Abu Dhabi

I'm buried, but I wanted to get a few thoughts down on (virtual) paper before they fly out of my addled brain. On this trip through the United Arab Emirates I spent more time in Abu Dhabi than I have had the chance to do in the past, and came away liking it a lot more than Dubai. Whereas Dubai is the business tourist center of the Emirates, Abu Dhabi is trying to become the cultural center. They have just completed construction on the world's third biggest mosque, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which boasts the world's largest hand-made Persian carpet (65,000 square feet). I haven't had the chance to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque yet, although non-Muslims can enter it during certain hours of the days. Abu Dhabi also has signed agreeements with the Louvre and the Googenheim and will be building what will essentially be branches of those two famous museums on a man-made island. So, you'll be able to go to Abu Dhabi and, besides visiting one of the world's largest mosques, you'll be able to see part of the collections of the Louvre and the Googenheim. Amazing.