Abu Dhabi - as Leo saw it
Right at the airport, I saw people in those white “robes” – they treat them like we treat suits, but about 99% of all people there were wearing them, even little boys. In Dubai it was a bit less.
We took a taxi from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. On the way, I just stared at how huge the roads, roundabouts, and entire neighborhoods were. They have tons of roundabouts there, but huge ones 😄. Without a car, you really have no chance of existing there.
When we arrived at the accommodation, there was sand in front of the entrance – typical Emirati housing for the normal middle class, nothing special.
In the morning we went out and it was dry and hot. We walked about two kilometers to the bus stop and along the way we passed villas of the rich and servants watering the lawns. When we arrived, we found out that the bus doesn’t run today. So a taxi – and the prices? Six times more what we’re used to.
We went to this mega shopping center, which had an artificial river in the middle. We had breakfast and then the aquarium – I expected more, but okay.
The biggest highlight, however, was the temple – Sheikh Zayed’s mosque. That was brutal. Women there have to be covered with a scarf and we were fine in normal clothes. That temple is so huge that I can’t even describe it in words. I originally thought it was built long ago, but construction started in ‘96 and took 11 years and cost 545 million dollars. It was built by Indians, Pakistanis, and Egyptians with money from oil and natural gas, and this temple isn’t the only thing built with that money.
Fun facts:
- one of the largest mosques in the world, capacity around 50,000 people,
- entire complex over 555,000 m²,
- 7 huge crystal chandeliers,
- outside there are large pools that are about knee-deep, where the sheikhs can soak their feet.
Evening – their biggest holiday
Dad said that in the evening there would be a big holiday. I was of course sleeping in the car and occasionally woke up and saw how cars were spraying each other with those sprays, like from celebrations that spray colorful foam. I laughed, but I still didn’t understand what was coming.
We went to dinner, and dad told me to go outside and film the fireworks. And he did well – it was the most beautiful fireworks I’ve ever seen. Apparently it cost 10–20 million euros. I believe it.
When we left the restaurant, I was in shock. Millions of empty spray cans on the ground, everyone spraying everyone, families having picnics on the grass, sidewalks jammed, people everywhere. And the traffic jam? Well, end of the world. Apparently it’s a tradition – everyone goes out in their cars to the streets and sprays each other, just for fun. We even saw a fight – an old grandpa went after a teenager because he was spraying his car.
Taxi home? 130 €. At the end, some random guy opened our taxi driver’s door and sprayed him right in the face. If you did this back home, he’d end up on the ground before he could run away 😅
Along the way, we also went to various museums, optical illusions, and other attractions. But I liked Dubai much more. More options, more modern, better transportation, fewer covered people, and overall it’s more alive there.
Even so – the Emirates are a safe place and it was worth it.