Magic carpet ride to Fantasyland

By Ou Shuyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-03 16:09

The grandiose mosque houses the world's largest carpet. Photos by Ou Shuyi

In Abu Dhabi, the capital and richest city of the United Arab Emirates, bigger, more expensive and lavish always equals better.

For example, the Emirates Palace, constructed in Arabian style with endless marble corridors and gold-leaf domes, is reportedly the world's most expensive hotel. Sheikh Zayed mosque, meanwhile, is the size of five football fields and houses the world's largest chandelier and carpet.

A $40 billion track is under construction for the arrival of Formula One motor racing next October; and a massive cultural district on its Saadiyat ("happiness") Island will include branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums. It is scheduled to be completed in 2018 at a cost of $27 billion.

Sitting on nearly 10 percent of the world's oil reserves, Abu Dhabi has witnessed one of the world's greatest economic miracles over the past five decades.

Back in the mid-20th century, it was a town with a population of 15,000 people who busied themselves with camel herding and pearl fishing, living in reed huts. The discovery of oil and natural gas in the 1950s saw the regional economy skyrocketing, with per capita income reaching $63,000, among the world's highest.

As the city is modernized at a breakneck speed, there's little sign of rural Arabia left. The skyline is dominated by towering, futuristic skyscrapers, expansive shopping malls, bustling souks (markets) and luxury hotels.

One of the few reminders of the city's Islamic tradition is the Adhan, the call to prayer, flowing throughout the day from the ornate mosques scattered in every corner of the city.

"The world is changing and we are trying to adapt to the new world," says our guide Mohammed Al-Marar, a coordinator at the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

With 80 percent of its population being expats from around the globe, Abu Dhabi is one of the most open and Westernized cities in the Middle East. Although Emirati men still dress in dishdashas (white robes) and women in abayas (black gowns), it's quite common to see Western women parading on streets in high-cut skirts and low-cut blouses.

"For native Emiratis, life is easy," says Al-Marar, who is United States-educated, in his early 30s, drives a silver BMW and lives in a 15-room house. "There is free education, free healthcare and many other benefits. Each child receives a monthly subsidy of 200 dirham ($54) from the day they are born until they marry. When a native man marries, the government will offer him a house free of charge."

With much of its wealth coming from its huge energy reserves, the local government has been pondering its economic future and seeking to move beyond oil. Upmarket tourism is one of the city's new targets, Al-Marar says.

One of the draw cards on the city's travel brochures is a $3 billion hotel, Emirates Palace. Even for those who cannot afford to stay there, it is a must-see.

Located on a 1.3-km stretch of beautiful sandy beach, with 100 hectares of landscape gardens, the Emirates Palace is true to its title.

The color of the building reflects different shades of the Arabian Desert sands, and is a particularly beautiful red-golden hue at sunset. The roof is lined with more than 100 domes, intricately decorated in mosaic glass tiles and adorned with gold finials.

The hotel interior is even more impressive. From the moment I stepped inside the main hall, I felt as if I were venturing into a palace from the Arabian Nights.

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