Time to look around town with some brekky. We enter one of the many malls around town and end up here for brekfast.
Good coffee, great service then off for an amazing view from up in the tower behind the cafe.
The jet lag is starting to set in now and can feel my feet dragging and my mind in neutral. I need to see something other than chain stores. A mall is a mall is a mall no matter what country you are in. Sorry but they are just plain boring!!!!!
So time for a bit of culture so we head off to the QASR AL HOSN the most iconic building in Abu Dhabi where life unfolded in the days before oil. Unfortunately it was under maintenance construction so we had to be satisfied with an historical exhibition.
So the next most famous site is SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE. So we jumped into a taxi and headed out to this most wondrous site. One thousand gilt topped, marble columns designed to represent the cherished date palm. Intricate floral patterns meticulously crafted from semi precious stones and mother of pearl. Minarets topped with 24 carat gold and finest white marble throughout.
At the centre of the main prayer hall is is the world's largest crystal chandelier, one of seven, it measures 10 metres in diameter, 15 metres tall and weighs approx 9 tonnes.
The carpet in the main hall of the Grand Mosque is the world's largest hand woven carpet measuring 5,700 square metres and was created in Iran by a team of 1,300 weavers. Truly awesome and not to be missed by anyone visiting Abu Dhabi.
The view from our hotel room over flat roofs and out to the beach. Calling this a beach to an Australian is like calling a mud hole to a lake. It was like someone had made a pretend beach on the Parramatta river. I decided to stay in the shade of my Arabian tent.
May 3rd
Fly to Manchester UK where we are greeted by friends Alice & Helen. We arrive at their lovely home set up high on a hill overlooking rolling fields, bunnies romping in the fields, a young foal cantering here and there. So story book english.
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