An interesting mix of old and new, a sense of vibrancy as well as of peace, pervades the Hazza Bin Zayed Street in the heart of the capital, Abu Dhabi. Although many features have changed along the road in recent years, the street retains much of its old, distinct flavour with some of the most easily recognisable landmarks in the capital.
Situated in the heart of Abu Dhabi city, Hazza Bin Zayed the First Street has a long record of urban history.
One of the strongest indications of this is that many old-timers still refer to the area as Defence Road.
While it's confusing to new residents, the name derives from the Old Al Nahyan Military Camp, which took up quite a bit of space on one end of the road during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Today though, the military camp has moved and the road is bounded by Bainounah area on one end and the bridge to Al Reem Island on the other.
Residents on the street claim it is one of the most convenient and accessible areas in the city, with nearly everything within their reach.
Karim Jamal, a 20-year-old student from Somalia who is visiting the UAE, said he had been living at his uncle's apartment on Hazza Bin Zayed the First.
"I love the atmosphere along the road, because it is always full of life. I can see it is very family-friendly too. In fact, my uncle and aunt have been living here with their three children for the past 20 years," Jamal told Gulf News.
Like Jamal's uncle, new residents along the road express the same satisfaction about living on Hazza Bin Zayed.
Abhini Nair, 34, a homemaker from India said: "I have seen this road get busier since I moved here three years ago. It does get very crazy sometimes but I am still happy we live here". "The hospitals are within walkable distances, which is very important since I have five-year-old son, and schools and shops are just as close," Nair said.
One of the biggest developments along the road has been the opening of the centrally-located Al Wahda Mall in 2007. With retail stores selling everything from clothes to electronic goods, and a hypermarket that is packed on weekends, the mall has become one of the most popular places to shop in the capital.
Apart from weekday mornings, its food court and cafes are also always full with friends and families sharing a bite and catching up.
Mau Galang, 35, a mother of three from the Philippines, said she visited the mall every Friday to get her weekly groceries.
"The other malls are more distant and harder to get to, and I like the affordable prices at the hypermarket," Galang said.
Next to the mall, a green building presents an interesting contrast to Al Wahda's shiny exterior. With a host of taxis and buses parked inside the fence, the building has an old-world feel to it.
This is the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal and Taxi Stand, and long-time residents explain that this has always been one of the key buildings in the district. With buses leaving for or coming in from the various emirates every hour and many local bus routes stopping at the terminal, there is constant activity along this stretch of the road.
While the mall and bus terminal are major reasons for the heavy traffic on the road, people can also be seen headed in droves to the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company's (SEHA) Disease Prevention and Screening Centre at all times of the day.
Since 2008, this is one of the only centres where expatriates can undergo the mandatory medical tests required to obtain a residency visa.
On and off the road, a number of schools are also present, including Emirates National School for Girls, Salahuddin Private School and Al Ekhlas Private School.
Salwa Shamsuddin, headmaster of Al Ekhlas which is located behind the row of buildings opposite Al Wahda Mall, has been in charge of the school since its inception in 1988.
"We have 650 students from all over the city studying both English and Arabic at our school. I have been educating young minds for 23 years now, and it is so very enriching," Shamsuddin said.
Interestingly, a series of small stores, including photocopying and typing bureaus, bookshops, sheesha stores and photo studios, occupy the stretch of the road across from the mall.
Green sidewalks
As one travels further along the road in the direction of Bainounah, a number of new colourful play areas are visible amidst the green sidewalks. These new quasi-playgrounds, equipped with monkey bars and swings, attract the children who live in the many villas along Hazza Bin Zayed the First.
Ahmad Al Za'abi, an Emirati father of two, was playing with his two-year-old daughter and nephew in one of the play areas, and he told Gulf News that the swings and slides are packed by mid-afternoon.
"My father has been living in a villa here for 24 years and a few of my siblings also live nearby. So in the afternoons and evenings, all my nephews and nieces rush to make use of these playthings," Al Za'abi said.
"We love it here and I don't believe our family ever plans to move away from this street," he added.
Further along the avenue at the end of the road, lies the majestic Sultan Bin Zayed Mosque and Prayer Yard, with its cream-golden exterior and surrounding flower beds, and green terrain.
The exact opposite end of Hazza Bin Zayed the First Street is a complete contrast to the quiet stretch near Bainounah area, and heavy construction has changed its features completely in recent times. There, a recently opened bridge and its nearby roads, constructed as part of the extensive Al Salam Street project, connects Hazza Bin Zayed directly to Al Reem Island.
Near the bridge in the same section of town, a long line of about 50 stores catches one's eye. Housed in three-story buildings, these shops are all dedicated to selling mobile phones and accessories.
Khalid Jamal Khalil, a sales assistant at Gulf Flower, said every customer who wanted to buy a cell phone in the capital knew that he or she should head straight to Hazza Bin Zayed.
"Our shop has been located here for almost 10 years, and we see almost 100 customers on a daily basis. It is the best place to be if you want to sell mobile phones and related items," Khalil added.Because of recent additions, the Hazza Bin Zayed the First Street is one of the most active places in the city, particularly in the stretch near the mall.
During all hours of the day and well into the night, people of all ages can be found waiting for inter-city buses at the bus stops, while sharing a cup of coffee and chatting in twos and threes.
The traffic is heavy in the mornings and when the workday ends. But near the Bainounah area, the peace and quiet remains undisturbed.
It is this mix of vibrancy and tranquillity, modernity and old-worldliness, that truly defines Hazza bin Zayed the First Street.
TOP PICKS
1. Restaurants While a number of small bakeries and eateries like Ruby Restaurant and Zia Restaurant are open along the road, the Al Wahda Mall's food court and cafes are the primary location for people to share a bite. Everything is available, from international cuisine to fast food, and even a range of dessert and ice cream options. The Old Airport Road's line of fast food stores is also close by.
2. Hospitals The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company's Disease Prevention and Screening Centre is one of the major clinics on the road, and although it is not on the road itself, the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City is just off it. On the other end, the Dar Al Shifa Hospital is near the intersection with Najda Street.
3. Malls In the centre of the stretch, the Al Wahda Mall is the primary shopping destination. With about 170 stores and kiosks carrying designer brands, clothing, accessories, gift items and books, the mall has enough variety and frequent sales for all the capital's residents.
4. Hotels While Adjacent to the Wahda Mall, the recently-opened Grand Millennium Al Wahda has 844 rooms and suites for guests to the capital. Although this is one of the only hotels on the street, a few small apartment housing complexes are located on it.
5. Grocery Stores Most residents shop for grocery items at the Lulu Hypermarket in the mall, but small groceries are also present behind many of the residential buildings along the Hazza Bin Zayed the First Street.
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