Talk Football Blog

FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:50:46 GMT

10 things to see and do in and around Abu Dhabi

This year's FIFA Club World Cup will be held between 9-19 December in Abu Dabhi, the capital of the UAE. In between the football, there are plenty of things to see and do for visiting supporters.

Here we list ten of Abu Dhab's most popular activities and attractions:

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grand Mosque

The majestic Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque is the first mosque in Abu Dhabi to allow non-Muslims to tour its interior, making it a must-see for visitors. It features 80 domes all decorated with white marble, including the main dome which has an outer shell measuring 32.7 metres in diameter and stands 70 metres high from the inside and 85 metres from the outside, making it the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.

Emirates Palace

At an estimated cost of $3 billion, the Emirates Palace is one of the world's most expensive hotels, decorated with gold-leaf, marble and hung with more than 1,000 Swarovksi crystal chandeliers. The Emirates Palace Hotel is owned by the Abu Dhabi government. The hotel opened its doors in 2005 after 3 years of construction. It is located along a 1.3km stretch of white sandy beach and conveniently neighbours Abu Dhabi's bustling Corniche area.

Shopping

Abu Dhabi offers great shopping options – choose from the comfort of air-conditioned malls or soak up the atmosphere at a traditional souk (market). In Abu Dhabi city, the Iranian and carpet souks and Madinat Zayed gold market are well worth visiting. Abu Dhabi's souks feature small, homely shops set within traditional architecture along pedestrian alleys. Visitors can bargain for a range of items including antiques, spices, fabrics, and jewellery. There are also a number of major malls throughout the city, the largest being the Marina Mall, Khalidiyah Mall, Al Wahda Mall, and Abu Dhabi Mall.

Dining

Abu Dhabi boasts hundreds of fine restaurants with cuisine from across the world, including Arabian, Thai, Vietnamese, French, Spanish, German and Brazilian. You can even order bangers and mash or an all-American steak. Smoking is still permitted at most Abu Dhabi restaurants so non-smokers should pre-book a non-smoking table.

Kayaking

Offering kayaking experiences like no other, Noukhada Adventure Company run daily trips out into the natural mangrove forests on the east Corniche area as well as overnight island trips and kayak fishing. Accessible for visitors of all ages, take a kayak out with an environment expert to increase your awareness and knowledge of the natural beauty of Abu Dhabi's beautiful, watery oasis.

Abu Dhabi Heritage Village

On the breakwater near the giant UAE flag and Marina Mall, the Heritage Village comprises a group of traditional buildings and a small museum showing the life of the Bedouin in old black and white photographs. A replica of a traditional oasis irrigation system, or "falaj", and a wind tower - the world's first air-conditioning - are striking examples of the ingenuity of the early inhabitants of the UAE. There is also a traditional souk where you can buy traditional gifts and souvenirs.

Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital

Close to Abu Dhabi International Airport, this was the first institution in the world to provide comprehensive veterinary health care exclusively for falcons. Visits to the hospital are an unforgettable experience of the fascinating world of falcons and falconry.

Cultural Foundation

This modern building in the centre of Abu Dhabi and next to the Qasr Al Hosn fort contains the National Library, National Archives and the Institute of Culture and Art. It is home to several arts and culture exhibitions and fairs throughout the year, including the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Visitors will also find atmospheric black-and-white photographs of Abu Dhabi before oil was discovered and a tabletop model with palm frond "berasti" houses and mud huts.

Al Ain

Al Ain is the second largest city within the emirate of Abu Dhabi and is roughly an hour drive away from Abu Dhabi city. Al Ain provides visitors with the opportunity to take a break from the city to experience some of the emirate‟s local outdoor scenery and wildlife.

Desert Safari

Desert safaris promote a range of Emirati cultural experiences mixed in with a slice of adventure. Drive out into the dessert for some “dune bashing” as professional drivers take you on a roller-coaster ride over steep sand dunes in specially-fitted SUVs. In the heart of the desert, elegant tents are spread out with camel rides, shisha, henna, and a dinner buffet of local cuisine. Belly dancers and local music provide entertainment for a beautiful evening under the stars.

Arsenal tickets available in charity auction

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:10:48 BST

Win tickets to the biggest matches at the Emirates and help raise money for the charity!

There are four pairs of top tickets for FOUR Arsenal home matches for this season available to the highest bidder. All money will be split equally between the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture and Room2Heal.

