I arrived in Abu Dhabi after the 2 hour bus ride from Dubai on a very nice UAE version of I5. Although going through the desert, and fairly close to the ocean, one would not expect to have small green trees alongside the highway and in the divider for the 100 mile trip…but there they were, and I have it on video. We arrived at the Main Bus Station and I had my first look at the crowd waiting to get on, and some getting off of the 20 or so buses….and had flashbacks to India. Obviously Abu Dhabi has a huge number of Indians and Pakistanis and folks from many other nations from the sub-continent …for that was about all I saw. I asked around for the taxi line…..and totally different than in Dubai…very little order. I spotted an empty one and he stopped and I told him the Crowne Plaza and off we went. He was from Bangladesh and talked the entire way…through some very slow early rush hour traffic….just like ours in SF or LA…except much more deliberate drivers and complete disregard for lanes…just look where you want to go and go and don’t think about what is behind or next to you. Reminded me so much of our first days in Beijing and Hong Kong back when. In about 20 minutes we arrived and the taxi cost 20 dhs, or about $7…so can’t complain.
Checked in and very pleased with all….and then decided to go for the walk up to the Abu Dhabi Mall…supposedly a short walk. First mistake….it was 40 minutes and hot, hot, and hotter. I got to the Mall, and it is more of an ordinary mall….nothing fancy….so finally found a seat to sit and read some info about the City that I got at the hotel. Since none of the restaurants can start serving until 7 PM due to Ramadan…nothing was open, and you cannot drink water or eat or anything in public…. I decided that I would start back towards the hotel and then eat when I got to the hotel area. Second mistake….should have taken a taxi….but it is the end of their work week and taxi’s are full, etc…so just kept walking. Well, the humidity here seems to be higher than in Dubai….and the further I walked the more I dripped, and then dripped some more, and some more. Bottom line…when I got back to the hotel my shirt was wet as if I had just washed it before it dried. I came right up to the hotel and drank a full bottle of water…and sat down here to capture the moment. Note to me….I have never been this hot and wet at the same time before….so be sure and tell all folks that want to come to Abu Dhabi the end of August, be prepared for heat, and humidity…in a combination that makes one almost miserable…..and I was pretty close to that….well, I am cooling down fast now.
Initial observation about Abu Dhabi…and some initial comparisons. (1) A completely different style of city, and much more traditional. Big wide streets, some with trees and plants in the middle, and very traditional blocks, although some very big and some small….with every open inch for parking filled. (2) Older buildings for the most part….with new glass high-rise along side the old. As in Dubai, a lot of construction started, and a lot waiting to be completed. (3) A city that you can walk in….but not like London where everything is so close. Completely different in this respect from Dubai…which is not at all a walking city, with various areas spread out over 20 miles. (4) Much different feel with the people on the street, with a very strong presence of Indians and others from the sub-continent…and not nearly the white and black robed folks like in Dubai (5) A very busy city…granted 5 PM on their Friday…..but still very crowded in comparison….and like when I look out from my 14th floor window….I am just looking at buildings, much as if I was in Chicago or NYC.
Well, dinner time….and I have cooled down, so more later.
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