“Gone a dollar, gone a dime, gone a costly weekend of time. But methinks it must’ve been all well spent, after all, no choice, all spent, I did.” – Old Sean
Spookless Desert
Apparently, October has rolled into a travel-heavy month for me. A week after delving into Egypt, I scored cheap, direct, last minute tickets to Abu Dhabi.
The week leading up to the trip was tame. I mostly sorted out necessities of life and handled my usual responsibilities. I enjoyed the little trinkets of Halloween scattered about. Halloween is technically not celebrated within Saudi Arabia. Such themes of witchcraft, magic and other profanities are intensely unwelcome in the Islamic nation.
But that being said, Halloween enjoys enduring secular elements in the world today, with many using it as an entertainment event only. As such, there are some people who embark on mild celebrations of the event. Publically, this usually means some nice decorations and pumpkin-themed food in restaurants.
Regardless, I appreciated the quirks, as Halloween is my favorite US holiday. Last year I spent it visiting haunted houses near the Shenandoah Mountains of the states. This year is far different.
Abu Dhabi Departure
Late one night after dropping off my newly adopted black cat Mischief, I caught a plane heading to the UAE. My flight was at 3:55 in the morning, but delays kept stalling it back to 5:55 AM. Bleary eyed, I finally boarded my plane and promptly started snoozing.
I landed in the UAE to enjoy a smooth series of events. While there are basically no cheap ways out of the airport (Ubers cost around $20 to $30 USD), there are plenty of internet resources around to make transit easy.
I hopped into an Uber and drove into the main city. The drive was surprisingly pretty with white buildings looping across wide islands split with narrow channels. The scenery was undoubtedly pristine, with white towers and reflective, glassy surfaces dotting the horizon. To my right, the wildly tilting Capital Gate Building leaned and loomed.
I finally hopped out of my Uber to get to a small breakfast nook called 1918 Cafe. After a hearty meal, I started walking.
Mr. Meander
I have trouble getting this across to people in person; I love walking. On paper or in messages, people don’t have any trouble understanding this. They nod along and say it’s a nice way to get some exercise or enjoy a day.
But when I meet people in person and tell them my plans simply to walk for miles to reach destinations, I get blank looks. I often shun modern conveniences and transports simply to stride around.
I really enjoy walking. There’s something about being on the ground, passing under trees, learning about a city perfectly and traveling under one’s own power that deeply appeals to me. It lets me feel as though I’ve earned the things I see and experience.
Surprisingly, Abu Dhabi is great for walking. There are wide sidewalks, plenty of crosswalks, shady paths and nice, quiet roads. However, the heat and humidity is oppressive. I spotted no other walkers during my little jaunt. There were a couple of cyclists, however.
I started my walk by visiting the Etihad Modern Art Gallery. After arriving in the country through Etihad Airlines, it seemed an appropriate start point.
The gallery is a neat little place with interesting abstract art and stylized paintings. There are horse statues and roofs made of colorfully painted bike wheels. It’s not overwhelming or anything, just pleasant. I spent around half an hour inside before continuing on my way.
Sand Hedge
It took me a while, but I eventually made it to Abu Dhabi’s beaches. They’re serene, light blue and filled with calm waters and sands. In the distance, mounds of dirt and metal cranes herald construction projects. The Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental elegantly rests on the horizon.
The beaches of Abu Dhabi are an interesting compromise of cultures and economy. With an enormous expat population eager to experience the water, the nation allows for beach access and people to walk around in swimwear. But as a fundamentally Islamic nation, these beaches are pseudo-private. Many are tucked behind tall hedges. Often they are divided between singles areas and family areas.
While the actual rules are a bit confusing to me, I’ve come to see Islamic nations as a bit arbitrary. There are certain cultural rules that are always there, but enforced mostly based on context. There are certain aspects of openness that are encouraged, but with strategically reinforced amendments.
As such, rules seem to shift somewhat from area to area, depending on how internationally welcoming a place is or wishes to appear. I cannot fault the strategy, as it allows visitors to come and spend money while always keeping the laws needed to ensure societal stability. It tends to make visitors careful and respectful when looking at cultural norms, unsure which aspects need to be strictly observed.
