Looking at my photos of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque made me realize that they don’t deserve to be in a post on a day in Abu Dhabi; they deserve to be in a dedicated one to properly showcase the mosque’s splendor and beauty. Big words, especially that I actually had no intention of going to the capital of the United Arab Emirates until it was brought up by the Korean and Chinese I met at the hostel. So, shall we?

We arrived at the bus terminal in Abu Dhabi just before midday struck and took a taxi to get to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. At ten minutes past twelve, I took my first photo of the structure and instantly grasped that when in Dubai, you just gotta go to Abu Dhabi, too. Standing in all its white glory, it’s unquestionably a must-see.

Ingress

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there sure is a thing as a free entrance to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Of course, you have to be dressed appropriately to get inside the compound. If you didn’t do your assignment, don’t fret just yet, as there’s abaya and shayla and thawb for everyone at the entrance. My clothes didn’t require me to wear a thawb but I would’ve loved to wear one as part of the experience if it weren’t for the fact that it was gonna be uncomfortable because it was scorching and I sweat like mad. #jabar

Inappropriate behaviors, which include poses for your photos, are not tolerated so cooperate accordingly. Rihanna was kicked out after doing a pose similar to one of my so-called signature poses. We don’t want that, do we.

Getting through the gate, I was immediately in awe as I approached the mosque. Its utter whiteness was very striking (reminiscent of the Panathenaic Stadium in Greece, if I may say); its minarets, columns, and reflecting pools gave the most wonderful welcome.

The Grand Mosque

Footwear is prohibited in the building so don’t expect it to be a part of your OOTD while inside. See those golden circles? They’re not like the one in Kingsman; they’re where footwear were left.

The first photo that I took once inside the mosque was that of the intricately designed ceiling. The off-limits courtyard, with its beautiful floral design, opens up to a marvelous view of the minarets and the domes housing the prayer hall.

There were a lot of people by the blockade so it wasn’t easy getting a photograph with the courtyard and prayer hall’s facade.

From there we turned left where another perspective of the columns awaited. Floral designs were all over the place—from the ceiling to the columns and to the floor.

The courtyard, given how grand of a marble mosaic it was, deserved photos from multiple angles. Photographed below are our destination and where we entered.

Towards the prayer hall were more decorations—stained glass, decorative tilework, and more flowers on the walls. It just doesn’t get any better, I’m telling you. Everything was becoming more intricate wherever you look, with the ceilings looking like they’re about to warp you.

And oh, oh, did I mention that there were chandeliers? Man, they were the most exquisite!

There was also a pretty floral clock displaying different times which I initially thought was of different countries. Apparently they were a schedule of prayers, particularly the daily obligatory ones.

Prayer Hall

As it turned out, the prayer hall had a lot more in store. Aside from the head-to-toe shift in ornaments from the outside (not in a negative way, of course!), it sported the largest carpet there was and on the wall were the 99 names of Allah, in Arabic calligraphy. The place was essentially off-limits as well but there was still a path tourists could follow and, most importantly, taking photos was still allowed.

I wonder if Sia could handle these?

I could use all the superlative adjectives to describe everything my eyes were processing but I guess there’s no better way than to just let the photos do all the talking.

You should never miss visiting Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque when in Abu Dhabi Dubai for a few days (flew there for only ₱9,358.58). You just shouldn’t. Herewith is Gary and Min, the company that I’m very thankful for for that day. We were in the building complex for almost two hours, with me and Min heading to the lovely Emirates Palace afterwards and Gary going back ahead to Dubai to climb Burj Khalifa.

Tips

• Check the complex’s operating hours, especially when going there on your own #DIY and not on a tour. You wouldn’t wanna be very excited to visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque only to find out that it’s closed during your time in Abu Dhabi.
• It’s common knowledge that there’s a dress code. Men should avoid shorts and sleeveless shirts while women should cover most of their skin. If for some reason you can only wear any of the prohibited clothes or even after not doing so they still deem a part of your OOTD inappropriate, they have cloaks (nope, not like Harry’s) for both genders as already mentioned.
• Having said those, that doesn’t mean that you can actually wear the skimpiest of clothes. You’re in a holy place so be respectful and dress suitably.
• As far as I know, you can always ask to wear the traditional clothing even if you’re already properly dressed. If it won’t cause you discomfort, go for it for the experience. It’ll also make all the difference in your photos.
• There may be guided tours throughout the day so watch out for them to learn more about the building complex.
• IMO, visiting in the afternoon is the most ideal. It couldn’t be as hot as the rest of the day and you can stay past sunset to witness the complex transform when it becomes illuminated at night. I bet those reflecting pools do wonders!
• Food and drinks are verboten so to avoid the Hunger Games you might wanna refuel ahead if you intend to stay inside for a couple of hours.

