Abu Dhabi – Capital of the United Arab Emirates

The airline, once again Etihad, offered me a stopover in Abu Dhabi while booking my flight. Additionally, it was free, so why not? I interrupted my journey halfway.

At some point in the early morning after sunrise, which announced itself outside my airplane window, I could sense the freedom and the deep, dark orange – red colors of the approaching day, despite my perfectly adjusted seat, and shortly thereafter our plane began its descent.

I don't know if I'm mistaken, but since I have landed in the region several times, usually having a layover, it seems to me that there is an effort to develop every corner of the desert here. The streets are certainly increasing in number, as are the cars associated with them. I wonder where they all want to go in the desert?

The check-in went smoothly, and I quickly found myself at the nearby bus stop. Of course, I could also take a taxi to the city center, but that costs at least €30, while the bus fare of €1 definitely seems more appealing.

My hotel was simple, had seen better days, and the room smelled of stale cigarette smoke, but it also didn't cost much.

After some consideration, I decided to book a half-day tour. This has its advantages; you get a relaxed overview of the city. However, there are also downsides: each stop is generated as a quick photo opportunity, or you end up in a family carpet shop, where only the Polish helped! Where can I find the restroom? I then waited in the well-air-conditioned car for the rest of the group.

I still had a full day left before the next flight late in the evening. I decided to visit the Louvre. Again, in my way, using the local city bus. Unfortunately, I had to walk the last 35 minutes, which wasn't a problem for 33 minutes except for the merciless sun. Just before the destination, I encountered a construction area. As a former road builder, this didn't bother me in the slightest, but it initially disturbed a minibus driver. I shouted to him that I couldn't exactly fly to the Louvre and continued walking. Unfortunately, not for long; I wanted to cross a parking lot, where I was again stopped, this time by four parking marshals, who informed me that walking was prohibited here and I MUST take a shuttle bus. I was at my wits' end, haha! One of them personally took me to the nearby stop, and which car stopped? Of course, the first guy, and the laughter was now on his side. Two driving minutes later, we reached the Louvre, I thanked him very sincerely and quickly moved on.

In summary, a stop here in Abu Dhabi is definitely worth it. There is plenty to see or marvel at, from the city's impressive skyline to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque (stunningly beautiful), Heritage Village, to Ferrari World or the Movie Park (if you like that!), and you can find good and affordable international cuisine everywhere according to your taste.