Anyway, I digress. The beaches and long, winding walking trails are lovely. Flowers are in a full riot of colors right now, gently dipping over shaded patches of grass and low walls facing water. Birds flitted around freely, chirping up a small storm and the buildings grew gradually more impressive the further I walked towards downtown.
Abu Dhabi doesn’t have a singular, centralized skyline, but it’s spread of nice buildings throughout the entire cityscape is worth considerable appreciation.
Markets and Malls
After my time enjoying the seaside scenery, I wandered deeper into the city, seeking out the famed WTC Mall (World Trade Center Abu Dhabi Mall).
I cannot overstate how much I enjoy this mall’s design. The entire thing is vaguely reminiscent of a Japanese puzzle box with patterned wooden panels, strange overhangs, multiple stories looking through artfully empty space and muted storefronts that never overwhelm the mall’s intended architectural beauty.
I didn’t even see what shops were around. I simply kept walking, enjoying the entire spread. One of the more eye-catching features is Velocity, a massive, three story twisty metal slide with neon lights ringing the outside. It’s supposedly the longest stainless steel slide in the Middle East. Looking at the dramatic drop, I’m not surprised it has the strange honor.
However, since rides down the slider were a hefty 25 UAE Dirham, I stopped with visual appreciation.
The WTC Mall has a sister complex across the street, built in the same style. Famously known as AlSouq, Traditional Market or Old Souq, the building is, admittedly, filled with a lot of eye-catching works of traditional art.
There are patterned Arabian glass lanterns, ornate canes, decorative dishware, folded headscarves, stylized abayas, flashy wristwatches, touristy mugs and stuffed animals, old-school walking canes, Egyptian blue plates, vast troves of silver jewelry, traditional bags, Arabian-themed chess sets, backgammon boards, Sadu tapestries, upscale outfits and bejeweled knick-knacks. To be frank, it was more than I could adequately process and I wasn’t on the market for purchases anyhow.
Unfortunately, the salesmen here are a little pushy. They’re a lot politer than the ones I recently dealt with in Egypt, but stepping into a storefront means a lot of hovering, endearing questions and showcasing of wares. I find it wearying. As such, I didn’t browse nearly as long or as closely as I wanted to.
One of my old techniques for exploring markets is to insist on seeking out something they won’t have. For example, my friends back in Ecuador often have me send them board games. I usually look for rare and traditional games that have heritage ties to the places I visit.
In this case, I told shopkeepers I was looking for Senet, an ancient Egyptian stick-dice game with rules and traditions obscured by time. I knew it would be extremely unlikely anyone had it, so it made it much easier to wave off people when they tried to steer me towards the souvenir or jewelry section of the store.
A perk of traveling at my age is very little compels me anymore. Buying things on the road is inverse to my cultivated nature. Dusty, stubborn, distantly polite and evasive, salesmen have never liked me much.
Lasting Craft
Following my time at the souq and mall, I started walking towards my AirBnb. This brought me through the Qasr Al Hosn Fort, which serves as a royal palace, museum and historical site. Sadly, the fort was closed for renovations, so I was only able to circle the outside. It looked quite similar to the many old Ottoman forts of the region.
Of far more luck, I had the chance to visit the Cultural Foundation of Abu Dhabi. Inside was a spectacular jumble of artwork, all available for free.
This was probably my favorite activity in Abu Dhabi. The Cultural Foundation was so unexpected that it massively improved my overall appreciation for the city, which was already soaring high.
Inside were various, colorful art pieces. Giant colored pencils hung like stalactites from the ceiling and whirls of tangled colorful cords dominated the upper gaze. Elsewhere, rich tapestries of red looped over a round iron pole and strange wigs and masks formed a jumbled heap of garishly bright colors.
It was pretty cool, but things grew even more interesting when walking into the central area. Glass masks, like fragile, delicate fruit, hung down from a dead tree decorated around the base with shining, glassy rocks. This was symbolic of an African Tradition known as Arbre a Palabres “Talking Tree” where communities gathered to exchange important information.
In the center of the room, a dozen of angled pillars shot upwards supporting a tangled roof of old, obsolete wires, straw and other repurposed materials.
