Dhows and Abu Dhabi
This has taken me a few weeks longer than it really should
have done to update and has to mini sections to include- a trip around the
marina on a dhow, and a brief visit to Abu Dhabi, both fun and both whetting
the appetite for more. In fact Abu Dhabi is already booked for Grand Prix
weekend and tickets have been purchased- roll on November 21.
The Dhow trip was a brief jaunt around the Marina, a chance
to see some of the hotels, restaurants and holiday villas and to feel the
breeze on the water, before heading into the souk and finding a few different
places to try out for dinner and drinks while watching the sun go down over the
Gulf- all very pretty, and pleasant.
Abu Dhabi was completely different to Dubai- although only
an hour away, but still a different Emirate. It is the capital city of the UAE,
but has more of an old-world feel about it than Dubai. It does still have the
glitz and glamor factor, but much more concentrated and amid low rise buildings
and green streets, including the corniche running along the coast. The shopping
malls, while still large and plentiful, were not as overwhelming as those of
Dubai, and seemed to run to a slightly slower pace, possibly due to the fact
that Friday is taken as a more serious religious observance than in Dubai.
In Dubai the shopping malls still open at 10am on Friday and
stay open until 1am in the morning, but they blast the prayers throughout the
mall, and people duck into prayer rooms scattered around like restrooms if they
feel the need to join in- otherwise everything carries on as normal. In Abu
Dhabi nothing was even open until after 4pm- not that is seemed to close any
earlier.
The mosque and the heritage village are two big tourist
destinations- the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is beautiful and a feat of
engineering. It is one of only two
mosques in the UAE that non-Muslims are allowed to enter. I have another trip
planned next week, just to spend a day here so more will follow later… 
I am sure I will be making many more trips to Abu Dhabi over
the next few years as Sadiyat Island continues to grow- it is totally reclaimed
land, and within then next 12-15 months will include a branch of the Louvre, the
Guggenheim, and the British Museum, along side heritage and cultural museum
that tell the story of the development of the UAE. 
Yas Island- where I stayed- is the home of the Yas Marina circuit
and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I am quite
excited to e heading back here- and the Viceroy- amazing hotel if you are
looking for somewhere to stay- is the only hotel in the world that is attached
to/ part of the grand prix circuit. It is also a very funky building and has
some interesting architectural features- a few top tips came out of here, but
Zids, you would love it. 
Anyway, this first trip was much more about what it looked
like and the visual experiences, so I will let the photos tell the rest of the
story.