United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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5 days in Abu Dhabi Itinerary
Lying at the coast of the Persian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is one among the seven emirates that form the country of United Arab Emirates(UAE). The city of Abu Dhabi, which is within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is the capital of the country. The city of Abu Dhabi comprises of the Island of Abu Dhabi and several other islands like Reem, Yas, Saadiyat and many suburban areas on the mainland. In this article ‘5 days in Abu Dhabi itinerary’, I craft an itinerary focused mainly on Abu Dhabi city and a little bit of the experiences outside the city as well, but still within the boundaries of the Emirate of…
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Emirati House Experience Abu Dhabi: In a majlis at an Emirati’s home
Modern Arabs like drawing boundaries. They prefer living a private life, one that is often deemed as a refusal to communicate with strangers. Maitha Essa, an Emirati woman, has taken upon the task to dispel all myths and misunderstandings about the Arab society. Three days a week, she hosts expatriates and tourists for 3-4 hours at her home in Abu Dhabi for a dinner preceded by a candid chat session—the Emirati House Experience. I attend one of her sessions along with five other Indian women, my colleagues. Under the beams of streetlights, I walk in a peaceful neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi city clustered with several beige coloured houses. Maitha answers…
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Mina Date Market Abu Dhabi: The cheapest and best date souq in the city
Modern Abu Dhabi is defined by swanky high-rises that would sweep one off their feet, high-end entertainment zones, broad streets and multicultural dining experiences—a cocoon of luxury. Every indoor space here is temperature controlled, even the tiniest of the shops. Open souks (open air markets), a typical feature of the Middle east, have been improvised and lumped together inside posh structures, giving them the anonymity of modern times. So yes, I am right to be surprised to find a market that deviates from the usual. The Abu Dhabi Date Market or the Mina Date Market is a wholesale market for dates, fruits and vegetables near the fish market at Mina…
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A visit to Yas Island Abu Dhabi: Theme parks and shopping
Since coming to Abu Dhabi I have been stunned a number of times by what human ambition can achieve. Building a futuristic city on the fringes of a desert in a country that was formed just a few decades back is no small feat. Midway into my trip, on the third day, just when I was thinking that it couldn’t get any more bizarre, here I am standing, beneath an artificial sky in Warner Brothers World in Yas Island of Abu Dhabi. Yas Island used to be an extension of mainland Abu Dhabi before a part of it was dredged and a canal was cut to separate it from the…
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The Arabian Nights Village: Among the sands of the Empty Quarters desert
Curves of sand fringe the polished highway. In the dearth of life here, the austerity of the planet seems haunting. Ever-changing dunes move to the rhythm of the wind. Suddenly in my horizon is a settlement that rests in the valley of the desert dunes—the Arabian Nights Village—a resort in the middle of nowhere. I step down from the vehicle to enjoy the pre-booked half-day tour offered by the resort. The Arabian Nights Village was established in 2012 in the Empty Quarter desert or Rub’ al Khali, 123 kilometres away from Abu Dhabi city. Generosity and hospitality have always been the bedrock of Bedouin culture; imbibing that, the resort goes…
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Louvre Abu Dhabi Collection: Piecing history together in the Louvre Museum
“The Louvre Abu Dhabi collection is mindblowing,” I have heard that from art enthusiasts before arriving in UAE. Under the blue sky, in the company of some date palm trees, rising from the white façade is a chaos of shiny metals intricately weaved into one another forming a hemisphere. I am at the entrance of Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, the largest museum in the Middle East. The azure water of the Persian Gulf touches the walkway to the entrance. The sophisticated white lattice screens, better known here as mashrabiyas, border the walkway. The screens cover the roof of the walkway too, exposing the visitors to an interesting play of…
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Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Tour: In close quarters with birds of prey
Wearing a long white robe and a head-cover, a young Emirati man with a stubble is introducing the bygone nomadic life of his ancestors. He, the guide, and we, the tourists, stand forming a circle. At the centre of the human ring is a glass showcase with several sculpted falcons. I am in Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital—a government hospital dedicated to the treatment and upkeep of falcons. Established in 1999 as a government subsidized falcon veterinary centre, eventually it delved deeper into research and development of medicines. In 2006 the falcon hospital was capable of providing care to all species of birds. In 2007 it opened a facility to provide…
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Royal Meal: Dinner at the Ramadan tent in Emirates Palace
The focus of my camera readjusts a million times. Under the shining golden dome adorned with geometrical patterns, I stand pointing my camera towards it. White and gold are the two colours that reign in the interiors, manifesting a certain warmth in the design of this place—The Emirates Palace. All the shopping at WTC Souk has wearied me out and I yearn to sit down, but, I am not prepared for what awaits me. There has been too many firsts today. My first touchdown outside the Indian subcontinent, my first time in the Middle-East, my first time donning an abaya at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and now I am in…
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At World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, shopping comes first
Souq is an Arabian word that usually refers to open-air markets of the Middle-eastern countries. It bears the same meaning as bedestens in Turkey or bazaars in India. In fact, the word ‘souq’ has an ancient Akkadian origin! One such rustic souq once existed at the place where I am standing now—the modern souq at World Trade Center Abu Dhabi. In the World Trade Center(WTC) complex, Burj Mohammad bin Rashid is the tallest building in Abu Dhabi with 92 floors. It is an entirely residential building, and standing alongside it is the WTC Souk. Georgette, my guide, informs me that the new sophisticated state-of-the-art marketplace WTC Souk came into being…
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The Abu Dhabi Skyline: From the skyscrapers to the Corniche
While my car darts through the Capital Centre neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi city, I come by an architectural marvel that challenges physics. The Capital Gate Building is a 35-storey record-breaking structure that leans 18 degree to the west. It is more than four times the current incline of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Apart from the Hyatt Hotel, the building houses several offices. I also wheel past Al Bateen, an upscale neighbourhood where the current residential palace of the ruler of Abu Dhabi is located. Like the citizens, the royals, though extremely active on social fronts, are exceptionally private people. My guide informs me that one out of…
