Time Frame: The sand between your toes

This first weekend in November, and a holiday at that, thoughts turn to a day at the beach.

So it was in the Abu Dhabi more than 20 years ago when this photo was taken for our sister paper Al Ittihad.

The view here shows the old Corniche before the construction of First Street, the current highway that now runs along the waterfront.

This patch of sand, identified by the Adco headquarters and where a local family enjoys a picnic, now marks  the start of something much grander.

Running as far as the Hilton Hotel, the Corniche Beach boasts boardwalks and cafes, hosting events as diverse at this weekend’s  F1 FanZone for the Abu Dhabi grand prix and the Womad world music festivals between 2009 and 2011.

This year, the beach has been extended further, westward as far as Old Airport Road, giving pleasure now as it did years ago.

*James Langton