Abu Dhabi UAE

The guarantee of Emirati sunshine won our vote for a last-minute ‘winter blues’ getaway this year. January is notoriously a difficult month to holiday in, especially when you’ve only a week to spare. European destinations are too cold, but venturing further afield involves long-haul flights and disruptive time differences – Abu Dhabi in the UAE came up trumps on both fronts. We were lucky to have day-flights, both ways, so managed to avoid the bite of jetlag too.

1 – Similarity to Dubai

The similarity between Abu Dhabi and its younger sister, Dubai, is striking. The landscapes, the malls, the people, the architecture are all completely interchangeable. Building construction is rife too. With closed roads, cranes and pouring concrete all in abundance, this place is also in the prime of development.

2 – Disparity between classes

Our trip to Abu Dhabi exposed a huge disparity between rich and poor. To see the Yas Marina Circuit and the Princes Palace, set amid some of the poorer habitats was eye-opening, or more accurately, eye-watering! My write-ups in this blog talk about the level of disparity in more detail but I suspect the distance between classes is far greater than at home and fewer people sit in the middle-class ground.

Accommodation: Beach Rotana Hotel and Spa 

We stayed at the 5-star Beach Rotana Hotel and Spa. Located between the Abu Dhabi Mall and Gulf inlet, it couldn’t have been a more convenient place to stay. With shops, white sandy beaches and high-quality restaurants all on-site, we didn’t need to leave the grounds for the duration of our stay. That said, although the convenience factor was handy, we had no intention of giving up our sight-seeing plans.

The hotel was opulent and boasted an atmosphere in which anyone could feel looked after. From the smell of fresh lilies in the lobby daily, the classical sounds of the hotel’s violinist to the crisp, freshly washed towels – Beach Rotana is filled with little touches that make a real difference.

With good food aplenty, stunning views and lots to do, this place has something for everyone. Whether you’re a shopaholic or a sunbed worshipper – you can’t go wrong here. I would certainly revisit (Overall rating 90/100)

Yas Marina Circuit

Tuesday was Circuit-Day and Craig’s birthday, so we took a taxi to Yas Marina Island to soak up the fumes of the track and beauty of the marina.

Built in 2009, Yas Marina isn’t the only F1 circuit in the Middle East. Whilst I’m not one to make wild accusations, it’s a fair assumption that the billions of dollars cruising around the UAE gulf may have played a role in a second circuit being developed in the region. I’m sure the FIA were blissfully unaware of the financial benefits Yas Marina would bring when adding it to their F1 race calendar!

The entire complex known as Yas Island, including the iconic hotel and Marina, absolutely reeks of money. The structure of the W Abu Dhabi hotel is mysterious and captivating. It looks like a glass hood on a Bond villain lair as it sweeps across the track. It’s the place to stay for race day, if you’re wealthy enough to secure a booking that is!

Our first activity at the circuit was a driving experience on the track. My partner got to drive a F3000 car around the circuit and he LOVED the experience. The session started with 10 minutes of classroom training, followed by 20 minutes of circuit laps. Although the drive was in a tutor-led formation of four cars, it was still a hands-on and sensory experience for those taking part. For anyone with an interest in motorsport – this is a must.

We walked to the Marina and ate at the Martini Seafood restaurant which made for a pleasant way to take-in the surroundings. On the day we visited, the Marina resembled a ghost town. I suspect the tranquility of our time there was a far contrast to race day. We spotted a few luxury yachts on the VIP side of the Marina. One, a former yacht of Roman Abramovich, now belongs to Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed (son of the UAE founder). Bizarrely, he pulled up in his matte-black Bugatti as we were stood taking photos of his yacht – awks!. The Sheikh seemed unfazed by our presence, unlike his bodyguard, who didn’t particularly like us hanging around!

On Tuesday evenings the circuit opens its gates to anyone who wants to bike, walk or run around the 5.5km track. During these free events, sharp floodlights illuminate the circuit and with around 500 exercise-goers taking part, the venue’s atmosphere oozes energy and hype. We decided to participate in the ‘communal workout’ and our run against the stunning backdrop of Yas Marina to the sound of music was soul-lifting. It was a wonderful way to end the day and a definite highlight of the trip. (Overall rating 93/100)

The Louvre

We didn’t know about The Louvre‘s expansion to Abu Dhabi until we started looking at this holiday. Unsurprising really. We’re not the most arty of people and it had only been open for two months when we arrived. But when we did discover that one of the world’s most famous museums had been licensed to the Middle East – we knew it warranted a visit.

From the outside, the building looks exactly how you’d expect a modern art museum to look. The metallic meshed roof anchored to white concrete boxes which are situated in the Arabian sea are an aesthetic delight. However, thanks to my Wakefield roots, I noticed many architectural similarities between The Hepworth (Wakefield, UK) and The Louvre (Abu Dhabi). It’s bizarre to think that my local art museum, in one of the UK’s most deprived districts, has the same architectural innovation to that in one of the most affluent cities in the world.

Once inside, The Louvre becomes cold and clinical – partly due to strict temperature controls to maintain the ancient artefacts, but also to compensate for the lack of natural light.

