Ziad is 32 years old and was born and raised in Abu Dhabi. He spent 11 years abroad but has been back for five years. Ziad is a lawyer by day and a photographer by night (www.ziadsalloumphotography.com). Abu Dhabi Week asked Ziad what are the five things he likes most about living in Abu Dhabi.

The bridges
I’ve always seen bridges as very welcoming structures, and few places have such a clear point after which you know you’ve entered the city. I love crossing over the waters after a trip out of Abu Dhabi. The moment I cross Maqta bridge, my favourite bridge, or the new Sheikh Zayed bridge and reach the other side I know I’ve entered Abu Dhabi city – and I feel like I’m home.

The sea
I love the sea, and swimming and snorkelling and diving… it’s all so easily accessible here. There’s such a rich and diverse marine life that it can make for some absolutely breathtaking sights. My absolute favourite thing to do when I need to unwind is go camping on a beach with good friends, and then swim out into the waters at night. The sea around Abu Dhabi is full of phytoplankton and other microscopic organisms – these give off a phosphorescence when you disturb them. It’s such a unique experience … like swimming through a sea of swirling blue-green stars.

The people
No place I’ve ever lived in has allowed me to meet so many open-minded and interesting people. The Emiratis are wonderful and open people who place great value in and respect their friendships. Abu Dhabi has somehow managed to attract great people from pretty much every country out there – and despite differences in culture and experiences, most people are like-minded and easy going.

Cultural events
There’s increasingly more and more to do in Abu Dhabi. It seems that culture from all over the world is coming here to us. There’s a great burgeoning arts scene, there are the big-name concerts, the exhibitions, the fairs, the Formula 1 and all of those events, sports, music and film festivals … there’s something new almost every week!

The location
Wherever you are living in the world and whatever you do, there comes a time when you just need to get away from everything. I love that so many amazing destinations are so easily accessible from Abu Dhabi.