Abu Dhabi - Siminka's View

We searched for our accommodation for a while because it wasn’t exactly the expected location and appearance. In the middle of white sand and nothingness stood a neighborhood of nouveau riche mansions, and in a side alley were entrances apparently for the plebs. The accommodation was modest, but we survived two nights there comfortably. Despite everything, the hosts tried their best and it seemed clean. We ordered fast food to eat as quickly and “safely” as possible, so that even the non-eaters wouldn’t go to bed hungry.

We went to sleep around midnight-one o’clock local time. In the morning at 5:30 the Muslim state didn’t disappoint and they started calling for morning prayer. (Fortunately, it was an hour later than what we experienced in Baku). Thanks to the pleasant morning wake-up call, I was ready for a new day after just a few hours of sleep, but I let the rest sleep until about 8:00, despite the exhausting previous journey, so we could manage to visit the planned places.

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Johnny had intended to experience the local bus, so we got up, got dressed and set off for it with the plan to have breakfast in the city. We walked past villas and a street workout area along a running path surrounded by the aforementioned white sand for about a kilometer, already in the scorching sun this morning, and reached a bus stop where we discovered that the next bus was supposed to come in about an hour. We gave up immediately and Johnny called for a ride instead.

This way we got to our first planned destination, the Aquarium, before 10:00, when it opened at 10:00 and we wanted to be among the first, because we were afraid of massive crowds due to the national holiday on December 2nd.

We found a grocery store there, which also had a buffet section, and picked out food for breakfast, naturally rejected by part of the children.

Strengthened by the rejected breakfast, because a certain young gentleman would prefer sushi for breakfast in an Arab country, we finally moved to the much-desired large Aquarium, where a 5-meter live python was supposed to crawl among visitors. Basically, we went there because of him 🙂

Except for some “influencer” group with their “crew,” we were there alone. We weren’t complaining, we just didn’t expect it given the holiday. The children really enjoyed it. We saw sharks, rays, turtles, moray eels, mantis shrimp, giant crabs, lobsters, jellyfish and various small and large, even enormous fish, as well as some waterfowl, even a Manatee. Really all sorts of things. It was interesting and beautiful. However, the most important creature, their 5-meter mascot that the children were most looking forward to, was just unfortunately folded up in a glass case. Never mind, fortunately it didn’t spoil our impression. We also took about a 10-minute boat ride with a glass bottom through which we could see the fish and sharks we had originally seen in the tunnel.

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From the aquarium we moved, again by taxi, even though Johnny had planned to use mostly public transport, to the Great Mosque of Sheikh Zayed. Since the condition of mosques is silence and peace, which our youngest child definitely doesn’t meet, I decided not to treat myself to this experience and only Johnny with three children went to see it. In front of the mosque stood groups of merchants selling appropriate clothing for the mosque, lots of tourists and buses that brought these tours, so it was crowded and lively there. We had to enter a large sphere aka tourist center, where there were again many shops with appropriate mosque clothing, but also other, rather luxury goods. The guardian of dress appropriateness and ticket controller in one person sent us for tickets, which we didn’t have because we didn’t know they were needed. We had to go through a loooong corridor surrounded on both sides by shops, through the entire food court, and at the very end, those familiar with the Neverhood game can imagine that endless white corridor, there were stands where interested parties registered for free so they could come with that registration through that incredibly long corridor to the gentleman who, after checking the appropriateness of clothing, let people in. Otherwise, that registration can be done online in advance and thus miss the opportunity for unnecessary walking back and forth. Meanwhile, I was wandering around with sleeping Simeon among the mass of people and deserted shops.

Matyas was traumatized after returning from the mosque because apparently in the Emirates it’s not appropriate for a young man to wear long hair, so three order supervisors scolded him for not covering his unclean hair. Fortunately, it was enough to tell them he was a boy and they didn’t require any other form of proof. Since then, Matyas was afraid to go to public toilets in the UAE.

After a traumatic experience for one, a great experience for the others, we refreshed ourselves with overpriced fast food, but also sat for a bit so our tired little legs could rest and we could head to the next planned attraction, where we had pre-purchased tickets for a specific time. Since in the Emirates there’s a large area, everything is stretched out and quite distant from each other, we had to use a taxi service again for the transfer.

