DubaiDairy:Al Ain - my trip to an oasis

I had pictured an Oasis so many times in my head and I am sure so have you. Right in the middle of the desert with nothing around except date palm trees and a water hole. A few tents may be strewn around with camels sitting and watching you with their sleepy eyes.

So when I got a chance to go to Al Ain, I was really excited. Here was my chance to see an Oasis. On the way, I kept asking if the oasis is in Al Ain or somewhere nearby. I was told that it is the city itself. But still, the picture of an Oasis still hung in my head. When we reached Al Ain, there was surprise in store for me.

It is a sprawling city (actually the fourth largest in UAE) with beautiful roads, gardens and tastefully built buildings that give you a really different feeling, especially when you have just come out of Dubai. It is known as the Garden city in UAE and I could see why. There were big trees and I would not have believed it was possible in the middle of the desert, if I would not have seen it. I latter came to know, all this is because of a number of underground springs in the area. The temperature there was also much cooler and the greenery really soothing.

The first stop was the Al Ain Palace Museum, and it was really a great place to see how people lived and what the original culture was. But all the time, I was looking for the "OASIS". We managed to move there only after we fulfilled the demands of the youngest member of our team, Sohan, who would not let us go anywhere before he saw the zoo :)

A view from inside the Museum

Majlis Room - Museum

Now the zoo here is a quite a decent one, considering the fact that it is right in the middle of a desert and they have really tried to create a habitat for each animal. It was interesting to watch how they have managed to keep all sorts of animals from Gorillas to Ostriches to Penguins..

We finally proceeded to the OASIS but yet again I was disappointed. There was no central waterhole surrounded by palm tree or tents around. But soon I was climbing the palm trees plucking fresh dates and enjoying the scenery around. I learnt that there are a number of oasis of varying sizes in and around Al Ain and this one was one of the largest. The settlements around Al Ain are one of the oldest in the area and the government is ensuring the beauty of the place in maintained. I really appreciate the efforts, especially the ban on high rise buildings. Most of the buildings in the city are single storied and even in the heart of the commercial center, never beyond 2/3 storeys.

Al Ain

They are so tasty..

The best part was the trip to Jebel Hafeet (Jebel means mountain). As we moved towards it, a very interesting view emerged, you should see how they are trying to green the mountains around. Drip irrigation is changing the face of the mountains. Though we missed the target of watching the sunset from the top, it was a wonderful view of the entire town. As we climbed the serpentine road up to the crest of the mountain, the temperature drop was noticeable. The AC as shut off and we rolled down the windows to take in the magnificent view. The one hour spent there made me feel really great. I always feel elated whenever I am on a mountain top and the feeling here was no different.

A trip worth taking. Just go there and enjoy...