attention.

Also along the park's bicycle path were several pocket parks as well as fitness center areas. We tested our bar skills in one such spot.

The park also had tennis and basketball courts, a snack bar, and nice restroom facilities. We even saw signs advertising various weekend activities including yoga classes and a monthly farmers market. What a cool spot! We were delighted to have found such a beautiful park to enjoy some quality time after school.