We walked around the museum in about an hour at a steady but not sluggish pace. The overall exhibition theme focusses on bringing people together and celebrating diversity. I think the curators’ aim was to highlight the similarities between all cultures and all people. It was thought-provoking to discover that our ancestors built, made, said and did things at the same time other cultures were doing the exact same. All blissfully unbeknown to each other. I was really touched by the sentiment and ethos behind the museum’s theme, if not so much the building itself.

The calibre of staff working in the viewing galleries left a lot to be desired. In one gallery, I was intrigued by the geometry-inspired graphics woven into the marble floor, walls and ceiling. The graphics contained place names and I couldn’t figure out the correlation between the place names and the glass domes so I asked the curator. He didn’t understand my question and explained that he didn’t speak English!

I’m not sure I’d visit The Louvre again but I’m glad I went. (Overall rating 89/100)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

We knew before we booked this trip that one day we would see the Grand Mosque. Second only to the Taj Mahal, it’s the place of worship that even the hardened of atheists are lured to. After much deliberation about the best time of day to see the mosque, we opted for a late afternoon start in order to witness the structure by sunset.

Wanting to show my full respect, I dressed in long, dark, baggy clothing complete with headscarf. Alas, this proved to be a waste of time. On arriving at the entrance, I was told I wasn’t sufficiently covered up! So along with all other western-dressed female visitors, I was loaned a robe-like dress, ‘abaya’, to wear.

On entering the mosque grounds, two things became apparent:

1. We wouldn’t get to see the mosque from the sunset-facing side of the building. Access to the western (sunset) side, probably the most breathtaking, is only available to worshippers. That’s fair enough I guess.
2. We would be too close to get the best view.
   The vicinity outside the mosque’s grounds is a network of major roads, all of which are unsafe to cross on foot. In my opinion, putting visitors too close to the mosque to get the best view is a real faux pas. Though the cynic in me thinks this could have been a deliberate planning strategy – why would they build a masterpiece that encouraged visitors to stand far away?

Disappointments aside, let’s not take away the fact that the mosque itself was simply and utterly beautiful. It was a euphoric experience to see the glistening white marble, the symmetry of the architecture and the opulence of the domes. Shimmering from floor to ceiling and filled with intricate patterns, it felt natural and right to take-off shoes before entering. The central quadrant area in the exposed heart of the building contained a stunning mosaic-tiled floor. Sadly, the floor area of the quadrant was strictly out of bounds and heavily guarded by the security teams.

There must have been around 1,000 people visiting at the same time we did, and perhaps I felt this was just a bit too busy – but that’s how it is. It would be wrong to suggest limiting visitors or charging an entrance fee. This place is in high demand and quite rightly so – it should remain open to anyone and everyone who wants to view its splendor.

As the sun began to set, the building transformed from a white crisp exterior to a warmer, soft cream façade, before illuminating the sky in its blue manmade fanfare. All stages of the slow, unveiling transformation were elegant, dominant, and completely breathtaking. The mosque is an absolute must-see and I hope to visit again. (Overall rating 96/100)

The Corniche

On our last day, we decided to walk the 10km stretch of the seafront promenade, also known as the Corniche.

It was a warm day and the stunning reflections from the water were medicinal. The main road parallel to the promenade was a fair distance away and separated by trees, which brought a welcome calmness from the hustle of the city.

The Corniche area was busy, but not with tourists or locals. I think the crowds were migrant workers having some well-earned downtime. Probably those on low wages in the service sector who work extremely hard so we can have our luxury getaways. It was extremely pleasing to see them enjoying their piece of the city. They gathered in groups with picnic tables to spend time on the beach and waterfront, just being together as small communities.

It posed a glimpse into how the other half of Abu Dhabi live – a far cry from the wealthy tycoons. These people are probably here on a dream, and from what I witnessed, they were living that dream. It was a warming sight, normal people doing normal things.

From the Corniche, we walked further to a newly developed manmade pier known as Abu Dhabi Marina. It reminded me of the Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai. At the far end of the marina is a hotel under construction, it had a striking resemblance to Dubai’s Atlantis hotel, which is also coincidentally located at the far end of an island! (Overall rating 89/100)

The Prince’s Palace

In the vague distance, away from roving eyes or opportunity to trespass, we caught a glimpse of the Prince’s palace – quite literally. His highness’s residence was striking. Symmetrical in design, just like the Grand Mosque and subtly coloured by a rotating display of lights. We peeked through a gate to take-in the view. It looked like another world, certainly another life. It was a hair-standing moment of inferiority to think how far removed we are from him and him from us.

It made The Louvre’s ‘we’re more alike than we think’ exhibition somewhat futile. The wonderful migrants playing on the beach just a stone’s throw from the residence of one of the wealthiest men on the planet brought an eerie contrast and dawning of realisation – we are actually more different than we think!

Next to the Prince’s Palace was the Emirates Palace, a five star hotel for the most discerning of clients. Both lighting up the skyline with pomp and ceremony!

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Date of visit: 13 January 2018 to 20 January 2018