I'd seen a few little reports on the Abu Dhabi fish auctions in the likes of National Geographic, but the photos shown quickly skip to the Abu Dhabi Fish Market, a wonderful place to visit in itself - but the Abu Dhabi Fish Auction happens well before the fish market opens, whilst the rest of the city sleeps in the shadow of the skyscrapers.
I stumbled down the road about 3am to find that the new Abu Dhabi bus service was true to its word running its 24 hour service, I was a lone traveler on the long and deserted roads into the city, the 4 dirham fare was a bargain for the 40 minute journey into the centre of Abu Dhabi.
A quick taxi ride later and I stood on a very dark quayside of Mina Port thinking nothing to see here, so I wandered towards some bright lighting in the distance.
A quayside square, with dhow boats being unloaded greeted me, fishermen hurriedly unloaded and sorted fish in the glare of a few rather intense spotlights.
All manner of fish, giant blue crabs, squid, shark, began to be laid out and iced.
Time was marching on and the crowds began to gather by 5am
The auctioneers arrived, the younger auctioneer (centre) greeted me, firmly shook my hand with a "I trust you are well", he turned to the waiting audience of restaurateurs and traders and promptly started the auction.
As daylight finally arrived it was time to catch up on my sleep and I wearily left to look for a taxi home.
- All photographs, copyright Sleepyg Photography/Fragglehunter, please ask - do not steal my images
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