Posted by Kanchana Pradeep on May 30, 2007 in
Abu Dhabi Standing in my balcony and seeing the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation is always a marvelous sight. Situated in the heart of the city, the Foundation invites visitors for many reasons. It boasts of an amazing library, both in Arabic and English, which can make any book lover, stay here for hours together. You can find books on almost any subject, from classics to history to management texts. The best part is that you need not pay any fee for browsing books in the library. In case you want to take them with you, a very nominal fee is charged.
You can also enroll for some really interesting courses here. The Learning Development Cell in the Cultural Foundation offers short and long-term courses in diverse areas, such as, French, Arabic, and German to candle making, needlework, personality development, creative writing and music.
The Cinema Hall at the Foundation screens new Hindi, English, and Arabic movies regularly for just Dhs. 5. That’s why this place is a great hangout for movie lovers, who get to watch good movies for less, as the fares at the cinemas cost anything between Dhs. 25 to 50.
If you were a music lover as well, you’d have landed yourself a double treat. Every year, the foundation hosts the Annual Abu Dhabi Classical Music Festival, usually during February and March, inviting leading western and Indian classical singers to perform.
The foodies also have a reason to smile here. The first floor has a café that serves some great Arabic coffee, along with your regular bites, like burgers, pizzas etc. The highlight of this café is the mouth-watering Falafel, a sandwich wrapped in Arabic bread known as Khooboos. The café has a serene and soulful feel to it, accentuated by the sound of the piano in the background.
For art lovers, this place is truly art for art’s sake. You have paintings that depict the history of the UAE, its rulers, and course of development. Also, paintings by leading artistes from all over the world are showcased here.
So, if you are in Abu Dhabi and do not know what to do on a Friday evening, you know where to head for. And trust me; you’ll never regret spending your evening here.
Posted by Kanchana Pradeep on May 11, 2007 in
Abu Dhabi I sat in the car, all excited to go to the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. I had heard so much about the place that I made up my mind to go and see it. What I didn’t realize was that making up my mind was the easiest part. What was really hard was entering the Emirates Palace.
It was quite a long drive from home, the Friday night traffic not withstanding. We passed the Corniche and I rolled down the windows and closed my eyes, to feel the sea breeze blow against my face. As I opened my eyes, I first saw a speck of purple light. What I saw next, even I could not believe. I was face to face with the most expensive hotel in the world.
This huge structure, built on the design of a mosque, stood in front of me. Illuminated with shades of green, yellow, and purple, it shone brilliantly. Just like the Taj Mahal, the reflection of which in the Yamuna makes it a wonder of the world, the water of the Persian Gulf also reflected the radiance of the Emirates Palace.
The entrance to the hotel reminded me of the Charminar. Also brilliantly illuminated, it seemed to me the pathway that led people to experience a lifetime of luxurious living.
We requested the security at the entrance to let us in for a cup of coffee. It was 7:00 p.m. then. It was to be 4 hours before we got to sip our coffee. 
What I saw when I entered the Emirates Palace, I do not know if I can ever describe to the fullest. I’ve never been to paradise before, but I felt that that day was my day in paradise. The walls were embedded with gold and the ceilings radiated white light from the huge crystal chandeliers that hung from the dome-shaped ceilings.
We were served coffee in crystal glasses, with a cup priced at Dhs. 1000 (Rs. 12,000). We enquired the price of a suite. The answer baffled us. A standard suite was priced at Dhs. 10,000 (A lakh and twenty thousand), a luxury suite at Dhs. 20,000 (Two lakhs), and a special suite at Dhs. 50,000 (Six lakhs).
It was 1:00 a.m. when we reached home. We couldn’t sleep that night thinking of the magnificence of what we had seen. Although it’s been a month since I went there, it is a memory that I will always hold on to.
Posted by Kanchana Pradeep on May 10, 2007 in
Abu Dhabi My recent visit to the capital city of the United Arab Emirates made me discover the power of a dream. Abu Dhabi, a mere desert till the late 1970’s, is one of the richest, powerful, and sought after places for employment in the world today. While a great deal of its strong position on the global map can be attributed to the discovery of oil, credit needs to be given to the toil and vision of the present leaders, who dared to dream of the UAE we know today.
One such wonder in Abu Dhabi is the ‘Corniche’, which is a man-made river body on either side of the Corniche Road. Huge rocks were imported from neighboring countries to give the place a natural feel. Standing here, one can view the entire city, with all its beauty and magnificence. Watching the sun set in the horizon and its reflection in the water is an experience in itself.
People come to the Corniche for various reasons. Some come to see the calm waters, while others take time out of their busy work lives to take a walk on the tracks provided beside the rocks. However, what attracts most people here is the serenity that this place offers. And what’s best is that it’s free!
We, in India, do not make enough efforts to conserve the rich architecture she’s blessed with. While we are busy converting fertile lands to deserts, people in this country are working day and night to make this desert a rich land. The UAE today stands as a manifestation of what one dream and tons of hard work can achieve. Kudos to this country!
