So, farewell to the Tourist Club. Not that the district of Abu Dhabi is going anywhere, but, from now on, we shall refer to its new name, Al Zahiyah, which translates variously as bright, shiny or even luminescent.Good luck with getting a taxi to Al Zahiyah, of course. The old names have a habit of sticking around, despite the best efforts of those in authority.
It’s a long time since anyone obtained a visa on Passport Street or saw a soldier on Defence. The Tourist Club, or TCA as it was commonly known, took its name from the leisure centre built there in the 1970s. It was a place for anyone to enjoy themselves, although oddly, not tourists, who had yet to make it to Abu Dhabi.
There are various theories about the name, all unprovable. Possibly it was a mistranslation, or to distinguish it from The Club, which was members-only. It may even have been an attempt to lure actual tourists. Among the attractions were a skating rink with artificial ice and a bowling alley, shown here. The Tourist Club closed a decade ago, but you can see the site next to Le Méridian Hotel, best viewed from the terrace at the new Galleria Mall on Maryah Island.
* James Langton
