Ask Ali: Bridging the gap with crossings into Abu Dhabi

In this week's Ask Ali we learn, how did people used to enter the capital before modern construction reached the UAE?

Dear Ali: Every time I visit Abu Dhabi, I wonder how people used to enter the capital in the past, before modern construction reached the UAE, as the city is located on an island off the mainland. Was there a bridge back then? KA, Sharjah

Dear KA: Before the union of the UAE in 1971, people who lived in this land did indeed have a difficult life and trips to and from Abu Dhabi weren’t easy.

Yes, Abu Dhabi is located on an island, so trading ships came to its coast daily to sell goods, because of its proximity to the open sea. That’s why people travelled to Abu Dhabi from across the whole region.

Bridges only started being built relatively recently, but before such modern construction happened, people still managed to reach the island.

For that to be able to happen, two natural factors helped people a lot.

First of all, the waters of the Arabian Gulf are shallow and not very dangerous.

Secondly, the tides enabled people to cross the water without actually using any vessels at all.

People visited Abu Dhabi constantly, regardless of the fact that the journey could take as much as several weeks if they were coming from one of the farther emirates.

Just imagine, the trip from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi could sometimes take up to two weeks – it all depended on the weather and how many rest stops you made.

Long before our famous Sheikh Zayed Bridge – which we in Abu Dhabi are very proud of – was built, in almost the same location, there was the original Al Maqtaa Bridge.

It was built to make crossing easier for people, as they were previously used to crossing the channel at that place.

The original Al Maqtaa Bridge was used as the main route into the city up until about the end of the 20th century – it’s still there.

The old version of Al Maqtaa Bridge was more like a stone road connecting two shores. If the water was too high, everyone had to wait for the tide to recede to be able to move.

The people who were crossing would wait until the water level became low enough to be able to walk, even if the water still overlaid the bridge. Once people could walk across without any harm, they started moving.

Sometimes you will see old pictures of Abu Dhabi with camels walking in the sea. So don’t be surprised to see something like that, as these animals were just crossing the channel with their owners, who came to Abu Dhabi for trade or to pick up some provisions for his family.

Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.