Al Ain - The Roberts Family

Road Sign As You Enter the City

The United Arab Emirates is situated in the southern part of the Arabian Gulf and borders Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. There are seven Emirates: Abu Dhabi; Dubai; Sharjah; Fujairah; Ras Al-Khaimah; Umm Al-Qaiwain and Ajman. Al Ain was built around an oasis in the desert, where the sand dunes meet the arid mountains of Oman. It is in the largest emirate, Abu Dhabi.

The City Centre

At the centre of Al Ain is the Clock Tower. Main Street radiates from the Clock Tower and the Post Office is close by. These photos were taken mid-afternoon when the streets are empty. At other times the city is alive with people and cars.

The Clock Tower
The Clock Tower

The Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque

Al Ain Museum
Al Ain Museum



Main Street
Main Street

Choitram's Store
Choitram's Store

A typical street
A typical street

Al Ain Oasis
Al Ain Oasis

Jebel Hafeet

Jebel is Arabic for mountain. Jebel Hafeet is about five miles south of the Clock Tower, and dominates Al Ain. It is approximately 4000 ft high and can be seen from many miles away. Its slopes are extremely wild and rugged, but a winding highway leads to the top. On top is a palace and soon there will be a hotel.

(The last three pictures are more than 200 KB each. Because we like them we didn't reduce them.)

Ayer's Rock?
Ayer's Rock?

From Sanaiya
From Sanaiya

View to Jebel Quattar
View to Jebel Quattar.

The road to the top
The road to the top.

Looking back.
Looking back.

Hot Springs Valley
Hot Springs Valley

The Mountains Of Oman

The U.A.E. town of Al Ain and the Omani town of Al Buraimi form a single conurbation. The border goes through the middle, but the nearest border post is ten miles into Oman so you can drive or walk from one to the other without hindrance.

That part of Oman which forms the south-eastern periphery of the conurbation consists of rocky mountains and wadis (gullies). These are easily accessible from Al Ain town.

(Views from the tops courtesy of our friend Peter Caspar.)

Climbing Jebel Qattar
Climbing Jebel Qattar

From Jebel Ghawil
From Jebel Ghawil

The cutting in Buraimi
The cutting in Buraimi.

Fossil valley
Fossil valley.

Valley in Buraimi
Valley in Buraimi.

Hanging Gardens
Hanging Gardens

Hilli Archaeological Park

Al Ain has many parks, all of which are surprisingly green and floral. Hilli Archaeological Park has an ancient tomb, beautiful gardens, children's playgrounds and a mosque. It is one of the best places to view the bougainvillaea, a flowering shrub that can be found all over Al Ain

The entrance.
The entrance.

The Tomb
The Tomb

A playground
A playground.

Bougainvillaea
Bougainvillaea

The Mosque
The Mosque.

The Hotels

At the time of writing Al Ain has two 5-star hotels. There is also the Buraimi Hotel across town in Oman. Two other hotels are under construction - one near the town centre and one on top of Jebel Hafeet.

The Hilton.
The Hilton.

he Buraimi Hotel
The Buraimi Hotel

View from The Intercon
View from The Intercon.

The Intercontinental
The Intercontinental

The Desert

Al Ain is surrounded on three sides by rolling sand dunes. Some are truly enormous. All have the deep orange sand which distinguishes this region. 'Duning' in 4 wheel drive vehicles is a popular recreation. Some brave souls even walk in the desert, but clearly caution is required given that to the inexperienced, one dune looks pretty much like another, there are thousands of square miles of them, and the summer temperature can exceed 50 centigrade.

Dunes.
Dunes.

Duning
Duning.

Schools

There are many private schools in town.

Amongst our friends the most popular are The Al Ain English Speaking School and Chouiefat. They are very different both in size and character. Both have their advocates.

English Speaking School.
Al-ain English Speaking School.

Chouiefat School
Chouiefat School.

Round And About

A few photos taken around the city.

Bida Bint Saud is a big rock out in the desert to the north of the town. There are re-creations of ancient tombs on top.

In the spring of '96 it rained so much that the wadis in the middle of town became rivers - they are normally completely dry.

Hilli Fort
Hilli Fort.

Road to Bida Bint Saud
Road to Bida Bint Saud.

Buraimi Mosque
Buraimi Mosque.

Bida Bint Saud
Bida Bint Saud

The Hazza Mosque
The Hazza Mosque.

Wadi in flood.
Wadi in flood.

Al Ain / Dubai Canal
Al Ain / Dubai Canal.