Liwa Desert - May 2013

"Where do, you fancy going Friday? Your Shout"

Bit of a cheeky reply from myself, but you have to ask, "I wouldn't mind a spot of lunch at the Liwa Hotel".

With a very surprising swift answer of yes, a round trip of just of 240 km was required from our base in  Abu Dhabi, I had previously visited Liwa Desert and another visit was a must, England is a bit short of deserts so sad Englishmen like me get a little overexcited about sand and heat (we have a lack of that in England as well).

Well that was that, well it wasn't to be honest, the whole trip to Abu Dhabi was a payback to the family for me buggering off to Chernobyl and a bit of guilt for a yet unannounced trip planned for later this year. Even on a family trip you need a bit of non beach type stuff, so this was my day.

A hotel is hotel and I'm sure you don't want me to turn into a food critic, but for what its worth, the Liwa is on top of a big hill on the edge of the desert, lunch is a buffet, they don't sell alcohol until about 5pm on a Friday - lunch is about £25 per person but its literally the only place to eat.

Enough of the waffle, on with the pics.







 



An this one is for everyone who says I only do derp and graf
 

 and then it was back to Abu Dhabi for a cheeky cider.............



Thanks to the Chemist for driving and a cracking day out (again!!!).

Abu Dhabi Fish Auction - November 2012

A bit of a break from the norm, with a little explore at 3.50am in the morning down by the docks in Abu Dhabi.

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

The Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi, Zayed Mosque

Given I'm getting ready for a trip later this year back to the wonderful Abu Dhabi,  a little set from off one of my 2010 trips out to the United Arab Emirates, I'd just at this point started getting into photography and for the first time taken a dslr on a trip.

We had been staying at our friends home, just round the corner from the Shangri La Hotel, every time we left the house we could see this stunning view.

 

This place is massive, built to hold 41,000 worshippers, when you see gold on the photographs it is gold, 24 carat gold.

I popped round early afternoon to avoid crowds and bake myself alive in the sun, fortunately the long perfectly white corridors in the mosque provided a hiding place from the unrelenting sun.



Shade !!!!



















I'm not an overly religious person, but this place just blew me away, how spotless it was, the sheer size of the place and its style and beauty.



 


























So if your in the area, well worth a bimble in a modern building with total wow factor - I just need to get a new passport now and I'm off for a return trip with my improved camera practice.