The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is awe-inspiring. I kept seeing gorgeous pictures on Travel Noire and couldn’t wait to get the chance to go. The pictures don’t even do it justice. It was even more beautiful than I imagined.

I went to Abu Dhabi on a day excursion, but would love to spend a few days there next time. To enter the mosque, you have to be covered in traditional attire. You can bring your own or they are provided for you. I wore one of the black abaya and head scarves that they give you, but will definitely take a colorful and beaded abaya next time. I love how the black pops against the white marble, gold columns and blue of the pools.

The day was amazing except for that it was incredibly hot! I went in the prime of the afternoon. Some of the photos that I took are slightly blurry from the humidity- no joke! From looking at pictures on instagram, I see that it’s open at night. I most definitely want to go back later in the day when it’s not sweltering. Following travel pages on social gives you such great travel inspiration and tips.

We weren’t allowed to walk in the center of mosque, but I’ve seen quite a few pics of people posing there in the evening. So I’m wondering if it’s only allowed later hours. I removed my shoes and entered the mosque for an even more breath-taking experience.

Needless to say, I’ve seen a  place of worship quite like this. There were ornate, colorful chandliers and intricate doming. One of the most beautiful things ever is getting to eye-witness new cultures.

Ever since watching the Sex and the City movie, I’ve been wanting to go to Abu Dhabi- I’m sure I’m not the only one! I took a bus tour and while they can be boring, I learned quite a bit. Abu Dhabi means “father of deer”. The center had a rich skyline similar to Dubai, along with the many homes of the royal family, and Ferrari world. It was such a lovely place. I can’t believe that NYU has a campus there, I would love to visit it one day.