By: Mohammad Ashraf Fazili
(Former Chief Engineer, J&K Govt)
Travel is not merely about visiting places; it is about understanding how history, culture, architecture and modern ambition blend to shape a nation’s identity. My visits across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain offered me a profound glimpse into a country that has transformed itself from desert landscapes into a vibrant global hub, while still preserving its heritage.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Surrounded all around by the sea waters of the Saadiyat Island, this is the first universal museum in the Arab World translating and fostering the spirit of openness between cultures. This artlover’s dream displays works of historical significance from ancient times to the contemporary era.
The museum is a part of a US$27 billion tourist and cultural development for Saadiyat Island, planned to house a cluster of world-class cultural assets. It is a new cultural beacon bringing different cultures together to throw fresh light on the shared stories of the humanity.
The origin of this Louvre dates back to March 2007. The UAE and France formed an unprecedented partnership for cultural exchange and the highlight of this would be the establishment of Louvre on Saadyat island. The partnership would combine the UAE’s bold vision of cultural progression and openness, with France’s expertise in the world of art and museums. It would explore the shared themes that reveal and connect humanity.
The Louvre represents the dynamic nature of the contemporary Arab world while celebrating the region’s vibrant multicultural heritage. Agence France Museums-17 of France’s most renowned culture institutions coordinates the loan of artworks to this UAE museum and provides management expertise. A few years back I visited the wonderfully built dome shaped museum where some rare art works, sculptors of great men like Aristotal, scientists, historians, inventors, mummy of Pharoh etc,. were spread over a vast area of space.
There are 9200 sq. metres of displays including the permanent galleries which showcase the museums collections as well as loans from notable French museums d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou. Meanwhile the temporary galleries feature a roster of special exhibitions throughout the year.
The building itself is an architectural masterpiece, designed by Pritzker prize winning architect Jean Nouvel. The vast silvery dome that aappears to float above the museum despite its apparant weightlessness weighs around 7,500 tons. Inspired by thecupola, a distinctive feature in Arabic architecture, Nouvel’s dome is a complex geometric structure composed of 7,850 stars. These stars appear in various sizes and angles in eight different layers. As the sun passes through, the geometric pattern adorns the museum with beautiful shadows projecting a spotted pattern on the ground known as the rain of light.
It houses a vast collection of significant artworks and artefacts which spotlight human creativity through the ages. Spread across 6,400 sq metres, the museum offers a comprehensive exploration of diverse cultures and civilisations. From ancient relics to contemporary masterpieces, visitors can discover a rich display of human creativity.
Sports City Stadium
It is a multipurpose stadium located in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi with a capacity of 44,260 people opened in January 1980 and renovated in 2009. It is the largest stadium in UAE and complies with international standards and is used for a wide range of events. It hosted 1996 AFC Asian Cup, 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and the 18th Arabian Gulf Cup. The semifinals and finals of 2009 and 2010 FIFA World Cups were also held at this stadium. The stadium again hosted the Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018. It also held the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Qasr Al Hosn Palace is Abu Dhabi’s oldest stone structure, the symbolic birth place of the city, and a historic landmark representing the development of the UAE capital from a fishing village to a metropolis. It is a commanding figure surrounded by the emirates skyline- a beautiful contrast between old and new. It was built in the 1790’s and was once home to the ruling family. The building also housed the National Consultative Council, founded by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder of the UAE. Transformed into a museum in 2018 after a decade’s worth of intensive conservation and very delicate restorative work, walking into the Al Hosn fort is like stepping into a time capsule.
Qasr Al Hosn is located on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saaed Al Maktoum Street, about 30 minutes from zayed International Airport. One can soak up the fascinating history of the UAE’s capital or spend the day admiring the artefact and archival materials from 6,000 years ago. Today the Al Hosn palace has become the nation’s living memorial of a time long gone and a visual reflection of Abu Dhabi’s history. An annual celebration of UAE culture is held at the start of the year. Featuring live music and dances, workshops, interactive activations, art exhibitions and other traditional performances, the festival showcases the best of Abu Dhabi’s past and present against the stunning backdrop of Al Hosn. A few years i visited the palace and was surprised to find the old construction of the building ensuring cool air circulation through high chimneys rising from the room to higher than the roof level. Besides life size LED photographs of the royal family with their style of living facing the rugged desert life is worth noting.
Global Village
It is a major cultural , shopping, and entertainment destination primarily located in Dubai though tours from Abu Dhabi frequently visit it; it’s a seasonal, festival-like event with pavillions from over 75 countries, offering international food, unique crafts, live shows, and carnival rides, celebrating global diversity in one place. There has been a lot of development regarding infrastructure, pavements and parking spaces as compared to the earlier status observed by me a few years earlier.
Expo 2020
It was hosted in Dubai from October 2021 tp march 2022, featuring the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ with Abu Dhabi serving as a key base for visitors to experience the UAE, offering attractions like Etihad Towers and mangrove kayaking, while Etihad Airways provided complementary Expo tickets, linking the two cities as part of the overall UAE experience. Visiting the Expo 2020 was a novel experience. Spread over a vast area one could cover the pavillions of only a few countries in a day. Visiting Russian pavillion was a great fun to observe the functions of the human brain depicted three dimentionally with commentary. Similarly the Iranian pavillion depicted the great Islamic scholars, philosophers, scientists with their sculptures, handwritten manuscripts and rare carpet designs etc.
Miracle Garden
The beautiful Miracle Gardens in Dubai with a private transfer from Abu Dhabi Marvel of 45 million flowers laid out in beautiful designs such as pyramids, buildings, arches and more. Aeroplane, vintage cars covered in flower designs spread across the 72,000 sq meter gardens and spend the day surrounded by beautiful flowers of all varieties and sizes. One feels as if in a paradise made miraculously possible by the management located in what was once a desert area.
Manasir
This place is very popular with Abu Dhabi’s expat residents. The leafy streets are home to a number of embassies and various palaces, and being relatively traffic free, they are a great place to go cycling and jogging.
Al Safarat
This is located on the south side of the island dominated by the General Exhibition Centre having a number of international exhibitions and conferences every year. Just behind the Exhibition Centre is the Heritage/Bedouin village where one can have a glimpse of how life used to be. The grandstand that looks onto Coast Road will surprise many first time visitors. Other major landmarks in the area include Sheikh Zayed Sports Centre, The Sharia Courts, and the headquarters of Abu Dhabi InternationaI Hotels besides a Diplomatic Area home to a number of embassies including those of USA, Bahrain, Pakistan and India. The magnifiscent Emirates Palace Hotel , which opened in 2005 is located nearby.
Al Maqtaa
This covers the southern end of the island and named after the Al Maqtaa Fort this area is dominated by the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque, known locally as the Grand Mosque, and Al Diar Gulf Hotel. The Al Maqtaa Bridge gives easy access to the roads to Al Ain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Al Matar
Being off the Eastern Ring Road, it is dominated by the Khalifa Park. One of the city’s larger parks and a major landmark, the local and internationally inspired gardens are set in a landscape of canals, fountains, lakes and waterfalls. With play equipment for children, picnic facilities and an outdoor auditorium, it is popular place to get some fresh air in the cooler months. A number of mixed commercial and residential buildings have been built around the park and several government departments relocated here.
Umm Al Nar
The area is situated on the outskirts of the city, on the road to Dubai and Al Ain and is known for the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and large independent villas.
The Islands
There are over 200 islands, many just a boat ride away. They vary in size and the majority are flat, sandy and uninhabited. Island hopping is a popular pastime with the boating fraternity; it offers the opportunity to explore, barbeque or simply relax in absolute peace.
To be continued..
