United Arab Emirates > The Abu Dhabi Mosque

When I have to go to the bathroom at night, I can’t resist checking whether the ticket has been delivered after all. It hasn’t. Since breakfast couldn’t be delivered to my cabin early enough today, I go to the buffet restaurant for breakfast. At seven o’clock, it’s surprisingly busy already. After breakfast, I walk to the theater hall, the meeting point for the excursion. On the way there, I pass the excursion desk. When I explain that I never received my ticket, they print one for me. This is handy, because now I also know I’m expected in bus 30 today. Around eight o’clock, I can head for the bus. When I leave the ship, I first have to go through customs. Yesterday, I already received a memo stating that everyone must pass through the customs of the United Arab Emirates—even those not going ashore. There’s a fine for not showing your passport before 1 p.m. Since I’m joining one of the first excursions of the day, there aren’t many people ahead of me, but I still have to follow an endless zigzag route between the ropes. They’re clearly expecting large crowds. I get another entry stamp for the UAE in my passport, and then I can head to the bus. I meet today’s guide. I think his name is Faroot, but he cheerfully introduces himself as “James Bond.” He’s originally from Egypt, and during the cruise season he works in Abu Dhabi. As we drive to the Grand Mosque, he talks about the residents, the tax benefits, and especially the positive aspects of Islam. Abu Dhabi has only 500,000 inhabitants, of which only half are native Arabs. True Arabs, according to James, wear the traditional white robe with a headscarf—not because it’s mandatory, but because they’re proud to wear it. The same would apply to women dressed entirely in black with their niqab.

United Arab Emirates - The mosques pillars reflected in the water

The great Sheikh Zayed Mosque was built in the 1970s. It can hold 50,000 worshippers, placing it among the top ten largest mosques in the world. Before we can get off the bus, several formalities must be completed. The bus doesn’t stop right at the mosque but at a glass dome on the other side of the parking lot. “This is the entrance,” James emphasizes. Taking the escalator down, I enter a fully underground shopping mall beneath the parking area. There’s even a McDonald’s. How many mosques have a McDonald’s on-site? James leads our group past the shops to the security checkpoint. He’s a bit nervous—it varies from day to day what’s acceptable in terms of clothing. “Cover as much as possible” is his advice. Some people buy headscarves or other covering garments on the spot. When we reach the checkpoint, it turns out one woman doesn’t have a headscarf. She’s refused entry and has to stay behind. She clearly wasn’t paying attention. Through a long underground passage, I reach the entrance to the mosque, which means covering the full distance of the parking area. For those with mobility issues, electric carts are available. When I emerge back above ground, I’m standing right in front of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. The pillars are reflected in the water features. Wow—what a stunning sight, and I’m not even inside yet. James advises us not to spend too much time taking photos, but since we’re early, the prayer hall is still relatively quiet. Behind us, however, numerous buses have arrived. He understands, of course, that we want to capture our first view of the vast courtyard.

United Arab Emirates - The beautiful corridor of the Sheikh Zayed mosque

The entire mosque is clad in Italian marble. The white stone reflects in the sun. I keep taking photos. The corridors between the pillars are also photogenic. I’ve visited quite a few mosques, but this one is truly special. Eventually, I reach the prayer hall, the covered section of the mosque. Huge chandeliers hang from the ceiling. I’m not sure I’d want to pray underneath them. I try to imagine the room filled with worshippers. Through the underground passage, I return to the bus. Once the group is complete, we leave the site. I take one last look at the enormous complex. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this. Our next stop is the Emirates Palace Hotel. From a distance, I see this extremely luxurious hotel on a small peninsula. Behind me, I also see the Abu Dhabi skyline. We continue along the Corniche, the city’s seafront boulevard. On the left, I see walkers and joggers; on the right, the city’s tall apartment towers. This morning, I considered taking a shuttle bus to the city center after the excursion, but seeing it now as we drive by, I decide not to. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon on the ship. The bus then takes us to Manarat Al Saadiyat Island, home to a branch of the Louvre Museum and where the finishing touches are being made to the Guggenheim and the National Museum. Our final stop is the date market. Although dates are an important product for Abu Dhabi, I don’t particularly like them. I wander around the market halls, looking for a place to buy a Coke. No luck. Around one o’clock, I’m back at the MSC Euribia. I drop my backpack in my cabin, grab my book, and head to the restaurant. It’s quiet. I get some food and find a peaceful corner. I retreat with my book. Later, I move to the pool area.

United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabis skyscrapers along the coast

It’s also not very busy—probably because many people are still ashore. A waiter comes by to ask if everything’s all right and where I’m from. He’s from Bali. I tell him that I’ll be traveling to the Lesser Sunda Islands soon. He’s delighted. A little later, another waiter asks me the same question—also from Bali. He’s been working on the cruise as a waiter for two months now and is looking forward to the trip to Norway in April. He wants to save money so he can travel himself. I guess he’s not yet twenty-five, so he still has a life full of possibilities ahead of him. In the late afternoon, I order a glass of wine and return to my cabin. On my balcony, I read in the sunshine, with a view of Abu Dhabi. Wonderful. At dinner, I’m recognized immediately. The waitress walks me straight to my table and asks what I’ve done today. I show her my photo of the mosque. The restaurant is quieter tonight, so I have no table neighbors. I update my travel diary between courses—something the waiters are used to by now. When I start my main course, a woman from the United Kingdom joins the table. We quickly get into a pleasant conversation. She tells me she wants to come back to Abu Dhabi with her daughter and granddaughter and stay at the Emirates Palace Hotel. When I ask her why—since you close your eyes at night anyway—she realizes that the money could probably be better spent elsewhere in Abu Dhabi. Tonight, there’s an illusionist performing in the theater. Although I’m usually skeptical about magicians, I’m amazed at how his assistant disappears on stage. How is that possible? Even simpler tricks—like changing outfits in seconds—seem impossible. The show ends with a switch trick: in the blink of an eye, the assistant takes the magician’s place and vice versa. I’m stunned. Afterward, I head to the live music performance on deck seven, on the other side of the ship. I order a drink and enjoy the music.