The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
There’s more to Abu Dhabi than strolling thestreetsinawe
With the arrival of hotly-anticipated Expo 2020, Abu Dhabi is gearing up to be one of this year’s mustvisit destinations. Katie Wright finds out why
B ringing together
192 countries for a six-month high-tech spectacle in a 1,000acre site, Expo 2020 is going to be a big deal, to put it mildly.
While Dubai is the official host city, the Expo is located just an hour from Abu Dhabi, making the latter an ideal base from which to explore the multicultural event when it opens in October (expo2020dubai.com).
Held every five years, a World Expo is an international festival designed for countries to share ideas, innovations and entertainment.
This year, the huge sprawl of 190 participating nation pavilions – from Algeria to Zimbabwe – will offer live performances, cultural experiences, local food flavours and a glimpse into the future with cutting-edge tech demonstrations.
With direct flights from the UK to Abu Dhabi in just seven hours, and the Expo taking place when the scorching heat of summer has subsided, it’s the perfect time to soak up some winter sun with no risk of debilitating jet lag (the time difference is only three hours).
Plus, there’s so much more to this Arabian gem, as I discover when I venture to the largest of the seven emirates.
Size matters, it seems, in Abu Dhabi, because everywhere I go, I encounter buildings so vast they cause my jaw to literally drop – and it’s not just the shiny skyscrapers that line the city centre’s Corniche Road.
The first time it happens is when I enter the main courtyard of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (szgmc.gov.ae), a gleaming expanse of white marble, topped with four minarets and 82 gold domes, that can accommodate some 50,000 worshippers at a time.
On days when the Grand Mosque isn’t populated with Muslims at prayer, it’s free for visitors, but you must be appropriately attired in long-sleeved clothing and, for women, a headscarf (“abaya” dresses and head scarves are provided on entry).
Despite its size – and popularity with tourists – the site remains a whisperquiet haven of calm.
The silence is broken only by the call to prayer, a melodic recitation broadcast five times a day over loudspeakers.
Inside, I’m surprised to find the pale marble makes way for a colourful, intricately patterned carpet, stretching as far as the eye can see, and a series of humongous crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
It turns out I’m looking at two of the mosque’s three record-breaking features: the world’s biggest chandelier and the largest handwoven carpet (the third is the largest dome of its kind).