An excursion around the bay
Or in this case, along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Here on a quick business trip, Brian Cull and I were invited by two fellow Newfoundlanders - Bob Richards and Brian Colbourne of CERT - to come along for an evening sail on Monday. It was a lovely cruise, with great conversation and company.
About 30 of us were aboard the Shuja Yacht, a little tired but still lovely vessel about 50 feet in length. The lower deck was set for dining, while the upper held an enclosed bar as well as an open area on the stern with some seating and beautiful view of the city.
The respective corniches (if that is a word) of Abu Dhabi and Doha are strikingly different. I counted only two cranes here; along a much shorter stretch in Doha one easily sees a dozen or more. In contrast to the frenetic pace of construction in Doha, with its clamour and dust, we floated along serenely, as the lights of office towers, street lamps, and headlamps twinkled in the background.
Although it may seem strange, the Corniche skyline struck me as thoroughly modern and surprisingly genteel. While there were a few newer and larger buildings, most were limited to around 20 stories with designs and features that were esthetically pleasing and did not tend to the outlandish. There is a sophistication to the look, feel and sense of this city.
In Canadian terms, if Dubai is Toronto, then Abu Dhabi is Montreal.
About 30 of us were aboard the Shuja Yacht, a little tired but still lovely vessel about 50 feet in length. The lower deck was set for dining, while the upper held an enclosed bar as well as an open area on the stern with some seating and beautiful view of the city.
The respective corniches (if that is a word) of Abu Dhabi and Doha are strikingly different. I counted only two cranes here; along a much shorter stretch in Doha one easily sees a dozen or more. In contrast to the frenetic pace of construction in Doha, with its clamour and dust, we floated along serenely, as the lights of office towers, street lamps, and headlamps twinkled in the background.
Although it may seem strange, the Corniche skyline struck me as thoroughly modern and surprisingly genteel. While there were a few newer and larger buildings, most were limited to around 20 stories with designs and features that were esthetically pleasing and did not tend to the outlandish. There is a sophistication to the look, feel and sense of this city.
In Canadian terms, if Dubai is Toronto, then Abu Dhabi is Montreal.
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