Day 36: Dubai - Abu Dhabi day trip

Today was the day Mel & I did a bus tour to Abu Dhabi. Our first stop was the impressive Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is one of the world's largest mosques, and can accommodate up to 40,000 worshippers.

The main prayer hall can accommodate up to 9,000 worshippers, with two rooms next to the main prayer hall, holding an additional 1500 worshippers. One of these rooms is for the exclusive use of women. 

It's quite rare for visitors to be allowed inside a mosque, so it was a pretty unique experience, and it was made even more so, as all women had to wear a traditional abaya and a headscarf that were provided free of charge.  I've got to say that it was a pretty surreal experience to wear it.  But it was really worth it as it allowed us to experience the opulence inside the mosque.

Below is part of the Qibla Wall within the prayer hall (which guides worshippers towards the direction of Mecca).  It has the 99 names of Allah written in Kufic script inscribed into the wall surrounded by these beautiful floral designs.  It was stunning.

The jaw-dropping opulence inside the mosque is amazing and if you ever make it to this part of the world, you must visit.

The mosque is home to the world's largest chandelier which hangs at the centrepoint of largest dome.  It has a diameter of 33ft in diameter, and a is 50ft high.  It weighs an incredible 12 tonnes, which is is no small part due to the 40 million pieces of Swarovski crystals that give it some serious sparkle capacity.

And in keeping with "the world's largest..." tradition, the mosque also is home to the world's largest carpet which was made in Iran by 1200 female weavers working in 3 shifts over 2 years.  The carpet, which is dominantly green, measures 60,500 sq ft and weighs 47 tons.  The weave of the carpet also includes raised horizontal invisible lines, that worshippers use to align themselves. In order to transport the world's largest carpet from Iran to Abu Dhabi, it was cut into sections and brought to Abu Dhabi where it was re-fixed again.

Outside the Mosque was just as impressive.

Time to find your shoes...

The inlaid marble was spectacular...

Next up was a brief stop off at a cultural centre that housed many artifacts from the royal family, including cars, photos and stuffed animals.

From here we headed to the U.A.E. Heritage Village were we experienced traditional life in Abu Dhabi before oil revenues altered the landscape and economy.  Here I was able to see examples of Bedouin tents, and reconstructions of palm ('arish) and other houses, old fishing villages, as well as a traditional souq. 

After our lunch stop at the Marina Mall we had quick photo-stop at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

We then headed to Saddiyat Island which is just 500m from Abu Dhabi island and is currently under going a major mixed commercial, residential, and leisure development project that will eventually house over 145,000 people.  It will include cultural projects including the establishment of a Louvre museum and a Guggenheim Museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art.

The Louvre (top left hand corner) & the Guggenheim (top right hand corner)...

A construction workers bus. Saw so many of these...

Our final stop for the day was for an afternoon refreshment at the Yas Island hotel.  Now, you may not be aware, but Yas Island is home to the Yas Island Circuit, which hosts the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.  And as luck would have it, the Formula One was actually going to be there at the weekend.

The very recently opened Ferrari world, Yas Island...

So after a very long day, we headed back to Dubai.  At the bus drop-off point I was finally able to get some good night time pictures of the Burj Al-Arab.