worldaltem

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Day 105 & 106, Friday & Saturday, April 28 & 29 Cruise the Arabian Sea

Day 105 Fri Apr 28, 2023  Cruise Arabian Sea  Bible Study 8:15.  Captain's Welcome Party was at 5:45 today.  

Day 106 Sat Apr 29, 2023 Cruise Arabian Sea


My schedule was pretty much the same both days.  Bridge lessons 9:30-10:15.


Sing Out Loud Rehearsal both days at 11:00.


Lunch 12:00 - Cathy is practicing Bridge hands with me at lunch.


I played Bridge on Saturday for an hour with three thoughtful, helpful people who are more experienced with Bridge than I am.


Trivia both days at 4:00


I am happy to say that my blog is up to date.  


This picture was at the oldest mosque, Al Bidiyah Mosque on Thursday, 4/27. 






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Day 104, Thurs, April 27, 2023 Fujairah, United Arab Emirates 9-6:00

Day 104, Thurs, April 27, 2023 Fujairah, United Arab Emirates 9-6:00


No exposed knees, cleavage or upper arms.  Shopping hours 9-1:00 & 4-9:00.


East Coast City Tour (FUJ-005)

April 27, 2023

Port: Fujairah

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 4 1/2 hours)


Tour Description


The lush, fertile landscapes of the United Arab Emirates are yours to discover during this memorable tour of the scenic East Coast.

Depart the pier via coach for the scenic drive along the East Coast of the UAE, a region characterized by excellent beaches, the rugged Hajjar Mountain range and lush green expanses. Along the way, a photo stop will be made at the 300-year-old Fujairah Fort, which is currently under renovation. This landmark museum was inaugurated in 1991 with exhibits that are both interesting and educational. During your visit, WE DID NOT take a guided tour through the various rooms and view displays of old weapons, traditional costumes and artifacts excavated from around the East coast. Other exhibits provide a glimpse at local lifestyle, past and present.

Next, a photo stop will be made at the Oasis in Bithna, whose impressive fort guards the mountain pass.

Your tour will continue with a visit to the Friday Market, a famous and colorful roadside market featuring an abundance of souvenirs, clay pots and artifacts for sale. Your drive continues through Omani Dibba en route to Al Bidiyah Mosque, the oldest mosque in the Emirates. A stop at the exterior of Bidiya allows for one last photo opportunity before commencing the approximately 40-minute drive back to the pier.


The UAE has a federation of emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain,  Fujairah, and  Ras Al Khaimah.  

We went to a museum, Fujairah Museum.  We saw a u-shaped collective burial site.  Collections of stone pottery, bronze vessels and bracelets, stone beads, ceramics, living quarters display, fishing models and illustration of harvesting dates.  
                                    The mountain is covered with mud to prevent landslides.  


                                        Rugged Hajjar Mountain range 


                                                                    This is a 300-year-old Fujairah Fort.  The fort is from the 14th to the 16th century.  Houses were built around the fort for safety.  


 Today we traveled over the mountain to the other side of the point (Sharjah) and back again.  

                                                   This mosque is in Fujairah,


 We are at a mosque on the other side (Arab Gulf) of the peninsula in the UAE.

Al bidya Mosque is the oldest mosque in the UAE. It was built using local materials from large

and small stones.The prayer hall has small mihrab and simple minbar. It takes a square

shape and it has four domes based on one central column. Through collaboration between Heri-

tage and Antiquities department - Fujairah - and University of Sydney - Australia - a study con-

ducted during the excavation season 97/1998 AD which analyzes by carbon 14, it find out that the

mosque was built around 1446 AD.


Al bidya Mosque






                                                                Men's College Campus



The house on the top of the hill belongs to the ruler of Oman,

                                            There is a lot of oil stored near Fujairah.


Courtyards around the houses allow women to dress normally at home without the need to be covered.

  
                                            Villagers built their houses near the fort.  



                                                The villagers built their houses near the fort.  



Friday Market has fruit, vegetables, carpeting, household goods etc. 



The Oasis in Bithna is where palm trees grow and vegetables are planted around the perimeter.
Al bidya Mosque is 53 square meters or 570 square feet.  The roof has four squats, or helical domes that are supported by only one centrally placed pillar.  The mosque hosts daily prayers and is a tourist attraction.  This picture was taken from the area above where the watchtower is located.  

                                                                watch tower

 
                                            The railway connects people all around the gulf.  

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Friday, April 28, 2023

Day 103, Wed. April 26, 2023 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Depart 7:00 Abu Dhabi/Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi, UAE independent tour with Venu, Elsie, Ardan, Cleonne, Woodye, Fran,  Doug and Edith.

