This episode takes place nearly a week into our ‘Big Adventure‘ as we leave the emirate of Dubai, heading south to explore Abu Dhabi.
There’s a reason we say ‘nearly’.
Once travelling is considered, Wendy and I were well into our ‘Big Adventure‘ by this episode but it’s only the fourth day in Dubai. However, using total days doesn’t correctly set the tone of exploring Dubai and the surrounding area and can really confuse a casual viewer. A real chronological challenge when telling the story on YouTube.
Have you ever had this time-twisting confusion when telling family and friends about your travel adventures?
All musings aside, it’s a day of wonder and luxury as we experience the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and enjoy two hours of sheer luxury with Afternoon Tea at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Before going any further in this article, make sure to answer our question for this video; Have you ever carefully planned something for your travels, only to have it fall apart in front of you? We would love to hear the story, let us know in the comments section of the video!
A perfectly planned plan
Visiting the Grand Mosque both in the early afternoon light and again later as the sun set was the most planned item on our Big Adventure itinerary in any of the four countries visited. Wendy spent considerable time with the concierge at our hotel on our first full day in Dubai to book a driver who would be willing to follow this semi-rigid timeline.
Why the effort? What was worth all the planning?
A Grand Mosque to draw the world
Officially known as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, it was the vision of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE. Considered one of the world’s largest mosques, the grand structure was designed and built by an international collection of skilled teams, including 1,300 Iranian artisans who hand-knotted the main prayer hall’s carpet, which is of course itself the world’s largest.
A modern design that recalls old world styles, the mosque’s architect Yusef Abdelki took inspiration from a number of sources: the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque in Alexandria, designed by Mario Rossi in the 1920s; the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan and other references of Persian, Mughal, and Indo-Islamic architecture. The dome layout and floorplan of the mosque was inspired by the Badshahi Mosque. Its archways are quintessentially Moorish, and its minarets classically Arab.
It features 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns, 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers and the main prayer hall is dominated by one of the world’s largest chandeliers.
The mosque is large enough to accommodate over 40,100 worshippers, while the main prayer hall can hold over 7,000. There are two smaller prayer halls, with a capacity of 1,500 each, one of which is the women’s prayer hall.
All this aside, it’s an iconic building that most world travelers can immediately identify. While it’s no longer the largest mosque in the world, it certainly enjoys the reputation and status worthy of such a claim.
The most memorable images of the Grand Mosque are those taken when the sun is high in the sky, seemingly amplifying the whiteness of its domes which are accented by the sparkling gold decorations, and at dusk when lit with shades of pink, purple and blue.
Afternoon Tea to the highest standards
For those who have the time to wonder such thoughts, who could live next door to a Presidential Palace that houses the Abu Dhabi Royal family?
Lesser royalty, or celebrities maybe?
There are very few hotels that would make this list at your next party game, but not only is the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel nestled alongside the said Presidential Palace, it more than holds its own.
Featuring 390 residences, including 92 suites and 22 residential suites, the Emirates Palace enjoys 2 spa facilities, over 40 meeting rooms, a private beach over a kilometer in length, private marina, 4 helicopter landing pads for those who can’t stand traffic, a ballroom that accommodates up to 2500 people, various luxury shops and international restaurants.
The hotel’s interiors are full of expensive marble floors, accented in gold and topped with large, patterned domes. The penthouse floor has six Rulers’ Suites which are reserved exclusively for dignitaries, such as royalty.
But what attracted Wendy and I was the Afternoon Tea at the Palace. Described on the hotel’s website as ‘a symphony of exceptional flavors in the most elegant and photogenic of surroundings. Choose from an unparalleled selection of specialty herbal infusions, teas and coffee, brewed to awaken your palate and complement your culinary journey into Arabia. You’ll indulge in artisanal sandwiches filled with luxurious delicacies and delicately crafted French pastries, all served in an exclusive ambience guaranteed to delight epicureans.’
Who can say ‘no’ to two hours of grace and elegance?
We should note at this point, there are claims the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel is a seven-star hotel, but according to organizations that award such rankings, that’s impossible. Uniform hotel classification systems are used, such as the European Hotel Union (HSU) and its widely known they don’t award anything above five-stars. There are certainly reasons hotels such as the Emirates Palace and Dubai’s Burj Al Arab are considered as seven-star hotels and one only has to walk through the lobby to see why!
Travel tips for both adventures
Both attractions have dress codes and standards of behavior, which is understandable as you’re a guest in their respective houses.
The Grand Mosque is first and foremost a place of worship for those who follow the Muslim faith, and the dress code honors this faith with women covering their hair and most their body. Men are asked to wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.
Guests are expected to moderate their behavior while visiting the mosque as well. Quite frankly, the suggested standards are no different to those expected by any religious building we’ve visited around the world. It’s also asked that guests purchase tickets before arriving at the mosque for their visit.