This is a silent auction, which means that you will not know what the current highest bid is, you'll just have to let them know what the maximum you'd like to pay for each pair is. The tickets available are for:

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur - 31 October 2009

Arsenal v Chelsea - 28 November 2009

Arsenal v Manchester United - 30 January 2010

Arsenal v Liverpool - 9 February 2010

Seats are Lower Tier, Block 31, Row 8, Yellow Quadrant.

If you have bid the most, they will get in touch to take payment and arrange delivery of your tickets on Friday, the 16th October. Serious bidders only, please. If you are still interested, please bid using the following link. For further information please contact Charlotte Lock (clock@torturecare.org.uk).

Terms and Conditions

All bids must be received by 5 PM on Thursday 15 October.

You can bid for as many matches as you wish but please note that there is a reserve price per pair on these tickets of Â£100. Payment must be made in full before the tickets can be released to the winner.

Information about the Charities

The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (registered charity number 1000340), established in 1985, is the only organisation in the UK dedicated solely to the treatment of torture survivors. Since its inception, almost 50,000 people have been referred for help. In 2008, the MF received 2,025 new requests for help. Clients came from 79 countries, with significant numbers from Sri Lanka, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Iran.

Room2Heal (registered charity number 1128857) is a therapeutic rehabilitation project for asylum seekers, refugees and others who have suffered gross human rights violations. They provide a range of therapeutic groups and creative activities, including a gardening and horticultural programme, theatre and story-telling workshops, English classes and work retreats.

Kit design competition by Myfootballkits

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:04:39 BST

Myfootballkits provide the very latest football shirt news and reviews bringing you information of the very latest kit releases before anyone else. As well as showing you what the new football shirt looks like, they can also tell you the release dates and when they will be available to buy.

Myfootballkits is very much a community site where they not only encourage readers to comment on the news articles, they also encourage participation in the site through a number of competitions and interactive features including the new football kit design competition. With their kit design competition they ask members to design what they would like their teams' football shirt to look like using their unique design software with the best design winning a prize.

They are also offering the opportunity for members of the site to earn some extra cash by helping to promote Myfootballkits to the wider community. As well as bringing you news on the latest football kit releases, Myfootballkits also has an integrated shop where you can buy the very latest football tops, including some that you won’t find online anywhere else. They have all the top teams in Europe and from around the world as well as some lesser-known teams; they also have an extensive retro shirt selection and kids shirts available.

Play a game with some footballing legends!

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:52:26 BST

The time has come for Samsung football to offer up another competition. So if your into football, this is a once in a lifetime chance not to be missed!

Just upload an image showing your passion for the game and if you win, you will be playing a game against some great football legends at Stamford Bridge, following in the footsteps of players like Lampard, Terry and Rooney, in a match refereed by an ex-premier league ref!

Do you think you could you be up to the challenge of beating the might of professional footballing legends? Give it a try! As if that wasn't enough of a prize you will also get to put your feet up after the match in the same dugout area used by all the football players of today, and then enjoy a tour around Stamford Bridge Stadium.

When you are completely worn out you will be treated to a three course gala dinner before retiring to bed at the 4* Millennium & Copthorne Hotel Stamford Bridge. You'll also get to take a full football kit away with you and some great memories to last you forever!

For your chance to live the dream just visit Samsung Football and upload your images to show them your passion for the beautiful game.

LG kicks off LOOP’s new football campaign

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:08:08 GMT

LG recently launched a photo sharing site called Loop. To celebrate the launch they have been running competitions - chances to win 8mp LG camera-phones, TV sets, money and even, in January, an extreme sports holiday!

But to keep it interesting you have to prove your worth - competitions are judged by the community, with the winners chosen by a monthly public vote, and you're up against covert Pro sports photographers, such as Nathan Gallagher, submitting their work anonymously to see which the crowd prefer - or if they even notice a difference. For your chance to wreck a professional photographers ego, and win £1,000 to boot submit your match-day photos to Pro v. Joe now!

Meet the Chelsea team and more!!

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:58:38 GMT

Calling all football fans, aspiring players and pretty much everyone else interested in sport! Samsung and Chelsea football club have decided to offer a once in a lifetime prize to a really lucky fan.

The winner will enjoy a money-can't-buy opportunity to meet the Chelsea football team! Yes, you read right...meet the Chelsea players! That's not all either, you will also have the chance to brush up on your skills when you take part in a training session with the coaches and then spend the evening at Stamford Bridge including a tour of the ground!

If this sounds like a competition that you would like to enter (let's face it who wouldn't!!) All you need to do is upload a picture, and your experiences as a fan which display your passion and dedication for the beautiful game! Not exactly much effort for such an impressive and exciting prize!!

So what are you waiting for?! Get your entry secured quick!