We left the ship in Dubai about 8:00 AM and arrived in Abu Dhabi between 9:30 and 10:00  

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was amazingly beautiful.  The dome layout and the floor plan were patterned after the Badshahi Mosque.  The archways are Moorish and the minarets are classically Arab.  Over 3000 workers and 38 subcontractors were hired to complete the construction.  Natural materials were chosen for much of the design and the construction due to their long-lasting qualities.  Materials included marble stone, semi-precious stones, crystals and ceramics.  Artisans and materials came from many countries included India, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Pakistan, Malaria, Iran, China, United Kingdom, New Zealand, North Macedonia, and the UAE.  

Construction began in 1994 and was completed in 2007.  The building covers 30 acres, including landscaping and parking lots. The mosque can hold over 40,100 worshippers and is the largest mosque in the UAE.  The main prayer hall can hold over 7000.  There are two smaller prayer halls that can hold 1,500 each.  There are four minarets measuring 107 m/351 ft in height.  The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.

                                                        Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque




1096 columns run the length of the outdoor arcades. The six-sided columns are clad with white marble slabs inlaid with an intricate floral pattern of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, Red agate, Mother-of-pearl. The inlay technique of pietra dura was used in handcrafting these columns by skilled craftsmen.  See below.
The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.  See above.


The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.


1096 columns run the length of the outdoor arcades. The six-sided columns are clad with white marble slabs inlaid with an intricate floral pattern of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, Red agate, Mother-of-pearl. The inlay technique of pietra dura was used in handcrafting these columns by skilled craftsmen.


The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque minarets rise about 106 meters at the four corners of the courtyard.  The design reflects the mosque's diversity and inclusiveness.  Elements are combined from historical styles and regions.  The gold crescent moon on the top is made of glass mosaic and it is a common architectural feature.  One of the minaret's original functions was to provide a high place from which the mu'athin (caller of the prayer) could perform Athan.  

  

1096 columns run the length of the outdoor arcades. The six-sided columns are clad with white marble slabs inlaid with an intricate floral pattern of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, Red agate, Mother-of-pearl. The inlay technique of pietra dura was used in handcrafting these columns by skilled craftsmen.  See above.


 



1096 columns run the length of the outdoor arcades. The six-sided columns are clad with white marble slabs inlaid with an intricate floral pattern of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, Red agate, Mother-of-pearl. The inlay technique of pietra dura was used in handcrafting these columns by skilled craftsmen.



1096 columns run the length of the outdoor arcades. The six-sided columns are clad with white marble slabs inlaid with an intricate floral pattern of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, Red agate, Mother-of-pearl. The inlay technique of pietra dura was used in handcrafting these columns by skilled craftsmen.  See below.




The foyer entrance's organic floral designs embody a unifying message,  reflecting the diversity and
the connection between cultures.  The floral patterns were inspired by flowers that grow in the Middle East's desert climate (United Arab Emil S). The North and South foyers are designed with flowers from the Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere.  Whereas the beautiful colored marbles are brought from over 37 countries.  Relief technique was used in the walls to present the flowers in 3D shapes.




The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has seven imported chandeliers from the company Faustig in Munich, Germany that incorporate millions of Swarovski crystals.   The largest chandelier is the second largest known chandelier inside a mosque, the third largest in the world, and has a 10 m (33 ft) diameter and a 15 m (49 ft) height.






                                                        Women's Prayer Hall above.  The capacity is 1500. 
The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.  See above and below,

The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.
The main prayer hall houses the world's largest hand-knotted carpet by Guinness World Records.
Its design reflects an intricate Islamic medallion and was hand-knotted by approximately 1,200 artisans and took approximately two years. The carpet is 5,400 square meters and weighs 35tons, and is made of about 70% wool and 30% wool and cotton.
The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.







The 99 names of God/Allah are featured on the Oibla wall in Kufic calligraphy.  The Qibla wall also features subtle fibre-optic lighting, which is a part of the organic design.



  • Outer entrance of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

    Outer entrance of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

  • Water mirror and columns

    Water mirror and columns

  • Inner courtyard with minaret

    Inner courtyard with minaret

  • Interior of the main prayer hall in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

    Interior of the main prayer hall in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque




    The courtyard, with its floral design, measures about 17,000 m2 (180,000 sq ft), and is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world.


    The Qibla wall at the main prayer hall faces the Holy City of Makkah, which
    is the prayer direction (Qibla). It is cladded with Aquabianca and Bianco P
    marbles from Italy. The design features many five-sided flower shapes, each
    containing one of the ninety-nine most beautiful names or qualities of
    Allah as; The Merciful, The Gracious, The Patient as they are written using
    Kufic calligraphy. At the center of its design is a large circle, and The name
    written inside is Allah.

                                                    Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Abu Dhabi









    Some of the interesting looking buildings in Abu Dhabi.


                                                            Cleonne and Woodye




    Posted by Sundial at 6:20 PM No comments:
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