Sunday 27 February 2011

A seven nation army couldn't hold me back

This weekend was very exhausting and active. It's already started on Wednesday when with Diti we went for a meeting organised by Internations - it's an expat portal, but not only locally here. Groups exist in every bigger city. It's basically targeted for people traveling for work and being in a need to make some friends in a new place where they arrive. Very good concept I think. Meeting itself also was ok it took place in Blends at the Address Marina. We made friends with two German girls (why am I not surprised, that German?), had one drink and went home.
But on the Thursday night out took completely different course. With some people we met in Barasti Bar - beach bar with sandy dance floor, electro music and light shows, life music on a top deck, shishas. Not bad one, but electro music was not entirely my kind, but I guess that I was so desperate for some dancing that I wasn't giving a monkeys and I was dancing there and made friends with another female (is that gonna remain Dubai trend?). This time with a girl from Czech Republic, but shortly after I was told that we have to go to another place. Sanctuary in Atlantis Hotel, which is located at the top of the Jumeirah Palm.
A the door we had to pay 100 Dh which is 20 euro. I've never paid that much to enter a club. And when we entered there was again alectro and house, but with live drumming, which was not anything that I would have wanted to pay 100Dh for. Gladily in the end it's showed up that there is seocond dance floor at the balcony with dance and R'n'B sounds and that music was awesome, so I was not regreting any more leaving Barasti and getting there. Music was awesome and I had great 2 hours of dancing. Unfortunately all clubs close here at 2 or 3 a.m. At least you can get some resonable amount of sleep unless you get up at 8 cause you had an appointment with your  colleagues to have breakfast at leave Dubai at 9 to go to Abu Dhabi.
Going to Abu Dhabi you still could get enough sleep if only you knew that excursion will be delayed about an hour.
In the mean time I've also realised that I've lost my mobile phone, I was guessing that it's happened in a cab. It must have slipped out of my pocket. And indeed this is what's happened. I've managed to call my Dubai mobile from my Polish one and after the cab driver picked it we've arranged that he'll bring it back to me in the evening and I'll pay him for that. Hand set that I am using is not the fancy one, but that'd be too much hassle to buy new one, new SIM card, recover all contacts. Paying him 50Dh for bringing it back to me was the easiest and also the cheapest option.
I was very, very frustrated with that delay (prolly also the fact that I was very tired made me more frustrated) and there was another aspect that I was very unhappy with and in the end I've just exploded. I was leaving the car and had a quarrel with two out of three of my colleagues. Last time that I had this kind of 'conversation' was in Siem Reap, I remember how winded up I was there. This time it was doubled. I just hate the fact that some information was hidden from me and I was not asked neither what I think nor what i want.
In the end we've straightened things out and I did not leave the car and I've calmed down and we reached Abu Dhabi. Where we were greeted by great Sheikh Zayed:


Sheikh Zayed welcomed us in Abu Dhabi
Next we directed our steps to Emirates Palace which was exactly behind his back:
Emirates Palace - colossal hotel with nearly 400 rooms, 114 domes, 1.3 km private beach


Stairs leading to Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace

Interior of Emirates Palace

Piano in Emirates Palace. Steinway & Sons

Emirates Palace - Private beach


My beloved tiles in Emirates Palace

There are 1002 chandeliers with Swarovski crystals
Abu Dhabi city center:
Park in Abu Dhabi, feels almost like Central Park in NY

Starbucks in Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan Mosque:
To get into Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan Mosque I had to wear abaya (long black gown) and shayla (headscarf)

 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan Mosque is also knows as Grand Mosque is the newest landmark in Abu Dhabi. It can accommodate up to 40000 worshippers in its central courtyard and main prayer hall. Conceived by the late Sheikh Zayed - the 'father' of the UAE.

Black & white

Beautiful flower patterns are to be found everywhere in Grand Mosque

Main prayer hall. Carpet which is on the floor is the world's largest Persian carpet and took 2000 craftsmen 2 years to complete.

Clock in the Mosque shows Gregorian time, Arabic time and times for prayer,

The composition of marble, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics takes design cues from Morocco, Turkey and India's Taj Mahal

Seven gold-plated crystal chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, the largest measures 10m in diameter and weights almost 9 tonnes.

Tiles in Mosque

Paper cut

Grand Mosque from distance
And as icing on the cake we went to Abu Dhabi Ferrari World, which except Formula Rosa - he fastest roller coaster on the world was disappointing.
Ferrari World is located at Yas Island developed to appeal to cultural sensibilities

Ferrari World - picture of a car

This is the fastest roller coaster in the world. It simulates g-force in formula 1. It speeds up to 240 km/h in 4 sec.

Arabic girls on Formula Rosa. Some of them wear those red 'condoms' to protect shayla from falling.

This was the cutest car I've ever seen.

Abu Dhabi Ferrari World

Boys

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