Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
I went to Abu Dhabi with some friends the other weekend and we had a really great time. Oftentimes it’s tricky going somewhere with new travel companions because you never know what the dynamic of the group will be but, I must say, the four of us got on brilliantly.
I was expecting Abu Dhabi to simply be a bigger version of Doha with more buildings and shops, a slightly larger choice of restaurants and bars and a more relaxed view on ladies being able to show their shoulders in public. What I got instead was a vibrant and cosmopolitan city which completely exceeded nearly every single expectation that I had. It’s difficult to explain the difference between the two cities if you haven’t been to both because some are quite specific to what you’d only experience if you lived in one or the other but, that’s not going to stop me from trying to tell you about it anyway!
I felt the difference nearly the second I stepped foot out of the airport (an orderly taxi rank, you mean I’m not going to have to fight my way to get a cab?), and during the drive on the way to the hotel. Yes, Doha has trees and grass too but it almost seems out of place here, the green spaces of Abu Dhabi felt like they’d been there for ages. And Abu Dhabi has highways, proper, wide, interconnecting roads, leading to smaller roads with traffic lights, not roundabouts. These smaller roads also have sidewalks and pedestrian crossings and shops along them, like real shops that you’d actually want to go in! There is a big bus station and numerous bus stops (yes, as in a public transportation system), and cabs everywhere, not just in one queue outside of the mall.
There is a different ‘feel’ to Abu Dhabi as well, a different kind of atmosphere and attitude among the people who live there. Whereas Doha has a very transient, migrant population, Abu Dhabi seems like a place where people go to settle and build a life. For the most part, things in Doha are very black and white; you’re either in the upper levels of society or the bottom levels. In Abu Dhabi, there is much more middle ground, social lines interchange more, and even overlap; at breakfast one morning, we were served by a lovely South African guy who spoke perfect English, he understood us and we understood him. And get this, my friend ordered scrambled egg whites, ie something NOT ON THE MENU and we were able to get it no problem! In Doha, you are served by either Filipinos or men from Kerala, sometimes they will understand you and sometimes you will even get what you asked for on the first try…but don’t even think about ordering off menu or asking for a substitution, it’s just not possible.
Although both modern Qatar and the UAE are about the same age, Abu Dhabi is more spread out and has developed smaller neighborhoods and communities; Doha has one big pocket of high rises (West Bay) and then low level, nearly isolated compounds everywhere else. Abu Dhabi also has a foothold in that elusive industry called ‘tourism’ with various attractions such as Yas Island, a beautiful Corniche, public beaches, and a lot more than just 5 star hotel brunches to keep the expat community occupied. The highlight of our trip was definitely a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the only places in the city where women are required to cover up with Abayas that are provided upon entrance. We didn’t mind though, we had a blast and the photos opportunities were fabulous.
Abayas