Behind the Scenes

When it was time to share photos I found out that Min had snaps of me shooting this and that. The first on the list was my being a selfie lord. What can I say!? Selfie!

Then there were those that captured my earnestness in capturing the courtyard and ceilings, as if I had the most expensive camera that doesn’t deserve mediocrity.

Lastly, that moment when a family asked me to take their photo was also not spared. BTS was so good that I look like I actually know how to use a DLRS DSLR. Say “Cheese~!”

Visited: November 2017

The post The Splendor of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Itinerant.

I don’t really have any recollection of when I started having adrenaline in my junk becoming an adrenaline junkie but I do remember that when a Middle East-based high school classmate did Skydive Dubai with “Beauty and a Beat” in her footage, I didn’t only look forward to doing the same but I also looked forward to what music will be used, which I hoped would be something of the same caliber. (#Belieber?)

Schedule

The time you booked will be your arrival time and not your jump time. Very handy if you’re someone who’s an advocate of Filipino time. Mine was at midday and I already checked beforehand that there was no train station near the Skydive Dubai site so I factored in extra minutes for walking. I always walk when I can. Never skip leg day, right?

Seeing the drop zone alone already made the butterflies in my stomach act as if they were wallowing into a night of pure neglect. “Oooooh yes,” I told myself, as if I just did something illegal and was about to make a lot money out of it.

Getting inside the facility will make you realize that no matter how much you think of yourself as the mightiest, there’s a whole lot of other people who have the same adrenaline that flows within you. While Skydive Dubai has a waiting/standby list for walk-ins who don’t have bookings, it’s always recommended to have one. You’re probably just gonna do a walk-in if there are no more available slots on the day that you can jump or if your time in Dubai is almost over and you just got convinced that you wanna YOLO. (The likelihood of people cancelling their bookings for those on the waiting list to fill in may be very low but who knows!)

Both your weight and BMI will be measured as requirements to do a tandem skydive. Flunk these and you’re instantly out of the game. (More on this later.) Of course, no such activity is ever possible without a waiver. Get your pen and ugly penmanship initials ready!

Interview

I’m pretty confident about my English-speaking skills but there’s no denying as seen in the interview at the end of this post that my mother tongue accent rose to prominence. I even murdered the phrase “so far” at that. Practice, kids! Also, it could be just me, but isn’t it awkward watching yourself in videos when you’re not used to doing so? Cringe.

As a further matter, I’d say that I’m someone who tends to imitate the accent of the person I’m talking to. Not that it’s a bad thing and I’m being defensive and derogatory, but it simply happens and I’ve heard of the same from other Filipinos. Could it be a curse to our race? Char!

Each tandem skydive has a dedicated cameraman who’s the same person doing the interview. There were no lockers so like everyone else I just left my belongings in a corner on the floor. When our batch was set we were driven to the runway and before we could start any prayer we were already up in the air. The drop zone was already busy catching feelings people.

Incidentally, my tandem instructor has been to Bantayan Island and knows Terry, the funny skydiving guy there.

If I remember correctly, the plane can accommodate at least four pairs of tandem skydivers. Including the cameramen, that’s at least 12 people, thrice the capacity of the one used when I did the same activity in Bantayan.

Things will be so damn fast once the first three gets off the aircraft. Before you even know it, your group is already the next to tumble. Brace yourself for what you’ve gotten yourself into!

The Dive

It never occurred to me until the interview that the cameramen had two gadgets strapped on their helmets: a GoPro and a DLRS DSLR. My initial guess (and based on the files) was that the former is for the video while the latter is for the photos. Then again, it could be that one is a backup of the other, in that both record a video and take continuous shots at the same time. In any case, the final products will never disappoint you. Fire away!

Immediately after exiting, the drogue chute will be deployed to reduce the terminal velocity. That’s Physics there, and obviously I just copied the purpose of such chute from Wikipedia after Googling what it’s called. Duh?

