Abu Dhabi, the UAE – Would you believe it, that all this was sand (and sea), just some 60 years back?
Just started work after a long weekend. Long weekends are nice. They let you relax, and forget about work. They’re not so nice when you return to work. Heck, who wants to work after a nice time enjoying? But that’s life – no work, no money, no life, sigh…
The long weekend was for UAE’s National Day celebrations, on December 2nd. Generous UAE has now made November 30th another holiday, Commemoration Day, to remember the fallen heroes of the UAE. We like it. Heck, any holiday is a good holiday. And UAE being what they are, has a habit of clubbing holidays together. Better so, when it coincides with a weekend. This year, the UAE announced that the holidays would be from December 1st to December 5th (4th and 5th being the weekend Fri-Sat), never mind that Commemoration Day is actually on the 30th of November. (Heck, we can always remember them a day later right?)
Our not so generous company however, decided that the holidays would only be for 3 days, from December 2nd to 4th. Commemoration can always take place while we’re at work, in the company’s mind. But hell, it’s still better than no holidays at all!
December 1st happens to be Justin’s birthday. So, it looks like there’ll always be a holiday on his birthday from now onwards eh? In the UAE anyway. Lucky fellow!
In keeping with my present strategy of posting every post with some pictures (except depressing posts which I don’t need people to read about), here’re some pictures of the capital of the UAE, to throw some UAE festive spirit onto the blog, and to commemorate some dead heroes along the way, …whoever they are. It was this, or post pictures of Justin’s 6th year birthday, and there’re just too many photos to sort out and too much work to do for that to happen immediately. Enjoy!
The Marina Mall Abu Dhabi – We’d somehow always end up here, don’t ask me why
On the causeway / breakwater / whatever you call it, between the Abu Dhabi Corniche and Marina Mall
A cafeteria on the causeway. Here’s a picture of the place in 2008, on our first visit to Abu Dhabi
In a place where everything is sand, a piece of swampland, however undesirable it may sound, is a gem! And so it is with Abu Dhabi. The mangrove swamps around the city are so treasured, that to remove or disturb any little piece of them, will need approval from the highest office (or so I heard!) What’s more, you’d have to replant mangroves double the area of what you’ve removed! OK, I’m not against swamps, I know they’re very important for the eco-system and such, but just imagine, all the muck and critters crawling around! Heck, in Malaysia, we just use them for bakau piles! And fishing! And protecting the shoreline. And… Hey, looks like swamps are actually quite useful after all!
The old and the new – Boats on the beach at Abu Dhabi Heritage Village, with a view of the Abu Dhabi Corniche Area across the sea
Camel herder at the Heritage Village, Abu Dhabi
Along the Abu Dhabi Corniche, beautifully landscaped – Don’t believe this was all sand not too long ago? Just google images of Abu Dhabi Past or Abu Dhabi History
Sand sculptures on the Abu Dhabi Corniche Beach
The leaning tower of Abu Dhabi, …no wait, let me google. Huh? Google Map doesn’t even have a name for this place!? …Luckily Wikipedia has it – Capital Gate
Inside the Royal Meridien Hotel, Abu Dhabi – rare pic of my current immediate boss, Ravi, Senior Engineering Manager, and Keith Sargeant, ex-Business Development Manager of the company
Courtyard of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi – for more pictures of this fabulous mosque, check out this previous post
Anu & Kim on the seafront facing the Emirates Palace Hotel (the squat brown buildings, with the central dome). Recognize those shiny towers on the left – they’re the Etihad Towers where the heroes in the Fast & Furious 7 movie stole a sports car and drove it flying through 3 of the friggin towers!!! Only in Hollywood!
Same seafront as above, different view, with Anu & Dad. Not a bad place for a picnic huh? …In winter that is
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