Wednesday Walk | The Big Water - Corniche Beach, Abu Dhabi

Was about to post this last night but I got too sleepy and yes, I did not fight my drooping eyelids. So now I have to squeeze this in while my eldest is on his break from his studies and I get to use the laptop.

The "Big Water".

This is how my eldest used to refer to the beach back when he was little. Of course, he doesn't anymore, and none of the two younger ones ever called the beach as such. But still. Let me cling to that memory, especially this particular beach at the Corniche where we used to go to back when the two younger ones were not yet born.

The kids wanted to go to the beach and I thought going to the Corniche beach would be a good idea because there is a portion of the beach that is covered by the shadow of the Landmark Tower from across the road. Landmark Tower is currently the second tallest building in Abu Dhabi.

Intricately designed mosaics at the pedestrian underpass.

We used the pedestrian underpass to get to the beachside from the parking lot. I forgot the picnic mat in the car and the kids already went ahead of me as I returned to the car to get it. They were waiting for me at the end of this tunnel.

Special Access for people of determination 👨‍🦽👩‍🦯 , senior citizens,👵👴 and baby strollers 👶.

It's been a while since we last came here. We always go to the Bateen Beach or the Hudayriat Beach for the past how many years.

I am thrilled to find this special access where wheelchairs and baby strollers can be pushed very near to the beach without any struggle. I can still remember when I was a new parent and did not know any better -- I tried to push my eldest's stroller on the sand and yep, that was a very bad idea. LOL.

The Big Water, finally.

I missed the turn that led directly to the parking near the Landmark Tower. That tall building right here is the Landmark Tower. In the morning, the sun is directly behind it and it casts a long shadow that reaches all the way to this beach across the street.

It's still a long walk from where we are and the kids decided we do not have to go to that shade.

We just settled near the beach entrance that's closer to where we parked our car. I agreed because I know that when they finish swimming and they run out of energy, there would be whining and complaining from too much heat and too much walking. 🤷‍♀️

The water is cold, but it gets better the longer you stay in. I have to commend these two for being so brave to go right into the water without qualms.

But oh, I have to mention that the Little Mister was quite disappointed with this beach. He did not like it much and said, "It does not smell like the beach!". Anyway, he soon embraced it and did not even want to leave even when the sun was already so high up.

Meanwhile, Kuya and I just walked at the shore, and I took the chance to take more photos, playing with my phone camera's zoom.

Lulu Island

Right across in front of us is a man-made island, the Lulu Island. It was a favorite destination by the tourists and residents alike many years ago, but closed for several years. It is only accessible via private boats.

Now, action is back to this island. There is currently a light exhibit happening here daily until January, 2024 if I am not mistaken. I really, really want to go there.

Part of the Manar experience in Lulu Island is to witness an artwork accessible via a free bus ride in the island. Just in case you are wondering why there are buses there. That's why.

Rixos Hotel, Marina, Abu Dhabi

This hotel is located near Marina Mall at the other end of the Corniche. It has been under construction for as long as I can remember. Now looking up about it, I saw that it finally opened up in 2019.

Parasail

Meanwhile, our attention was caught by a boat that had a parachute attached to it.

"Hey, look! It's a parachute!" I told the kids.

A few moments later, we heard tiny screams. Huh?

Ooops! There's a person dangling from the parachute!

The boat sped in front of us and then came back.

When we turned around, we found her very high up in the sky already! So cool!

Anyway, back to photographing...

Qasr Al Watan

Zooming in at the view on our left, we can see the Presidential Palace - Qasr Al Watan.

While it already looks majestic at this view, wait until you see what's inside of it.

It is a place rich in architectural wonder, and intricate, and luxurious designs.

I was able to visit this palace in 2019 before the pandemic lockdowns. It was breathtaking! Visit my blog about it, Qasr Al Watan - Presidential Palace, Abu Dhabi, UAE to learn more and be mesmerized as we were.

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And there! It's Thursday afternoon already. It took me longer than planned to write this. My student is already waiting for me to get off the laptop...

Hope you had a wonderful Wednesday walk, and are enjoying your Thursday.

Have fun!

_{All photos are taken and owned by the Author and cannot be used without permission.}