Oct 14 - Louvre and Qasr Al Watan

After yesterday's fall at the fort Mary decided she couldn’t walk so well so she decided to stay at the hotel.  However, Shakib took matters into his own hands, determined that both stops today had wheelchairs so he and Paul came back to pick her up.  So grateful.

The first stop was the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. The architecture was interesting, particularly the “umbrella” over the entire building. 

We read later that the cover was meant to simulate palm trees overhead.  And the rooms were air conditioned (so welcome).  

The overarching theme of the exhibitions was basically civilization across the continents and through the ages and some of the similarities between them.

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More Louvre Exhibits
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More Louvre Paintings
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We had lunch at the rather expensive museum restaurant and then went to Qasr Al Watan

Qasr Al Watan is the working Presidential Palace for the Emirates. We had seen the massive white and gold structure while driving and cruising around Abu Dhabi.  

The exterior is primarily of white granite with limestone and it really shines from a distance. Today we got to see it up close...

and to visit the interior.  We toured the building used for hosting foreign leaders, receptions, and meetings..  Tours of the rest of the palace are not allowed.  

And the interior is magnificent...all light blue, dark blue, white and gold.  Lots and lots of gold.  

This golden sculpture is entitled "The Power of Words" and is a quote by the founder of the Emirates, Sheik Zayed.  It says "Wealth is not money or oil; wealth lies in the people and it is worthless if not dedicated to serve the people."

The interior center dome is 124 feet in diameter and the central chandelier has 350,000 crystals.  

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More Qasr Al Watan Chandeliers
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In each corner of the central hall were massive, shiny cubes.  The cubes are actually rooms for exhibitions.  The irregular shiny surfaces gave incredible reflections...a bit lik looking into kaleidoscopes.  

All of the detail designs were inlaid stone and semi-precious stone.  It is all truly breathtaking.  What and experience.  

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More Qasr Al Watan
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More Qasr Al Watan Details
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Qasr Al Watan video
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Our drives around town today gave us more vies of the great skyline and skyscrapers of the city.