Day 3- Abu Dhabi

Day 3 in the United Emirates.

Just look at that temperature gauge, showing 44!

 This was on the way to Abu Dhabi, where I visited today. A great drive on a 5 lane highway. When you leave Dubai and enter Abu Dhabi, the colour of the motorway is different, and Abu Dhabi’s side actually has trees and scrubs near the motorway. To think both cities are built in the middle of the desert, and any green in the way of landscaping is only possible with copious amounts of irrigation.

First stop in Abu Dhabi was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Building it took 10 years, completed in 2007, at a cost of $545 million US. Absolutely stunning inside (as well as nice and cool). Worst part was we all had to be fully covered and not a tiny bit of ankle or wrist showing, so our guide kindly provided us with suitable cover, but boy, was that hot! Some pictures as me in full cover attached, as well as the inside of the mosque.

Next stop was the famous Emirates Palace Hotel, 5 star luxury. Unofficially it is something like 7 stars but the highest official rating is 5, so had to stop there! We got to have a wee peek inside (you can’t just wander in off the street, but the guide smiled nicely) and us ladies used the bathroom, which had gold taps, and marble basins.  The hotel is partly famous as some of the filming for The Fast & Furious 7 was done there, as well as the buildings in front, where someone leapt from one building to another (must watch the movie now). Again, at a cost of 3 billion UD to build, it shows the overwhelming riches in this country. This would be one of the few places you would see a ‘gold machine’ in the foyer, like a Fanta or Coke dispense machine, but it dispenses gold, either in bars or in jewellery form. Rates are updated every 30 minutes, so you never pay too much! How the other half lives eh.

A very interesting day indeed. Now time to pack up my suitcase, as tomorrow I’m off to Italy.