This is the last day of the trip, and another 40C day, so we’re making the most of it by doing very little. Frances went for a swim and then a short walk around the local area.
In the afternoon we took a taxi to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is one of the major attractions in Abu Dhabi. Like many other projects it’s not completely finished, but is a significant structure. It can accommodate 7,000 people (men) inside the mosque and another 20,000 in the outer courtyard. It was different to the mosque in Muscat, Oman, in that it was almost completely white and more formal in its layout.
It's Friday, the holy day in Islam, so the mosque is used by worshippers until the afternoon. We arrived a bit late for the 5pm tour, and they were pretty strict about clothing. Frances had to wear full black abaya to enter (which they provide at the entrance) which also took time. However we did catch part of the tour which was quite interesting and informative. The majority of visitors were Muslims from other countries and cultures, I suspect predominantly from Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia. Emiratis only comprise 11% of the population, the balance made up of immigrant workers (including business men and women, teachers, health workers etc.) and tourists.
The interior is pretty spectacular, for the sheer size and the apparent simplicity of the decoration. It’s hard to imagine the amount of detailed work that has gone into the inlaid stone decoration and the hand woven carpet that covers the interior. The walls are clad with white marble, and inlaid or overlaid with coloured stone to create the design. The carpet (as in the grand mosque in Oman) was made by women in Iran and then shipped over in approximately 1 metre wide sections and stitched together on site.
After the mosque, we went to the Iranian market, another of the few attractions in Abu Dhabi. What a disappointment – just a series of plant and pottery shops along the port. However, nearby there was what looked like a shopping mall. We walked through the heat until we arrived at the mall, and found it to be full of local families (Emiratis, Indians, Pakistanis, Phillipinas, etc.) out shopping for the evening. There were lots of activities to keep the children amused while the parent/s got on with the shopping. After all it was the Islamic Sunday.
It was only a short taxi ride back to the hotel, and although we were a little later than usual for the cocktail hour, we managed to arrive in time to enjoy a drink and some of the snacks. Tonight the canapés were smoked salmon with lettuce and capers, and camembert with walnuts. The hot food consisted of chicken kebabs and fried kibbeh.
Here's a parting photo from Abu Dhabi, taken from the Heritage Village, across the narrow bay. It contains a few of the elements that define the city - the blue-green water (temperature 32C),the heat and dust haze, the Corniche, narrow stip of sand backed by an 8-lane highway, backed by completed skyscrapers and others under construction. Compared to this, Muscat in Oman was a beautiful Arabic city, built up but still retaining a human scale, and more of the traditional cultural heritage.Tomorrow morning, Saturday, we catch the flight back to Sydney, arriving Sunday morning.
