Day 94 - ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

 Date: 4/8/2024       Day 94           Port Day: ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Description: The discovery of oil in 1958 transformed this rural backwater into a modern metropolis with the highest per-capita income in the world. Today, Abu Dhabi boasts extraordinary sky scrapers, shopping malls, top quality hotels, tree-lined boulevards and picturesque gardens, while still maintaining a subtle Arabian mystique. Sail the lovely Gulf waters and numerous islands surrounding the city in a traditional dhow; tour heritage Village, a living museum where artisans ply their traditional crafts; or shop the central souk area for gold and Bedouin silver jewelry.

Planned Excursion: OASIS TOWN OF AL AIN

8.5 Hours                           Strenuous Activity                           # ABU-005: Free

View the garden city of Al Ain, a once vital caravan stopover between the U.A.E. and the Sultanate of Oman.  Explore Al Jahili Fort, where a paramilitary force kept the tribal peace and protected the mountain passes.  Savor a delicious buffet lunch at an elegant local hotel.  Discover intriguing cultural and archaeological displays in the fascinating Al Ain Museum.  Visit a regional market selling camel milk and meat, along with sheep, cows, goats and poultry.

The Day’s Thoughts: The day started with a long bus ride (2 1/2 hours) out to the city of AL AIN. On the way out we stopped at a roadside refueling station and convenience store.  The store's rest rooms were very clean as well as the store itself.   The road we traveled on was a modern two lane divided highway lined with planted trees, 3 rows deep.  Each tree had a earthen well around each tree for irrigating.  They must shield the road from the desert sands. it made it difficult to photograph the desert dunes.

Our first stop was at Al Jahili Fort.  This is a restored Fort with a small museum.  It was a hot day and the sun's intensity very high.  Walking inside the adobe built rooms within the Fort, the temp's were significantly cooler.  After the Fort we stop at a local 5 star hotel for lunch, a very impressive buffet.  

After lunch we visited the Al Ain Museum and then on to the Oasis where we saw how dates were manually fertilized and harvested.  The demonstrations include how they climb the high date trees.  At first, the date trees look like palm trees. Our final stop was at the regional market and got up close to the camel's being sold for slaughtering.   After that we began our 2 1/2 hr. trip back to the ship without a stop.  

Click Here --> AL AIN Pictures

Click Here --> AL AIN Video