Abu Dhabi is about 1 1/2hrs drive from Dubai and is the capital of UAE. We went their with one purpose - to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. It's the largest Mosque in the UAE and the 8th largest in the World. It can hold 41,000 worshipers for prayer. Unlike most Mosques, it is open to non-Muslims (except for Fridays) so It's a must-see if you're in this part of the World. We went early to get there at opening time - 9am, since it gets really busy later on.
You go through some serious security checks to get in and, especially for women, there's a strict dress code - head scarf, long sleeves, no ankles showing, no tattoos, etc., etc. The have a clothing inspection as you go in.
The sight of the Mosque from the outside is breathtaking.
Inside, it's equally spectacular, with the World's largest carpet, woven in a single piece by 1200 Iranian women, in place after the Mosque was built.
After a couple of hours of exploring and taking photos, we returned to Dubai. There were a variety of afternoon activities including skiing. Yes, there's an indoor ski slope in Dubai. Carol and I chose to relax for a couple of hours and get ready to leave the next day.
That evening we had our farewell dinner at the hotel. It was a fun evening reminiscing on the incredible journey and variety of experiences. After hugs and kisses we all parted on our separate ways.