Elsewhere, traditionally dressed figures with glass heads lounged in the fringes. There were pieces of blazingly bright artworks made of jumbled chalk. These figures had masks made in the style of the nkisi nkondi or “power masks” which functioned like a wearable sacred container capable of summoning certain abilities and awarenesses into the physical realms. The spiritual forces of the mask are attributed to differing kinds of minkisi (plural of nkisi) which change and alter in material and creation with each generation to demonstrate their mutability through time.
The entire display was a widely differing cultural background. The works I saw were primarily designed through the efforts of artist Pascale Marthine Tayou who utilized salvage as a mode of survival and creative enterprise.
Tayou is also known for his unique relationship with Cameroon’s street-sellers, locally called Sauveteur. This term refers to the highly mobile traveling salesmen of the region, often known for selling rare and unusual wears. There is a highly localized mythos around them, roughly parallel to the traveling tinkers of Europe, which consisted of traveling groups and Romani people who specialized in the trade, primarily from indigenous Irish and Scottish settings.
Sauveteurs, of course, come from an entirely different conceptual space and cultural background. They have continued to provide vital trade services to Cameroon into the modern era. Though Cameroon’s government has made several efforts to curtail Sauveteurs over the decades, they remain a potent part of the country’s culture and economic engine.
How odd is the world these days. Fly to the United Arab Emirates, pick up some African art and folklore.
Dribble and Walk
After exiting the Cultural Center, I made my way to my AirBnb. It was the hottest part of the day, so I started sweating early as I struggled back south.
Eventually, however, I made it to my accommodations. My hosts were extremely nice and friendly, making it an easy place to visit and stay. I took a shower, laid down for a nap while my phone charged, and headed out once again.
After the day had cooled off a bit and true dark had fallen, I tried using the bus system to get around the city. One of the major hindrances of Abu Dhabi is the tremendous cost of personal transportation. Though there is a bus system to somewhat mitigate this, it’s not terribly timely and it’s often too crowded to use during rush hour.
Nevertheless, I gave it a shot. Stopping by the bustling Al Wahdah Mall, I lurked downstairs at the supermarket shopping space, flinching at blaring spokesmen selling nonsense through a loudspeaker to buy a Hafelat Card for the bus. All for the depressing price of 40 UAE Dirhams
Sadly, the card wasn’t as useful as I imagined. Bus schedules fluctuate too much to make the card practical, but at least the bus shuttled me back downtown. Later, I realized that there were no buses that could take me to my preferred destination, and Uber opportunities that far out were scarce.
Downtown, I found an Irish Pub and got myself dinner, followed by a walk through a park and stroll along Corniche, the seaside trail following the nearby northern coast. With that finished, I trudged home, unable to lock onto a bus going the right direction and promptly passed out.
Upscale Island
The following day, I struggled with the bus system for hours trying to reach Saadiyat Island.
I eventually gave up, got myself a massive traditional breakfast at Cafe 302 and ordered myself an Uber. Without waiting for a bus in the slogging heat, I got to appreciate the shores and skylines of Abu Dhabi again. It’s truly a beautiful city, just a mighty challenge for those wishing to try backpacking through the world.
When I finally crossed the bridge to Saadiyat Island, I was surprised to see how undeveloped it was. That should change soon, however, since massive construction vehicles and mounds of construction supplies cover the barren areas. To the north, the island is a magnificent tumble of cranes and rising building skeletons.
I had my Uber drop me off at the Abrahamic Family House, a strange trio of structures dedicated and consecrated within the same complex to the world’s largest Abrahamic religions. There was a Jewish synagogue, a Muslim mosque and a Christian church, separated by an elevated garden area. In the distance, the new Abu Dhabi National Museum was taking shape, strange, lined fins surrounded by rotating cranes.
The entire experience is a little surreal. It’s not common for these three faiths to be placed alongside one another so visibly. The central tenants of the complex are for peace among faiths and an exchange among spiritual ideas. Ironically, I had more trouble getting into the Abrahamic Family House than I did at the airport. The security, for obvious reasons, is fairly strict. My electric toothbrush was surrendered until I left.
I went through each structure quietly, taking my photos and listening to tour guides speak in English. The entire space was elegantly done and I enjoyed myself. Religion in the Middle East has come to feel abstract to me. There are feelings wound into the fabric of this portion of the world that make it challenging to quantify.
