Grand Mosque

One of the UAE's treasures, Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque is the 3rd largest mosque in the world, and locals are proud to tell you that a whole Turkish quarry was emptied of its marble to build it.

By volunteering to chaperone the many themed field trips offered by my college, I can come close to the bonding experiences I had in the US, where I could easily invite foreign students to meals at home and ski trips in my own SUV, none of which are allowed here. Instead these field trips are the rare times when we can socialize with our students without being in the ever-watchful eye that is our campus.

Only two hours from Sharjah, and on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is absolutely worth the trip, environmental quandries aside. With its real gold turret-tips, mother-of-pear inlay in bright white marble, the plushest and largest carpet in the world (a serious treat to my feet), along with a half dozen one-of-a-kind swimming-pool-sized chandeliers made of gorgeous semi-precious stones, all crafted by Islamic-trained artisans from all over the world, you will no-doubt be impressed from a design standpoint, if not also from a religious one.

In the photos here you can see a sample of the fine detail found all over the mosque as well as a few pictures of me and my students, all dressed respectfully for the occasion.