Round The World and other travels

With my (very!) late checkout in place, I was able to have breakfast in the 3rd floor restaurant and set off on a morning city tour with no worries at all. We had a driver and a separate guide - possibly a little overkill? - for our group of three, consisting of me and an Australian couple. We began by visiting the absolutely spectacular Grand Mosque, which I'd spotted (not difficult!) on the way in from the airport the previous day and which was actually still under construction, although close to completion. Our guide wasn't sure if visits by non-Muslims would continue to be allowed once it went into full use. We all removed our shoes and the Australian woman had to put on a black robe and headscarf over her own clothes. I'd never been in a mosque before and had absolutely no idea what to expect, but as we entered the main prayer hall (for men), my jaw nearly hit the floor and I remember making an audible gasp. I've rarely seen so much beauty concentrated in one place, including walls, ceilings, columns, arches, domes, light fittings and the amazingly rich carpet. Even outside the prayer hall, the use of intricate artwork and repeating patterns in the architecture was nothing short of breathtaking. The three of us agreed that, whatever else the rest of the tour covered, we'd already had our money's worth!

Next stop was the Cultural Foundation in the city centre, which shows various aspects of traditional Abu Dhabi life prior to the oil boom, which started in 1959. We also visited the White Fort next door, the oldest building in the city. Next on the agenda were some short visits to various markets, then a drive along the Corniche to the Heritage Village, where the accent was again on showing traditional crafts and skills associated with the area.

On returning to the IC, I had a leisurely lunch and spent most of the afternoon relaxing in my suite, before freshening up in time for my six o'clock checkout and transfer to the airport. The journey to AUH was an easy one and I spent some time in the rather mediocre lounge before heading for the crowded and none too pleasant gate area.