If there’s one thing that you should never ever forget, that’s to keep your gaze at the cameraman all throughout the duration of the free fall which will be around 60 seconds. Sixty seconds! This is what you paid for so keep your eyes on the prize and smize! Your instructor will tap you on the shoulders to signal you to spread-eagle. Saludos!

The first glimpse of the Palm Jumeirah caught on camera is a testament that the experience is totally worth it. No words!

At some point you will be spinning ’round and ’round. I felt giddy from it for some seconds after the main parachute was released. The recoil must’ve also been a factor.

Landing

After five minutes we were grounded again. Your cameraman will be waiting for you for your final words. Or rather, your first words after another chance in life. Don’t forget to hold and lift your legs for the landing! The entire experience from the interview until touchdown lasted for roughly 25 minutes. Told ya things will be very quick. (Probably even quicker than your last relationship. #sad)

It took 30-45 minutes for the video and photos to be ready so while waiting for them I treated myself to what I remember to be the cafe’s Grilled Chicken Tikka Wrap.

Photos & Video

The files came in a USB flash drive. Be very careful you’re picking up your own files. It’ll be a disaster for you and your victim otherwise. I remember thinking of asking for the raw videos but I guess it wasn’t possible.

I stayed around for a bit afterwards, savoring what just transpired. As a matter of fact as I write these words I still get the sensation that as if I just landed on the drop zone. The area’s skyline as seen from the facility features the twisted (literally) Cayan Tower. (And oh, that was me up there earlier.)

Personally, aside from seeing the Palm Jumeirah from above, I was also after the photo and video coverage. Like in some other skydiving sites in the world, the ones I had in Bantayan Island were only via a GoPro strapped to the instructor’s wrist. The presence of a cameraman without doubt takes things to a different level.

Before my trip ended I met up with a college friend who’s based in the city for dinner and along the way she mentioned that she’s always wanted to experience Skydive Dubai. She was freaking out (haha) when I told her that I did it and showed her the video. The next thing I knew, she already did her jump on the next available schedule and even ended up with the same tandem instructor. What are the odds!

Tips

• It may be pricey at 1,999 AED (the cost then) but if you intend to skydive once in your life and you happen to score a flight or plan to visit UAE’s most populous city, then definitely consider Skydive Dubai. You just gotta save up for it!
• If for some reason the Palm Jumeirah doesn’t entice you as the background for a skydive (wow ha), they also have a desert drop zone which is cheaper.
• There’s always a backup parachute during skydiving so that’s one less concern for you. And it’s without question that you’ll be handled by experienced professionals. As the instructor in Bantayan Island told me, in his career he’s only used the backup chute twice.
• Skydive Dubai has at least one female instructor every day and you can always request for her when you check in.
• Best time to arrive for a dive is at 10:00 AM. Even if there was still a slot available, I still wouldn’t have selected it because I wasn’t confident I’ll be able to arrive that early from the night before. Gehee.
• I know someone who was given a second jump for free because her photos during the first one were busted. If the same happens to you, lucky you!

And oh, as I mentioned, following are some of the things to keep in mind as well as the video showing how I stuttered and, in the words of a friend, looked balisa (anxious). They probably take into account your nationality since Anne Curtis was featured in mine. K.

Requirements

Your weight and BMI should not exceed the limit (unlike some instances in Calculus, the limit will never not exist here). When I was there the measurements should be:

• Less than 100 kg and BMI less than 30 for males
• Less than 90 kg and BMI less than 27.5 for females

All the updated information that one should know are in the Skydive Dubai website and they even have a BMI calculator. That goes without saying that you should not make a booking if by the day of your jump you won’t survive the preliminary round meet the required measurements. Failing to do so will/may forfeit your deposit for the activity. The e-mail that you’ll receive once your booking is confirmed details all the necessary information down to the last syllable. Alongside the figures already stipulated above, it includes:

• Wearing of athletic/comfortable clothes and sneakers/sport shoes (basic)
• No sandals, boots, or high heels (makes udder utter sense)
• A valid photo ID (you’ll have a better grin after the dive)
• Medical statement/doctor’s certificate (whichever is applicable if you’re declaring something)
• Payment for the balance (plastics, like some friends sometimes, are accepted, brotha!)
• No alcohol (and/or drugs) in your system in the last 24 hours (let me think about that)

Video

P.S. Who would’ve thought I had the sign of the horns (with the thumb) in my reflex?!

Visited: November 2017

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