Even before my first trip to the UAE, the city of Al-Ain was special. Still, his name in translation denotes the "first", and the first is an ancient. So, it will be interesting! In this town, lost in yellow dunes, can be reached in several ways:
1. Buy a tour. In this case, you will be carried everywhere. As always, very little time remains for an independent study of interesting places.
2. Borrow a car. The cost of the modest car is about $ 45 / a day. For rental rental on a plastic card, a necessary amount is + pledge (it is blocked by the Agency in case of additional costs, fines) and a driver's license in which the driver's name is duplicated in English.
3. Go on a trip to the flight bus (about $ 3). Buses run from the bus station in the Bar-Dubai area from 7:00 to 21:00. Time on the way for about two hours.
We took advantage of the third option. The bus brings passengers to the bus station in almost the city center. To our big surprise, Al-Ain was very green. Apparently, the ruler of the Emirate does not have a desert and heat that surround the city.
Immediately near the bus station there are several small local cafes. In one of them, with Syrian cuisine, we perfectly lunch, spending about $ 12 for two. Further around the city and beyond its limits, we moved to a taxi. We had several places on the route, and I started the Al Jahili Fort. Fort turned out to be more than expected. Beautiful central gates with turrets and a wall with neat teeth looked somehow childish toy and "tasty", as if fort was made of sand cookies.
The next item is Mount Jabel-Hafit. It is relatively far from the city center, but the mountain had a very important argument in favor of its importance in our list. Mount Jebel-Hafit is the highest point of the country, and at its top at an altitude of 1200 meters there is an observation deck. From there, it opens without exaggerations a very picturesque appearance, especially impressed by the leaving Dunes. Just having been there (it was around 12:00), I concluded that this grief should come in the evening, at sunset. It is even difficult to imagine how there is beautiful! Be sure to come back there next night.
For a snack, we left Al-Ain Zoo. Where I could go away from my tradition to attend all zoos who meet me on the way! Perhaps due to the fact that there was a working day, but the zoo was practically empty, visitors could be counted on the fingers. All the better! No queues, nor a crowd of the Voller. The zoo is just an immense! And continued to build. This is a scope! However, it cease to be surprised, having visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi ... There were many types of exotic animals, each huge beautiful enclosures or entire fields with a low fence. Fun in the zoo: Shadow from greenery, plenty of benches and trays with food. There is a separate recreation area with children's swings and a zone for picnics. It is good that in the zoo we fell at the end of our trip to Al-Ain, otherwise we would have risked anywhere anywhere to get on that day!
Al-Ain became the place for me, where it is necessary to return again. I highly appreciate such places in travel, because it means that the point in relations with the city is to raise early and the continuation of interesting discoveries ahead!
