It's not so much the pavilions, copious events, restaurants or even the water feature, as it is the vibe of Expo 2020 Dubai that my family and I will sorely miss once the world's fair ends on Thursday.
For six months, we've had this whole world practically on our doorstep, like a theme park on steroids, where entire days get sucked away as we immerse ourselves in everything going on around us.
My family's Expo journey started relatively late, as my husband, toddler daughter and I only made our inaugural visit in December, cautious as we were about crowds and Covid-19.
But since then, we've been there several times, mostly first thing in the morning as soon as the gates open, trying as we might to get inside the coveted Germany and Japan Pavilions without having to queue for hours with a hungry/grumpy/bored/hot 20-month-old (we never managed it — and now I'll forever have fomo).
Scroll through the gallery below to see inside the Germany Pavilion:
-
Visitors swing in the graduation hall, the final section of the German pavilion, that is drawing repeat visitors. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National -
Visitors stand in a queue outside the Germany pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National -
Visitors stand in a queue outside the Germany pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. -
Visitors use magnifiers to check countries' eco details at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors use magnifiers to read about the eco details of each country at the pavilion. -
Yes and No doors at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors inside the yellow ball pit at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors inside the yellow ball pit area at the Germany Pavilion at the EXPO 2020 site in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Visitors inside the yellow ball pit at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors stand on discs and try to maintain their balance for a steady supply of electricity at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors fly Enerkite at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors view a room with model buildings that could be part of future megacities at the Germany pavilion. -
Visitors view a room with model buildings that could be part of future megacities. -
Visitors look into the future at the Germany pavilion. -
Sebastian Rosito, director of the German pavilion, says a combination of education and entertainment makes the space popular.
We actually haven't perused as many pavilions as we perhaps should have done, because time simply slips away as we walk from district to district, attraction to attraction and meal to meal. Before we know it, it's time to head home before we miss our sleep-deprived daughter's bedtime; usually coinciding with swarms of visitors flooding in.
Every so often, I'll turn to my husband and say, "We should take Ivy to every Expo in the future", to which he scoffs and adds a dose of realism to my daydreaming by saying, "Unlikely".
I've had to placate myself by picking up a few souvenirs along the way; we have a reusable water bottle and some T-shirts. I didn't quite stretch to the Monopoly board.
Admittedly, much of our time at Expo 2020 has revolved around food. Traipsing from one restaurant to the next, coinciding our pavilion visits with nearby eateries, trying not to eat too much at one, so we still have stomach room left for the other.
For a quick snack, we've enjoyed picking up an acai bowl at Tropicool, just outside Terra — The Sustainability Pavilion, where Veg'd, Mudra and Xyst restaurants by Matthew Kenney are housed, and we've feasted at each. The breakfast sandwich at Veg'd has been a personal favourite, but the vegan afternoon tea in Xyst is a real highlight, too.
We've particularly loved hanging out at Festival Garden, where food trucks are parked around the periphery catering to every taste (mine, you may have guessed, being vegan, while my husband's is decidedly not).
Hours and hours have been wasted as we lounge around the picnic tables with friends, children playing with the ice buckets or at the inflatable park, while we try dish after dish from each of the trucks, the music from sound checks or performances going on in Jubilee Park wafting over.
-
The new street food night market takes place at Festival Garden. All photos: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Festival Garden lit up at night. -
Pickl burgers will be served at the market. -
Floozie's vegan stuffed cookies are also available. -
The market is on until March 31.
Expo is simply a great place for a play date, where everyone from small babies to grandparents can find something to enjoy, and perfect for days out with new families, since there's plenty to keep you occupied if it doesn't work out.
While meandering around, you can make a pit stop at one of the several playgrounds dotted about the site, with Latifa's Adventures playground among our favourites (we haven't had time to check out the indoor Family Place, which only opened recently).
And then there's the water feature. I know I said the vibe was more important, but Surreal has also been a very, very important attraction for us. The first time we went, my daughter loved it so much she threw a full-on tantrum when we tried to move on (potentially marred our introduction, but it didn't stop us from going back time and again).
Thankfully that, and Al Wasl Plaza (my daughter shrieks "wow" every time she looks up at it), are staying put in what's being called the UAE's first "15-minute city" or District 2020, the legacy site of Expo.
But whether or not that buzzing vibe that makes you feel like you're at the centre of the world will also stay put, remains to be seen.
10 attractions that will remain at the Expo 2020 Dubai site — in pictures:
-
Al Wasl Plaza has been Expo’s main staging area and the venue of unforgettable concerts featuring bands such as Coldplay. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Sustainability Pavilion will live on as a children's and science centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Alif - The Mobility Pavilion will host temporary exhibitions to attract tourists and residents. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
The UAE pavilion will be used as a visitor attraction and a cultural meeting place. Victor Besa / The National -
The Saudi Arabia pavilion will continue to showcase green energy innovations in Dubai and the rest of the region. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The Expo water feature will continue to be a big attraction even after Expo ends. Victor Besa / The National -
The Garden in the Sky is a rotating observation tower that soars 55 metres above the ground for a bird’s eye view of the site. Pawan Singh / The National -
Dubai Exhibition Centre will be used by companies across the logistics, tourism, education and technology spectrum. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Firdaus Studio by AR Rahman will be a special element of the Expo’s legacy as it aspires to attract musical and artistic talent. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai -
Cycling tracks at Expo. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