Grand the Art
Following my time in the Abrahamic Family House, I walked to the next location, the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
And Abu Dhabi delivers.
A massive domed building with a strange, cross-structured web of metal stood over polished white walls gazing out to sea. There’s really no proper way to capture the maze-like grandeur and water-shaping architecture of the building. It’s fair to say the building is an architectural wonder. Walking inside is a compelling experience, even if it was a simple, empty building devoid of art. The hazy blue skyline of Abu Dhabi lounges in the distance.
I enjoyed wandering the museum. There were endless, intricate exhibits encasing artwork from around the planet. The sheer scope of styles on display would take a couple of pages to capture. But if I was to write a shorthand list of my favorites, it would include Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets, Egyptian statues and sarcophaguses, Greek painted vases, Chinese arched dragon statues, tiled warriors of Assyria, classical Roman and Greek contrapposto marble statues, Persian cult carvings of Mithras and his bull, serene wood-carved Buddhas, Amerindian statuettes, meticulously detailed Age of Exploration globes, gracious paintings of mythological and biblical events, strange, stunted abstract metal pieces, vacant-eyed busts with grim expressions, full and formal samurai armor, ceremonial cavalry attire, perfectly abstract paintings of spirals and focus-defying lines, massive metal trees and so much more.
The museum takes a good three hours to appreciate. My favorite part, however, were the little quotation accents scattered throughout. They were snippets of some of my most beloved poems and tidbits of wisdom. If I had found a bit of Alfred Lord Tennyson, it would’ve been a sublime reading and wandering experience.
Deep autumn;
My neighbor,
How does he live?
Basho’s haiku
The greatest traveller is he who has been able once to take a tour around himself.
Confucius
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
William Wordsworth
All that art and words were my snare once more.
Grand Mosque
With my time at the Louvre finished, my hours in Abu Dhabi were lingering low.
I decided there was only one last place I absolutely needed to visit. I grabbed an Uber and took a ride to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
And wow.
The structure was worthy of all they hype. Gorgeous domes, towers and white walls hinted at purity against a blue sky tinged with the first beginnings of an orange sunset. Pillars were adorned with gold flowers and hallways were traced with lacing of delicate vines.
In the main hall, massive crystal chandeliers hung in silence over rooms with immense ceilings and endless carpeted spaces. The entire zone was designed with tourism walking paths. Even crowded with milling hoards, large portions of the complex seemed quiet and serene.
I enjoyed the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque a lot. It’s a lovely way to finish the evening. Getting to the Mosque is a mild challenge as there are numerous online check ins and a number of rules common to Islamic tourist sites, but tickets are free at the moment, so I had a splendid time.
I spent another hour wandering through the mall below before hopping across the street to visit Wahat AlKarama, an honor and valor structure of tilting, stark metal walls with spiraling Arabic script and enchanting views of the Grand Mosque under an orange sunset.
With that, my time in Abu Dhabi was finished. I walked up to the nearby The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, subtly borrowed their WIFI and zoomed over to the airport.
Half-Closed Lune
Getting into the airport was so painless, it was hilarious. Abu Dhabi’s airport security is beyond state-of-the-art. Walking in through scanners, online check in and a swift passport stamp got me to my gate in record time, allowing me to rest and type this.
Likewise, my flight home was nice. I snoozed fitfully and returned to Riyadh, picking up my adopted black cat Mischief.
Mischief, who utterly loathes any time spent in his cat carrier, likely didn’t appreciate this. But overhead, the moon was shifting into a partial eclipse. The event lasted from between 10:35 p.m. and 11:52 p.m. Saudi time with Mischief meowing pointedly the entire time.
And on that note, my vacation ended. It’s time for me to wander back home for a breather. After two weekends in a row traveling abroad, a break wouldn’t go amiss.
Overall, I adored Abu Dhabi. I had a tremendous time there, but the sheer financial cost is a bit challenging. The only thing I deeply wished to see that I missed entirely was the Jubail Mangrove Park. If I ever make it back, I intend to rent a car and make that the top of my list.
But with that being said, it’s time to rest.
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written October 29th, 2023
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