Al-Ain is a city around an oasis. The UAE are wealthy because of their oil. However Al-Ain is a bit remote, it is not in the league of Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
The highway from Abu-Dhabi to Al-Ain. Notice the trees and bushes. They all need to have water piped to them. (341k) Center of Al-Ain with the main mosque. Notice the threatening clouds. This turned into sandstorm. (547k) The largest mosque in Al-Ain. (901k) A very sudden sandstorm had come up and the visibility got really bad. This view of the mosque shows the beginning of the sandstorm. (584k) A medium-sized mosque. (1393k) Another local mosque. (914k) A tiny mosque in the middle of the Al-Ain oasis. (2M) The palace where the current Emir of Abu Dhabi grew up. (760k) Inside the Emir's palace. (631k) Inside the Emir's palace. (916k) A well in the Emir's palace. (799k) The Jahili Fort. (892k) Inside the Jahili Fort. (804k) Inside the Jahili Fort. (779k) Roundabout in Al-Ain with fancy decoration. (723k) Another view of the coffee-pot roundabout. (646k) Water fountain on one of the roundabouts. There are lots of water fountains in Abu-Dhabi, a showcase for their wealth. (774k) Suburban street in Al-Ain. (766k) 4-car garage in suburbia. (570k) Typical house. There are not may windows on the outside. The windows are to the courtyard inside. (654k) One of the small streets through the Al-Ain oasis. (778k) In general Al-Ain was very clean, there were always street sweepers around. This was the only place I saw some garbage, probably because it was a construction site. (663k) View of Al-Ain from Jebel Hafeet. (762k) Market in Al-Ain. (799k) Street market. (886k) Women in Hijab going shopping. (623k) Gardening on the streets in Al-Ain. (969k) The local museum in Al-Ain has some nice pieces. (559k) Stone age carvings. (859k) More recent carvings from a building. (474k)
Al-Ain Rotana Hotel
The Al-Ain Rotana hotel. (685k) Las Corrales, a Cuban band, playing in the Rotana hotel. They were really good. (2M) One of the singers of Las Corrales. (1.9M) One of the singers of Las Corrales. (1.8M) One of the singers of Las Corrales, playing the violin. They all played several instruments. (1.7M) One of the singers of Las Corrales. (1.7M) Each room in the hotel has an arrow on the ceiling that points towards Mecca. (1362k)
Desert trip
Camel market. (819k) Our camels for the desert ride with the camel driver. (820k) The camel driver with his camel. (682k) Our shadows on the desert sand, just before sunset. (613k) On camel back into the sunset. (623k) Our shadows on the desert sand, just before sunset. (540k) Our camels during a sight-seeing stop in the desert. (524k) This was the camp building in which we had dinner and breakfast. In the back was my bed. I didn't use it, I slept outside in the sleeping bag. (1043k) Smoking a sheesha (water pipe) at a fire in the desert is wonderfully relaxing. (626k)
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