Tour at the mosque

While Tim was here, one day we played tourist with friend Jeanine, and one of our stops was the Grand Mosque.  I had been wanting to visit it again, especially to take one of their tours.  We had a darling young Emirati woman who showed us around, and answered our questions.  One answer to our many questions: it's a "grand" mosque because of the size. And it is not the largest mosque in the world. (That one is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia; holds a mere 1,000,000.)  I wish I had taken notes ... I did look up what the Abu Dhabi mosque holds: 40,000 (I think it was 30,000 in the courtyard and 10,000 inside the mosque).

I've shared photos in a previous blog post, but here's a few more.

In this photo below, you can see a lighter green line running horizontally.  (It shows up better when larger.)  There are these lines spaced about 3 feet or so apart, and they run the length of the mosque.  They give worshipers an indication of where to stand and kneel for prayer; pretty organized.  What really impresses me is the carpet itself. To work this line in ... somewhere there are stats on how many people and how long it took to make this ginormous carpet.  Again, the artistry and craftsmanship is impressive, throughout the mosque.

Note: something I forgot for a moment and want to share ... public displays of affection are frowned upon in the UAE, especially at a mosque.  Jeanine was taking a picture of Tim and I. Tim put his arm around my shoulder for a photo. I noticed a security guard looking, and next thing you know he is over talking to Jeanine, asking her to delete the photo and reminding us that that is a no-no.  (Not his words, but in a friendly and polite way made his point.)  So if you visit, remember that.

Also remember to bring a shawl or scarf.  The mosque has abayas for women to wear. But if you have a scarf you can wear that and then not have to wear an abaya.  Jeanine and I had both remembered to carry scarves with us. (A smart move when traveling. Places like the Grand Mosque, and some churches I have seen in travels, ask for women to cover their heads.)

Here we are!