We still didn’t really notice that it was a national holiday. Along the way, as we were driving, we noticed groups of families with children picnicking on grassy areas by the water. So we said that must be it. They wait for the evening when it’s not so hot anymore and use it for a family picnic.

We arrived at the Museum of Art, where the teamLab Phenomena exhibition is held. At the entrance, we were greeted by a dancing and singing group of men in kanduras (long white tunic). It was clear they were enjoying it and having fun. It put a smile on our faces.

The exhibition was amazing. Everything takes place in darkness and the art is light and playing with it. The children were absolutely thrilled. Especially the two younger ones. Johnny and I were a bit physically and mentally exhausted from it, because when a nearly three-year-old child runs around in the dark everywhere, with the fact that you can’t see and are only blinded by the luminous splendor, it creates a bit of stress that they’ll get lost somewhere among groups of visitors, winding corridors and flying balloons. Fortunately, this eventuality was considered and right at the entrance the two younger children received bracelets with names and parents’ contact information 🙂 Anyway, we had no desire to announce a search for a small person and so we fought for their non-loss as much as our strength allowed 🙂.

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The day wasn’t over yet and we planned to take a taxi to Heritage Village and then walk along the promenade to experience the celebrations. Since nothing special was happening during the day in the context of the national holiday, we at least wanted to see the announced fireworks.

The exhibition started at 4:00 PM, we were there for about an hour, and the village was supposed to close at 7:00 PM, so we had enough time to travel and supposedly 10 minutes to run through. The taxi took us through the center. There were terrible traffic jams. We really went at a snail’s pace. We didn’t count on such terrible traffic in the center in the evening, because until then we had been moving on their highways and it was fine. On the wide roads, the cars spread out and we always drove smoothly.

Leo noticed that from one car some provocateur was spraying foam spray at a car next to them. He was pleased with the upcoming conflict and pulled out his phone to record the scuffle. I noticed some individuals running between people and cars chasing each other. They were adult men, so it caught my attention. And I also noticed that the driver was obsessively locking the car. Every time he stopped in the traffic jam, the car unlocked and he immediately locked it. I didn’t remember if we had been locked from the beginning of the trip, maybe yes, but it kept nagging me why it mattered so much to him…

For those who would like to go to Abu Dhabi and experience the unique evening atmosphere of National Day celebrations on December 2nd, which I really recommend because it belongs in the cultural shock category 🙂, I’ll add that you need to stay within walking distance of the promenade where the magnificent fireworks take place, stop reading here so you don’t spoil the experience.

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For the rest, continuation…

We arrived at Heritage Village, which was of course already closed. So we sighed, Matyas was disappointed because he wanted to see it, turned on our heels and set off for a walk on the promenade. For a long time there was nothing anywhere. We were looking for something where we could eat and use the restroom. Since we wanted to see the spectacular fireworks, we headed to the coast, to the shopping center. Along the way there was already lively activity. Families and groups of people were walking everywhere. Suddenly a bunch of hooligans spray-foamed Matyas’s hair, which was the nail in the coffin of his boyish self-confidence. We came to the shopping center. Around it on the lawn, people were already sitting waiting for the fireworks. We entered the center. The guys went to their restroom and I went to the women’s, where it was completely full. Packed. I looked around, it seemed hopeless and I’d rather give up. I went to try my luck on the floor above. It was clear that I wasn’t the only one with this brilliant idea, but there was no other option but to wait in line. That’s when I found out that women are quite contact-oriented, because they were sticking to me from all sides, even when it wasn’t necessary, and then a commotion started there, actually a loud argument, because someone cut the line and went to the wheelchair-accessible toilet. I was quite helpless in the whole situation and just stood there like a tennis net through which ladies exchanged their verbal volleys.

Frazzled but relieved, I joined my men and we went to eat at a Turkish restaurant. As they finally brought us food, it was time for fireworks. I quickly ran out with the kids, because Johnny just had hot food, so they could watch them. Matyas, humiliated all day, was just annoyed and no stupid fireworks interested him. Arthur with Simeon complained to me that they were scared and wanted to leave. So we returned to Johnny upstairs and sat down. Then both younger children acknowledged that they actually wanted to see those fireworks and so Johnny undertook to go watch them with them this time, and actually Matyas also acknowledged that he would watch them, so he joined them. So I was left abandoned in the restaurant and waited for them to finish enjoying themselves. With Johnny suddenly no one was afraid of anything and wasn’t annoyed by anything and they had a nice experience.

