My ABU DHABI

Abu Dhabi, the largest, oil-richest and therefore wealthiest of the seven United Arab Emirates, surprises its visitors with its beauty and splendour in a once barren environment, its ultra-modern infrastructure with the latest developments of the 21st century and at the same time with living traditions from the world of the Bedouins. The rich emirati in a white dishdasha loves his fast car, but also falconry and camel racing, just like his ancestors. His wife dresses in elegant black abayas, but she is also a customer of the luxury boutiques in the malls with all the top Western labels. Carlo Reltas presents 77 interesting places within 14 sections in words and pictures. Firstly, he takes us to the most beautiful place in the Emirate, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, inaugurated in 2007 - a dream in marble and gold. Other superlatives follow, from the emirate's tallest tower to its coldest place. Historical sites and architectural highlights of the new millennium such as the Louvre Museum on the Gulf and the Emirates Palace fascinate the author in equal measure. However, the magic of the "e;Empty Quarter"e;, as the desert is called here, surpasses all of this, he says. He also shows markets/souks, sports venues, his favourite restaurants and cafs, places on and in the water - his Abu Dhabi in the exciting balancing act between tradition and modernity.