Garden City,
not just of the Emirates but certainly of the Arabian Peninsula.
Al Ain - oasis, retreat, university town, granary - is the chief
town of the Emirates' most fertile area and part of a large, historically
critical oasis. Development in Al Ain has been extensive, much
of it set in motion when Sheikh Zayed, the president of the UAE
and ruler of Abu Dhabi, governed the region. It's a charming city:
building heights are restricted which is why it retains some of
the atmosphere of a country town despite the gridiron layout of
the streets.
Here is where
the ruler's personal directive can be seen at work: making the
desert green, and within the city, scores of fountains and acres
of green parks emphasise just why Al Ain is the Garden City. Its
history as an important Arabian oasis - known as Buraimi earlier
and shared by Abu Dhabi and Oman - is evident all around. The
Hili park to the north was developed as a setting for the UAE's
leading archaeological monument, the Hili tomb.
Carved in
relief on the slabs of the tomb are scenes that provide an extraordinary
window on life here 4,000 years ago. Forts too abound in Al Ain.
These once upon a time guarded the precious palm groves. Traditional
mud-brick forts, like Jahili, have been carefully renovated, and
several others are as impressive, like those at Murajib and Mazyad.
Jebel Hafit is the dominant landmark in Al Ain, a rearing humpback
of a mountain. At its foot is the Ain abu Sukhna, a sweet water
spring that has been extensively developed as a resort. Also in
Jebel Hafit's shadow is the Al Ain zoo, the largest in the Middle
East. Here vast paddocks are home to flourishing herds of Arabian
oryx, an endangered species.
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UAE
