My Abu Dhabi Journey: The Grand and The Beautiful

The first time i came into this country was for a connecting flight from Dubai to Dammam, Saudi Arabia, but it doesn't count as i never left the airport. I only saw the silhouette of Burj Khalifa from a distance and had since eyed for an opportunity to stand beneath its incredible structure. This year, the opportunity came and i returned to the country whose national symbol/bird is the falcon, whose currency is the dirham; i traveled to the United Arab Emirates.

As much as i eagerly want to lay my eyes on the tallest building in the world, i had to hold my excitement. My training was located in Abu Dhabi and while work (or study) first, play second, i never missed a moment to explore the capital city of the UAE. It took some time before getting used to the work schedule: Friday is a holiday and the work day starts on Sunday. I was there just past mid year so the temperature was still high- seeing 40 degree Celsius was common. Needless to say, i was seldom outdoors unless necessary and almost everywhere is air-conditioned. Standing by the door, the transition between the cool air inside and the heat outside, gave me second thoughts whether to proceed to walk under the Sun. This dilemma happened on my very first day out at the city, i underestimated the heat:

Marina Mall
This is one of the biggest malls in Abu Dhabi, with a cinema, a small ice rink, restaurants, shopping and supermarket.

Decoration around the Mall.

On display on the day i visited was the Sacred Door Curtain of the Holy Ka'aba. It is more than 143 years old and is made from pure silk with skillfully calligraphic forms of the Quranic verses and Islamic motifs, of gold and silver threads.

The Marina Mall (between the Marina Eye and the Tower) at the background.

Just near the entrance was a booth where with my group of friends, we hopped on the:

Big Bus City Tour
I have seen this tour franchise in other cities around the world and thought would be a good idea to try as this would save time, see and learn about the city. This tour came with a discount booklet (but most of the venues were in Dubai). It also gave promotional rates for certain sites such as the Etihad Towers (but i learned of a better experience at the Towers). While it was easy and convenient if you timed yourself well, frankly, i felt it was overpriced. Still, i tried to maximize the use of our day ticket, sit back and enjoy the ride, admiring the city buildings' architecture.

Striking a pose at 18 degrees west, is this Capital Gate building.

The sun-sensitive Al Bahr Towers.

Golf ball at the top of the building? The Etisalat building.

Like a coin shining in the Sun, the Aldar HQ.

At the Etihad Towers, overlooking the Emirates Palace Hotel. More of the Etihad Towers in Sand and Speed.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque
One of the stops on the bus tour is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. And if you visit Abu Dhabi, this is your number one place to see/go/do, day and night. Day and night because each offers different, stunning sights. I recommend the evening time when there is still light, then go in the mosque and be awed by the exquisite crystal chandeliers and expansive colourful carpet, and then exit only to be mesmerized by the night lights. This mosque is grand; this mosque is beautiful.

I stood speechless for quite a while.

So white.

In harmony with the water.

Inspired by Persian, Mughal and Moorish mosque architecture, this mosque is the largest in UAE. It also has the largest carpet in the world, weighing at 35 ton.

Picture perfect.

The interior.

Don't forget to look up!

This is a religious site so please respect and remember to dress appropriately.

Emirates Palace Hotel
Another place that is worth a visit is here. Featured in the Fast and Furious 7, i was excited to stepped in to the lobby of this claimed seven (or five)-star hotel. Although i was rather disappointed because i couldn't sit on the gazebo near the beach like the actors did in the movie, the hotel surely felt luxurious.

The front of the hotel.

Like a rich man. There are several cafes or restaurants if you look to dine here. The good thing was we didn't need any reservation at the diners to visit the hotel. Just before entering the compound, we were stopped by a guard who asked us if we are guests but we said 'no' and mentioned that we wanted to visit the place. He let us in.

Another reason i visited this hotel was this gold vending machine. It is the first of its kind and you can buy gold from the machine. Unfortunately, it was out of service on the day of my visit. Fortunately, i could spend my money somewhere else. Well, it doesn't hurt to pose.

Just before leaving the compound.

Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat al Beri
At the end of my ~~stay~~ training, we had a class dinner at Sofra here, and it was a scrumptious feast. The food, the setting.