Abu Dhabi painted by Littlelle

Abu Dhabi é a capital dos Emirados Árabes Unidos, país composto por 7 estados árabes do qual faz parte também o Dubai. Abu Dhabi é uma metrópole moderna, que oferece aos visitantes alguns sítios culturais e históricos e edifícios exuberantes, tudo envolto em luxo!

Abu Dhabi is the capital of United Arab Emirates, a country composed by 7 Arab states which Dubai belongs to. Abu Dhabi is a modern metropole, providing visitants with some cultural and historical places and lush buildings, all wrapped in luxury.

Buildings in Abu Dhabi (photo by Littlelle)

Abu Dhabi city (photo by Littlelle)

Buildings in Adu Dhabi (photo by Littlelle)

No caminho pela cidade não vimos casas, mas palácios! Um dos grandes exemplares é o Emirates Palace que é considerado por muitos um Hotel de 7 estrelas, onde servem até café com raspas de ouro. Extravagâncias do mundo árabe!

In the city we did not see houses but palaces instead! One great example is the Emirates Palace which is considered a 7 stars hotel by many people, where they even serve coffee with golden shavings. Extravagances from the Arabic world!

Emirates Palace (photo by Littlelle)

Emirates Palace entrance (photo by Mário Santos, edited by Littlelle)

Aproveitando o facto de estar no Dubai, que fica a cerca de 160 km de distância de Abu Dhabi, desloquei-me a esta cidade exclusivamente para conhecer a Grande Mesquita Branca - a Mesquita Sheikh Zayed . Foi inaugurada em 2007 em homenagem a Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, o fundador dos Emirados e que aí se encontra sepultado. É a maior mesquita dos Emirados Árabes Unidos e a 8ª maior do mundo, com capacidade para 41 000 pessoas. Apresenta 82 cúpulas, 8 minaretes e 1000 colunas em mármore branco com alguns detalhes em ouro, que refletem nos espelhos de água em seu redor.

Taking advantage of the fact of being in Dubai, that is around 160km away from Abu Dhabi, I went to this city exclusively to know The Big White Mosque - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It was inaugurated in 2007 in honor of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of Emirates and who is buried there. It is the largest mosque of the United Arab Emirates and the 8^th largest in the world, with capacity for 41,000 people. It features 82 domes, 8 minarets and 1000 columns in white marble with some gold details, which reflect in the water mirrors around it.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

Assim, para além de grandiosa em tamanho, é também grandiosamente bela, tanto no seu exterior como no interior. Nesta obra arquitectónica todos os detalhes contam, no chão encontram-se desenhadas flores em mármore, já no interior o chão é coberto pelo maior tapete do mundo, com 5,627 m2 e 47 toneladas, tendo sido fabricado por mais de 1200 artesãs.

Thus, besides being great in size, it is also great in beauty, both on the inside and outside. In this architectural work all the details count, in the floor are drawn flowers with marble, in the interior the ground is covered by the biggest carpet of the world, with 5,627 m2 and 47 tons, having been manufactured by more than 1200 artisans.

Mosque's wall (photo by Littlelle)

Ground on the outside (photo by Littlelle)

Ground details (photo by Littlelle)

The biggest carpet of the world in the interior of the Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

A iluminar a mesquita existem vários candeeiros com cristais e um dos lustres é também um dos maiores do mundo com 12 toneladas.

To illuminate the mosque there are several lamps with crystals and one of the chandeliers is also one of the largest in the world with 12 tons.

The largest chandelier in the world (photo by Littlelle)

Another chandelier inside the Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

A entrada é gratuita e para visitar é preciso estar coberto da cabeça aos pés, quer seja homem ou mulher, o que não é nada fácil tendo em conta as altas temperaturas que se fazem sentir, mas vale a pena o “sacrifício”. Encontra-se diariamente aberta a visitantes das 9h00 às 22h00 (última entrada às 21h30) de sábado a quinta-feira e das 16h30 às 22h00 nas sextas-feiras. 

It is free entrance and to visit it, you must be covered from the top of the head to the feet, whether male or female, which is not easy at all concerning the high temperature that is felt over there, but it is worth the "sacrifice". It is daily open to the visitors from 9am to 10pm (last entry at 9.30 pm) from Saturday to Thursday and from 4.30 pm to 10pm on Fridays.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (photo by Littlelle)

Visitei também a Heritage Village que recria a cultura e tradições de uma vila num oásis, localizada ao lado de uma praia com construção típica, nomeadamente, um mercado com produtos regionais e um pequeno museu sobre a vida do povo beduíno (aberto de sábado a 5ª feira das 9h às 17h e à 6ªfeira das 15h30 às 19h).

I also visited the Heritage Village which recreates the culture and traditions of a village in an oasis, located next to a beach, with a typical construction, namely a market with regional products and a small museum about the life of the Bedouin people (open from Saturday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, and Friday from 3.30pm to 9pm). 

Heritage Village (photo by Littlelle)

Inside the Heritage Village (photo by Littlelle)

Little tradicional market at Heritage Village (photo by Mário Santos, edited by Littlelle)

Museum about the life of the Bedouin people (photo by Mário Santos, edited by Littlelle)

The beach near the Heritage Village (photo by Littlelle)

A praia parece realmente muito tentadora, mas quando chegas perto do mar percebes que está cheio de alforrecas! Cuidado!
Almocei aqui num restaurante com comida típica e regressei ao Dubai. Foi uma manhã bem passada na tórrida cidade de Abu Dhabi.

The beach seems really tempting, but when you get close to the sea you realize that it's full of jellyfish! Careful!
I had lunch here at a restaurant with typical food and came back to Dubai. It was a pleasant morning in the torrid city of Abu Dhabi.

A beach in Abu Dhabi (photo by Littlelle)

A beach in Abu Dhabi (photo by Littllelle)

Such an arabian torrid day!