Diamond in the Desert(1) | 沙漠之钻——阿布扎比

by Jeremy Beacock

Ancient traditions mix with modern life in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

阿拉伯联合大功国的首都阿布扎比有着新旧交杂的都市面貌。

Lying on a small island just 250 meters off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Persian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a modern jewel set beside timeless dunes. Once a poor town, it is now the second-largest city in the UAE as well as its capital. Abu Dhabi is one of the centers of the world's oil trade, and consequently, one of the richest cities in the world. The mix of the traditional and the expensively modern make it a fascinating city to visit.

Just 50 years ago, Abu Dhabi was an undeveloped city whose residents lived in palm leaf huts. They made money the same way they had for thousands of years through camel herding, pearl diving, and fishing. However, a forward-thinking Arabic leader, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, saw how oil wealth could transform Abu Dhabi, so in 1971 he embarked on an ambitious development program. The city planners were given the green light to hire the most prestigious architectural firms in the world—and they did. Nowadays, the Abu Dhabi skyline is a glittering range of skyscrapers, with more than 60 in some stage of construction.

However, Abu Dhabi's attractions are not purely architectural. Thanks to its large immigrant population, Abu Dhabi is multicultural because it has restaurants and celebrations from all over the world. What's more, there are many exciting exhibitions and sports events, from the annual Red Bull Air Race World Championship to the traditional sport of camel racing. There are also archaeological remains to explore, desert trips to experience, and more than 400 kilometers of coastline to enjoy.

　   阿布扎比位在阿拉伯联合大公国波斯湾外海仅 250 公尺的一座小岛上，是永恒沙丘旁的一颗现代宝石。它曾经是一个贫穷的小镇，如今却是阿拉伯联合大公国第二大城，同时也是其首都。阿布扎比是全球的石油贸易中心之一，也因此是全球最富有的城市之一。传统与现代奢华的结合，使之成为一座值得造访的迷人城市。

　　就在 50 年前，阿布扎比还是一个尚未开发的城市，居民都住在棕榈叶搭成的简陋小屋中。他们数千年来都以相同的方式谋生，包括放牧骆驼、潜水采收珍珠，以及渔业。然而，一位有远见的阿拉伯领袖扎耶德‧本‧苏尔坦‧阿勒纳哈扬，看出了石油带来的财富将能让阿布扎比脱胎换骨，因此他在 1971 年开始了一项充满野心的计划。都市规划者得到允许聘请全球最富盛名的建设公司，而他们确实这么做了。如今，阿布扎比的天际是一整排闪闪发光的摩天大楼，还有超过 60 栋正在兴建当中。

　　然而，阿布扎比的魅力并不只限于建筑。多亏其广大的移民人口，阿布扎比融合了多种文化，因为它有着来自世界各地的餐厅与庆典。而且，它还举办许多令人兴奋的展览与运动赛事，包括红牛飞行世界大赛与赛骆驼这种传统运动。你更可以探索建筑遗迹、体验沙漠之旅，还能享受长达 4 百多公里的海岸线。