‘What a year this was’- we simply cannot recollect the number of times we would have said this. The whole year has been nothing short of an adventure ride. The year kicked off with a pandemic, which has been ruling the roost till date. From new face accessories to social distancing becoming the new word- the year introduced a lot of (not so nice) new things to us. But, like always, everything comes to an end and we’re almost ready to welcome the new year.
So, before we bid adieu to 2020, here’s a quick recap of all the big events that the UAE saw.
1. January- Abu Dhabi’s Mangrove Parked Opened
If going on long strolls is your idea of unwinding then Abu Dhabi might be your favourite new spot. A gorgeous boardwalk amidst a landscape of mangroves opened in January this year. The AED 5 billion Mangrove Walk Project, stretches along the Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and is now open to the public.
The new boardwalk, stretching between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, is an initiative to promote eco-tourism in the capital. Apart from the breathtaking backdrop, the site also serves as an ideal spot for family picnics, as well as permit adventure junkies to go kayaking. Besides, there’s a kids’ play area where the minis can unwind.
The new park also boasts a dedicated viewing deck, allowing visitors to soak in the stunning views, click photographs and understand the importance of mangroves in our ecosystem. The mangrove forest is also home to 60,000 species of birds and marine life, protected by the Government.
The Qurum Walkway is open to visitors daily from 8:00 am to 6.30pm, and is FREE to visit for all. The wallboard has three routes, with the longest one extending up to 2 kilometres and the shortest one covering 1 km.
2. March- UAE Announces Lockdown, Schools Go Online
The world had become a new, unknown place for many by now. With the Covid pandemic taking over, parts of the world slowly began shutting down, which eventually ended up in a world-wide lockdown. The UAE was smart enough to respond to Covid promptly by shutting down schools, cancelling events and imposing a night curfew.
Schools were shut and online learning became the mode of education. This was the time when facemask, social distancing and a whole lot of other new things came into picture, which have now become part of life.
3. April- UAE Suspends International Travel
Looking back, we could never spot airplanes in the sky in April, May or June. The pandemic was at its peak then and the UAE had suspended international travel to several destinations. Emirates had initially planned to resume flights from May, but considering the condition, the airline pushed it to July. Repatriation flights were available to UAE residents stuck abroad.
4. July- Dubai Welcomed Back Tourists
Dubai welcomed tourists on 7 July. A list of guidelines were rolled out and all tourists were tested for Covid upon arrival at DXB. The committee announced new protocols and conditions for citizens, residents and tourists travelling into or out of Dubai airports.
In addition, tourists and visitors to Dubai received a special sticker on their passports that read ‘A warm welcome to your second home.’ The initiative was done to make tourists feel at home in the emirate. The immigration authorities also put in place high safety standards at all Dubai airports.
5. August- Live Concerts, Events & Weddings Resumed In Dubai
After months of being cooped up, Dubai Government announced that the resumption of live events, indoor and outdoor concerts and weddings. Several precautions were put in place, but this was one of the first steps to crawling back to normalcy after the lockdown.
6. September: Gold Animals Took To The Dubai Sky
Dubai is all about glitz and glamour, but this was the first time residents saw gold fly through the sky. Residents at Dubai Marina saw gold gorilla and tiger statues being helicoptered through Marina. The internet was abuzz with the news and we later discovered that it was for a new pool club, Wane By SoMiya, in Address Dubai Marina.
7. October: Rumors Of HH Sheikh Hamdan’s New Restaurant
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, shared a whole lot of Instagram stories and pictures back in October. The pictures of burgers emblazoned with his ‘F3’ logo sparked rumors about a new business venture from the Royal. However, no further updates were shared ever since.
8. November: UAE Law Permits Unmarried Couples To Live Together
This was one big news this year! The UAE Government announced changes in the country’s Islamic personal laws. As per the new rule, unmarried couples in UAE will now be permitted to stay together. The new move is an effort to improve the living standards of the residents in the country. The new law is effective immediately. Read on for more details.