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When this show ended and we left the restaurant corner, we went for an evening walk to soak up the celebration atmosphere. There were endless traffic jams on the road in both directions, so the option to call a taxi at that moment wasn’t realistic. We used it for a pleasant evening walk and admiring the festive decorations and lighting, which resembled our city’s Christmas decoration.

Carpets, chairs, tables with refreshments were laid out on lawns everywhere and apparently locals celebrate this day together as a community. They chat, eat brought treats and drink (probably) tea. There was a joyful atmosphere. Chatter and joyful laughter could be heard from everywhere. Little children ran around there despite the late hour. Parents chatted.

Suddenly, people sprayed with foam spray began to appear in the crowd. Children of all ages had spray in their hands and attacked not only their peers but also adults without scruples. It started to get wild there gradually. Not only children, teenagers, but also adults, women, men, started spraying each other indiscriminately. Foam flew through the air. Girls squealed. Young men ran around and attacked passersby like killer commandos. At first they spared us as tourists.

As we fought our way through the crazed crowd in line, I again felt the contact nature of local women when a complete stranger grabbed my backpack and together with her friends, just as wedged into me as she was, they pushed through with us.

With passing time, people broke loose more and more. A little girl violated our tourist sanctity and sprayed Johnny. From then on, locals saw that someone dared to go after someone as big as him, and so it started. We all got hit. I defended Simeon with my own body. Foam apocalypse broke loose. Foam maniacs came out from everywhere and sprayed indiscriminately. Thousands of empty spray cans were lying around everywhere. No one was spared. No one was dry and unstained. During these days, foam spray sellers apparently stock up for the year. They didn’t run out at all. I can’t even imagine what quantity each of them was supplied with. Terrible mess everywhere. The clean and distinguished city turned into a monkey pavilion with foam sprays.

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We left the main drag and took refuge in an oasis of grass, hidden behind palm trees. There Johnny decided to call a taxi. First his roaming failed, so he quickly switched to the local SIM card and got it running. Then he called a taxi, which, as it turned out, was standing in the opposite direction in the traffic jam. We waited. And waited. And still waited. Time passed. The children couldn’t sit still and were also tired. Well, unfortunately we kept waiting. A car stopped on the road near us, wanting to cross from the side road to the main one, and while it was standing, a cheeky teenager approached it and sprayed it. An older gentleman got out of the car, who apparently doesn’t really like this holiday, or rather its celebration, and started giving the young man very irritably to understand that he didn’t like it. A scuffle was brewing. The old hothead was surrounded by a pack of young wolves who were ready to protect their member. More and more gathered from all sides. Finally I sent Johnny to try to help the unfortunate man. He stood there too, but no one paid attention to him, so after a while he gave up and just watched the whole development from a distance. (He later discussed this situation with ChatGPT and learned that in the Emirates the police don’t care who started the conflict, who just happened to be there and who is the victim, and they will punish everyone present. Depending on the severity, with a fine, imprisonment or deportation. So if it had escalated there, our family vacation could have had a quick end.)

The scuffle spiced up our endless wait for the taxi a bit. After about an hour and a half, Johnny and the taxi driver agreed that it made no sense and they ended this agony. Since we had no other way to get from that location to our accommodation, we had to try another taxi that was in a different traffic jam. We set off on foot to meet that one. After about a kilometer, we finally struggled to it, got in and exchanged a few pleasantries. Suddenly a serious-looking young man in white started approaching the car, opened the driver’s door and without a word sprayed him.

Then we just sat quietly exhausted in the preventively locked car, which was going at a speed close to zero in the endless traffic jam, until we got to our accommodation and around three in the morning we collapsed half-dead. It was indeed a very unexpected and intense experience.

My impressions:

Abu Dhabi is a clean, safe place. It feels American-style in the sense that the city is spread out far and wide and everywhere you go by car. If you don’t have a car, you probably can’t function very well there. Public transport is not developed in it, so I don’t consider it a very tourist-friendly destination. Transfers between individual attractions are long distances. We didn’t stand in traffic jams during a normal day, because the road infrastructure is excellently built there, roads are wide and traffic flows smoothly. However, nothing is within walking distance and everywhere you need to go by rental car (which we didn’t try) or expensive taxi and that traveling is just a drag.