UAE

Middle East travel

/ mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

Tensions in the Middle East have ratcheted up since the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, while the unintentional shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger jet has done little to instill confidence in travellers to the region.

I’ve visited the Middle East several times over the last 15 years and discovered a compelling part of the world which has a lot to offer.

The futuristic desert cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are thrilling discoveries en route to chilled Indian Ocean beach holidays. Oman is more low-rise, restrained and authentic, but with a splash of luxury should you want it.

Further up the Gulf is the small state of Qatar, where I happily spent a week exploring capital city Doha and indulging in some dune bashing out in the desert. Jordan and Israel, meanwhile, have a wealth of historical treasures and the relaxing Dead Sea.

For sunshine seekers during the long UK winter, the Middle East presents opportunities for good weather and a seaside climate. But how do you decide if it’s safe to visit? Read more below the gallery

A taste of the Middle East. Click first image to view gallery

For UK travellers, the definitive place to go for advice about visiting the Middle East is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. The information is detailed, comprehensive and updated constantly.

Iran, Iraq and war-ravaged Syria and Yemen currently carry a red warning against all travel. More popular destinations including the United Arab Emirates come with the advice that “the security situation could worsen with little warning”, while historically most visits are “trouble free”.

A whole host of other trusted travel sources, such as Fodor’s, are also providing information about the situation.

As part of my year of travel, I was very keen to visit Iran, famed for its cultural treasures, delicious cuisine and welcoming people. But I put this on ice before recent events, concerned about the government’s attitude towards LGBT issues.

I’ve also had my eye on a tour of Lebanon but am reconsidering, given the presence of Iranian-backed militias in the country.

Choosing never to travel to the Middle East again would be an oversight. The region has so much to offer and is richly photogenic.

But you don’t have to make any decisions alone – there is a lot of guidance available.

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Abu Dhabi: Water metropolis

/ mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, nestles handsomely on the waters of the Arabian Gulf. During the relative cool of the winter, I spent an entire day making my way along The Corniche – a showpiece walkway by the water’s edge and Abu Dhabi’s beaches, with the high-rise majesty of the city centre next to you. The blue and white palette is dazzling.

The walkway eventually gives way to the bustling junction with 18th Street, the artery leading to Marina Island. It bristles with boats, has its own impressive shopping mall and a vast UAE flag. As the daylight slowly ebbs, people gather to pass the time. Dusk into darkness brings its own reward as the city twinkles and casts colourful reflections onto the water – a photographic delight.

As this is the final glance at Abu Dhabi, I’d suggest that it’s a better bet than nearby Dubai, which has mopped up all the notoriety having shot up from almost nothing. Well there’s only one way to find out…

Click first image to view this collection

Gallery entrance

Mosque magic

/ mikeosbornphoto / 13 Comments

Blue stuccoYou have to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at least twice on a visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. By the dazzling light of day, this beguiling building teems with visitors and can be hot work. But it remains open until long after sunset, and is transformed by illuminations which unveil a magical spectrum of colours, shimmering reflections and accentuate the wonderful lines and shapes created by this wonder of architecture.

After dark, the visitors have thinned out and lurk as silhouettes, and you can find stretches of the mosque are your own. The grounds are lit with warm, golden lamps which add to the atmosphere. And as for night photography, the lighting means that a tripod isn’t essential or even necessary. You must definitely take a night stroll around this building if you’re ever in this Middle Eastern city.

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Gallery entrance

Abu Dhabi heights

/ mikeosbornphoto / 18 Comments

The capital city of the United Arab Emirates is dripping with skyscrapers. Abu Dhabi feels less showy than nearby Dubai, which boasts the tallest building on the planet. Nonetheless, it’s easy to do two things here. Firstly, crane your neck upwards into the blazing sun and deep blue sky to marvel at those lofty hunks of metal and glass. Maybe it’s by design that the predominant colour palette is blue.

Secondly, you can head up to look down, and the chief spot for this is the Observation Deck at 300, some 74 storeys high. Abu Dhabi is laid out before you, including its shimmering Arabian Gulf seaboard, flecked with desert islands. It’s a high platform for people-watching, while they serve a sumptuous afternoon tea. But like all enclosed tall buildings, the photographer has the headache of reflection to deal with when he comes back down to Earth…

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Gallery entrance

Grand mosque

/ mikeosbornphoto / 27 Comments

This magnificent building was my main incentive for taking a trip to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Situated on a huge site to the north of the country’s capital, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque can accommodate 41,000 worshippers and is an opulent feat of architecture, completed in 2007.

But my visit, under the piercing blue of an Arabian Gulf sky, was less about religious observance as tourists from all over the world flocked to see this impressive complex. It’s a myriad of pillars, windows, arches and domes, while the interior is studded with gems and cut glass.

With tourists come phones, selfie sticks and iPads in a building where photography is thankfully allowed. It feels almost impossible to take an original image. But with this wealth of lines, symmetry, colour and majesty, you just have to go with your instinct and capture what enthralls your own eye.

This isn’t the end of the story with the mosque. There is even more to come…

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