Here’s the mosque’s website for more details and the overview is below, courtesy of the same website.
As shown in the video, the guest entrance to the mosque is accessed through an underground shopping mall. Not surprisingly, the mall is full of stores which rent traditional dress for both men and women, allowing guests to choose from modern styles or a more classical look, all of which come in a variety of colors.
Wendy had done her homework, reading through the standards well before heading out for our big adventure, taking the garments and layers needed to meet the above standards. As with everyone we met during our time in the UAE, the staff at the security checkpoint were friendly and incredibly helpful, not only helping Wendy manage her various layers of clothing but adding an air of casualness, making the screening process quick and pleasant.
Guests are limited to certain areas in the Grand Mosque itself with everything marked off with thin ropes. This includes the few areas you’re allowed to step onto the majestic courtyard. Try to go beyond the marked areas and well-dressed security guards are quick to move you back behind the rope. We saw this done in a polite, casual manner while other guards were pretty abrupt and firm, with both tone and body language.
Not surprisingly, the crowds build quickly around all the perfect spots to take those ‘instagram’ moments. Depending on the nationalities wandering around, you may be pushed while taking your picture or have others walk into right your shot!
The Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel does its best to make sure anyone on the grounds is either a guest or they’re attending an event. Between this and the limited availability of the Afternoon Tea, it’s best to purchase your tickets in advance. Once booked, guests are given a time for their Afternoon Tea making it easier to plan other events in Abu Dhabi.
When booking our time, we were given a dress code which wasn’t really a problem coming from the Grand Mosque. The hotel doesn’t allow professional camera equipment, which is basically anything beyond a smartphone. They also asked we limit any videography out of respect to the other guests in the hotel.
The staff treat you in manner you’d expect from a five-star hotel, as if you’re the most important person in their world at that moment. With this in mind, Wendy and I can only guess the underdressed people wandering through the hotel and those having Afternoon Tea in more casual attire were true guests of the Emirates Palace.
The only other tip we have for particular adventure is allowing time to explore the grounds, they’re really stunning, and photography doesn’t quite capture the immensity of it all!
Behind the scenes (possible spoilers)
If this is your first time reading a ‘closer look’ at one of our YouTube videos, watch the video before reading any further. There may be possible spoilers!
As mentioned in other posts, this trip was the first travel adventure we knew would make it onto YouTube. While there aren’t as many moments of speaking to the camera as a modern travel Vlog, even one would’ve been more than seen in any prior trips. And yes, we do plan on publishing past travel adventures, low resolutions and all!
The driver was booked, right?
While it may not come across completely in the videos, Wendy is very much a planner, and things need to happen when they’re supposed to. In this episode we mention the amount of time spent arranging a driver to take us to and around Abu Dhabi on our first day in Dubai.
Here’s the scene in the first episode.
Not surprisingly, things got a little tense when the driver was late. Between a late driver and a concierge who was off this particular day, there were a lot of calls and texts flying back and forth to make sure the driver was still taking us for the day and when he would arrive. Between only having two more days before flying onto our next country and booking both the Grand Mosque and Afternoon Tea for this particular date, there were some worrying moments.
As mentioned in various posts, Wendy and I are new to the whole YouTube thing and looking back, this tension would’ve made for a great dramatic Youtube video. Live and learn.
Yes, the driver was late, although he never admitted it. But he was did an incredible job and made the day that much more fun.
She saves tourists in a single bound!
The camera catches Wendy saving a tourist from falling backwards as he’s taking a picture of the Grand Mosque’s courtyard. You’ll have to stop the video at the 4’50” minute mark to see her literally catching him!
While editing, I thought she was talking to him and only learned of the moment while we watched one of the early versions of an edit together, when Wendy volunteered her heroic act.
More dangerous than it appears
The summary of not being able to make it back into the Grand Mosque later in the evening given in the video is very understated for a few reasons.
Understanding travelers should be very careful of what they shoot in certain parts of the world, our cameras and smartphones were kept out of sight when coming up to the different police and military roadblocks surrounding the mosque. We were turned away from four different entrances until, at Wendy’s assistance, our driver dropped us off in a general parking lot. She was determined to get as many pictures of the sun setting on the Grand Mosque as possible and we walked down the vehicle entrance and back towards to the mosque itself, with her snapping away the whole time.
It’s hard to tell just how many guards and police we walked past, and I certainly didn’t film any of this. Even knowing how many more views a sensational video enjoys on YouTube, no number is worth ending up in a middle eastern jail.
Finally, we were approached by a guard at the fences-edge of the mosque, asking why we were wandering the parking lots. We told him we were separated from our group and lost. He pointed us to an area where a golf cart would take us back to staging areas for the guest buses.
We walked back the staging area on foot, managing to avoid any further firm conversations with any official or military types.
I think Wendy’s determination may’ve stunned our driver just a touch, he was very quiet on the drive back to Dubai.
