To go and to see Al Ayn
I took a day tour to Al Ain with a local tour agent in Abu Dhabi named Cyclone.
http://cyclonetours.araax.com/UAE/CoInfo.aspx
The cost for their programs are more expensive than other tour agent that I've investigated, but the good thing with this one, is that they'll provide a 4-wheel drive for max 5 people per one trip. It means that the trip schedule is quite flexible. Even the first time I book for the weekend tour, they mentioned they don't have any.. but later on the girl from the agent called me and said that I can go with 4 people group that saturday... so I was a bit relieved and decided to go.
The trip for ~8 hours cost 360 dhs (100 usd) - I thought this is the most flexible and economical, being alone, difficult to find somebody with sama interest to go there.
The driver picked me up around 9 am from the apartment, picked up another 4 people from the hotel Al Diar Sands and off we go. Together with me there are 1 man and 3 women.. most of them are also working here and recently arrived as well.
The journey was fast and I felt asleep a bit, when the sun gets hotter and even brighter as the road condition was perfect and no traffic jam.
It is true what they said that Al-ain is known as garden city: this city is greener and has more plants compare to Abu Dhabi, there is no tall building. The driver told us that the Sheik's regulation not to have taller building in this city so the beauty of this city will not be destroyed by skyscrapers.
We went to the first attraction: which is Al Ain Palace Museum - which used to be the Sheik's residence - ps: this is his hometown.
This Palace consisted of several pavillions, separate building with the Majlis (or formal guest room), living room, bderooms, kitchen, and even study room. We can seethe Sheikh's family tree here with several other interesting calligraphies and paintings.
Then, we went to see the second museum - Al Ain Fort Museum - build in an old fort, it has several collection from ancient civilizations as well as several treasure of the empire. Being a museum freak, i really enjoyed this place. The highlight of this museum is the real moon stone, brought back by US astronout from the moon trip!. I can't really explain, but I was a bit thrilled so see something not belong to earth:).
Then we went around the town to see the animal market and camel market, too bad it was midday, very hot and there is no activities there.
We went for a short stop and pictures-taking to the dates farm, with the oasis irigation - nothing much - just a new places to see. We didn't see any dates, since apparently these time of the year is the blossoming season, means that the dates will be ripe and available to pick around Aug (4-5 months!).
Then we climbed up to Jebel Hafeet - with the curvy paths, the road was perfect and I was amazed to guess how much the money spent to build the road up to the top of mountain. There some area at the bottom, where it belongs to the SHeik, with the villas and palace and guess what, there is one more palace on the top. The driver told us that the coat to build the palace and the nice hotel on top combined, still can't beat the cost to build the road. Which I think it is true. We stopped in a nice hotel called Mercure Jebel Hafeet, near the top, have a very nice buffer lunch menu.
We went up to stop a moment and going back down, where we passed a city park, green with grass and water path from the oasis, we saw several families having a picnic and dip their feet to the water.
Then we went back to Abu Dhabi around 5 pm - when I slept the whole trip!
Tour details:
- 360 dhs for this trip (incl, lunch and entrance fee for the museum
- Some other travel agents offer 180 - 250 dhs tour, but excl. the lunch
- lunch buffet at Jebel hafeet: 65 dhs (ecl. service charge) - very good menu!
|
|
This museum was inaugurated in 1971 and hosting the ancient and more recent UAE historical collection.
In the entrance, they have a separate - traditional tent: one is selling the souvenirs and the other as a Majlis, to welcome the guest with the arabic coffee and dates and traditional pancakes.
This museum was build in the same complex as the Al Ain Fort, ancient fort built during the pre-oil period, to protect the Oasis area. The fort was constructed from a white stone, mud and grass.
The museum has 2 main sections, namely: Ethnography and Archaelogy. The first has the collection from more recent period of the country/kingdom's history, i.e: some pictures from the pre-oil area, some treasures from the other country for the kingdom. While the second has the old traditional things which suddenly dissapear when the oil boomed, such as the household, pearling, currency, weaving, cloths, I just dicover there that the students at that time use the flat bone from the cow to write on in the school.
And as I mentioned in the title, I was most amazed at the moon rock, brought for UAE kingdom by US astrounout from the moon trip, just so thrilling to see something which doesn't belong to earth. Silly me!:D
