The perfumed underpass
A stopover in Abu Dhabi — a perfumed underpass, a woman in silver shoes, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (the most beautiful building in the world), and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Some places get under your skin. (5 min read)
That which is below the surface is fascinating.
Let’s start with a popular film in which four western women are pursued through an Abu Dhabi souk because one of them has offended cultural norms. With the help of local women, a quick escape is made. Together, in private, the Arabs’ black abayas are discarded to reveal stunning high fashion. Common ground is cemented on more than a love of dressing up.
I’m not particularly interested in clothes, but the globalisation of fashion does make sartorial outliers interesting.
I was walking towards Abu Dhabi’s corniche when I noticed a woman in front of me wearing a black abaya and silver sequinned shoes. “Silver” walked with the poise of an Arabian horse. She had natural confidence and power and seemed above the hoi polloi.
When I caught up to Silver at the lights, her perfume got my attention. She had a beautiful face, and I noticed the hint of a silver dress under her black coverall. Crossing the intersection, an old woman, who reminded me of a saggy old camel, hissed at Silver. She was inelegant. She moved awkwardly and had very bad breath. The contrast was dramatic.
I had been warned that Abu Dhabi is more conservative than Dubai, and crossing that intersection I expected to witness a local battle in the universal war between fundamentalists and progressives. The old woman inspired me to pay attention to the oncoming crowd. Where I live, the men would have been making asses of themselves over Silver, but in Abu Dhabi there was only one hisser – everyone else was discreet or nonplussed.
Getting closer to the corniche, I experienced the perfumed underpass – a pedestrian walkway under a major road. The tiles in the underpass were kitsch, and there was nothing exceptional in design or decoration, but it smelt like heaven. A beautiful Arabian perfume of oud, frankincense, saffron, and other preciousness. I enjoyed the solitude of the underpass and fondly remembered an alchemist in Luxor, a perfumist in Isfahan, and a cathedral in Spain. My musing ended abruptly when I emerged from the tunnel into a fishy seaside place with lots of cats. I had to laugh.
I did not see Silver on the promenade – in a matter of minutes she had disappeared. With this interesting window into Emirati culture closed, I doubled back to a nearby hotel to escape the heat and noise. The smell of the hotel hit me – it was not bad, but it was nothing like the underpass or even the shop at the Louvre Museum.
The Louvre and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque were my main reasons for stopping over in Abu Dhabi. With less than 24 hours, I skipped through the airport, visited these places, and rested ahead of my next flight.
The whole truth is that I love the Middle East. I feel most connected to humanity in a place that is a magnet for people from all over. I am deeply moved by the beautiful holy and secular buildings of Abu Dhabi – gently inviting us to understand, appreciate, and respect our shared humanity.
The Grand Mosque is the most beautiful building in the world. Neither words nor photos can do it justice. Made entirely of marble, it is stunningly white and hard to look at. With the sun bouncing off it, my eyes welled up with tears, and my heart exploded in gratitude.
The mosque has 82 domes, over 1000 columns, and the world’s largest hand knotted carpet. Inspired by architectural elements from the world’s great Islamic buildings and made of beautiful materials from all over the planet, the result is unique, transnational, and sublime.
The mosque is not just a place of prayer; it is also a place to learn a little about Islam. The tours are enlightening – questions are encouraged and answered directly and with good humour.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is equally awesome. Opened in 2017, this museum is the first off-shore collaboration for the Louvre. It is not a satellite site of the Parisian icon; it is a universal museum telling stories that unite humans beyond time and place. Objects are presented thematically to show what is common across time and culture and how all is interconnected.
The showcases in the Grand Vestibule introduce us to the museum’s master narrative. The first showcase is dedicated to representations of motherhood – for humanity cannot exist without birth. Existential themes dominate the next two cases: “Houses of the dead” and “Figures in prayer”. And, finally, there are exhibits of mundane human endeavour: writing cases, ewers, dishes with solar decoration, gold masks, horsemen, and hand axes. The approach is compelling, and the visitor must make sense of these extraordinary objects with limited input from the curators.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is unlike any other museum. While the Grand Vestibule may be all the time-poor traveller can accommodate, it is very much worth a visit. And for those with more time, there is a huge amount on offer, and you will be sure to find something special that is relevant to your next destination.
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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