tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post3273677507769948181..comments2023-10-17T16:44:08.588+03:00Comments on Fake Plastic Souks: Bored?Alexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14141884153180374138noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-74351558915366998362010-12-04T08:04:24.586+03:002010-12-04T08:04:24.586+03:00camel racing is great fun - Oman is so crazycamel racing is great fun - Oman is so crazyCamel Racing in Omanhttp://ynotoman.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/camel-racing-in-oman-2/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-21183249557717094072010-11-30T20:06:50.378+03:002010-11-30T20:06:50.378+03:00Alex - you SHOULD create a short (and sweet) digit...Alex - you SHOULD create a short (and sweet) digital or print travel guide of his post (and Rootless' comments. It's brilliant.roshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03271894997251528158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-55972945285226493802010-11-17T23:06:49.135+03:002010-11-17T23:06:49.135+03:00Additions:
Abu Dhabi finally now has to be added ...Additions:<br /><br />Abu Dhabi finally now has to be added to the list of places to go in the UAE. The main attraction is the Yas island F1 circuit and the amazing (and surprisingly friendly) Yas hotel. Even if you have no interest in motor racing nor fancy a visit to the expensive Ferrari theme park, the architecture and layout of the whole facility is very impressive. A wander around the hotel and looking out over the the track and marina followed perhaps by a drink or lunch is a must. Then, after the lovely new drive by the mangroves into the city, there is the Shaikh Zayed grand mosque - also very imposing and impressive. There are regular tours (check the AD tourism website for times) which you can just show up for or wander around the huge courtyard (free abayas and kandooras provided if needed - another good photo op). Since you're in AD, there is also the Souq al Qeryat by the Shangri La and the Capitol gate building (you know, the leaning one) which is worth a close look from all angles.<br /><br />I find a drive through Umm al Quwain town to be an interesting source of cultural observation. That can be followed by a picnic near the mangroves and then a re-stocking stop at the Barracuda - a very pleasant and productive day out!<br /><br />But the best places to go, in my view, are in the incredible Oman interior, the Dakhaliyah region, though most things are not really accessible in a single day trip. The mountainous scenery of Jebel Shams and the Wadi Bani Awf, the historic cities of Bahlah (with a 900 year old 17km wall, enormous fort and the home of legendary sorcerers that many locals still consult) and Nizwa (wonderfully restored fort and real souq), the imposing Jibreen castle with superbly well-preserved surprisingly ornate - and ferocious - 17th century interiors; wonderful old preserved mountain towns like Misfat-Al Abriyeen, Rustaq and Nakhal with their springs and forts and terraces. And the most magical place in the entire region: the fairytale little old villages with their lush green terraces hanging gobsmackingly off the rocky Seeq plateau in Jebel Akhdar (you do need a 4WD to get through the military checkpoint to get up there). Go there in September for the sweetest most delicate pomegranates you will ever taste (ask any Omani but I can verify) or apparently in May/June (I've not been there at that time myself yet) for the amazing fragrance of rose petals harvested for rose water production. There are also the dozens of 4,000 year old beehive tombs in Bat which I have yet to visit but have been designated a UNESCO world heritage site. Even sleepy Buraimi has a distinctive charm sometimes lacking in it's bigger, louder (and much younger) sister city Al Ain (now sadly separated by a razor fence having sucked the Buraimi oasis dry).<br /><br />Al Ain is a better starting point than Hatta for this part of Oman but you could do a variety of circuits staying one night in Muscat or Nizwa. Several different amazing weekends are possible.Rootlessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-63352635491978120132010-11-17T23:04:57.980+03:002010-11-17T23:04:57.980+03:00You deserve a public service award for this.
A ...You deserve a public service award for this. <br /><br />A few observations (naturally) plus some additions (in a separate comment for reasons of volume):<br /><br />- another twist on the Fujairah trip is to go via Hatta then to Huwaylat and along the (semi-legal?) track beside the border fence emerging finally onto the hard-top road that takes you down close to the border crossing near Khor Kalba. To get to the border fence, go past the Hatta Fort roundabout towards the border and then turn left after about 0.5k onto the stark mountain moonscape road to Huwaylat. In the tiny village, take the right turn which meanders down through the wadi filled with little farms and verdant productivity until you reach the military barracks at the end of the paved road. Turn left in front of the barracks onto the hardtop track that peters out and you will see the gravel track leading to the fence perpendicular in front of you. Turn right onto the track and then follow the undulations and scenery along the fence for about 10km. 4WD is not essential but reasonably high vehicle clearance probably is - where the border track gradient is steep there is usually an alternate smoother track which veers away from the fence for a while and rejoins it on more level ground. I have heard that you are not supposed to stop by the fence and this track is not meant to be used as a through road but I have never seen any military checks - though it does add some spice for any visitors you may have to play up the possible risks! Note that the UAE has border checks now on both ends of the stretch of road from Madam to Hatta that passes through Oman. Last week, I produced my UAE ID card (finally a use for it! - in fairness it works at the Buraimi/Al Ain border also) while my visibly pregnant, non-related, visiting only passenger had no ID with her - perhaps just as well as the friendly soldier just asked: "Family?" to which we, swallowing all instinct, agreed heartily and were waved through. One other point to note is that I think the views are better on the East coast driving from Kalba up to Dibba rather than the other way around. I am now curious to try that road you mentioned with the tunnel from Kalba. Lunch at the restaurant on the beach at the Meridien Al Aqah on a nice day, while a bit pricey, is always a good way to leave visitors envious of your UAE "lifestyle", even if the only time you do stuff like that is to actually make your visitors envious...<br /><br />- the Arabian Wildlife Centre (the actual name of the "zoo" in the Sharjah desert reserve) is just fantastic; the best such facility I have ever been at anywhere. It could form the start or end of an ambitious day-trip to Fujairah.<br /><br />- I finally visited the Souq Al Arsah last week: Sharjah traffic and random road rearrangements have frustrated previous attempts. The traffic hassle factor should be considered for those of us (like me) who don't know or reside in Sharjah to avoid the risk of frustrated visitors (and driver) spending useless hours of limited vacation time trapped in the antithesis of urban planning. The souq, though, is beyond quirky. I agree that it is better that it is not sanitised like Madinat Jumeirah etc and I guess we got scary laughs from the dessicated bird skeletons and (nervously) from the shop with the Nazi flags (not Indian swastikas - full-on Nazi regimental banners). But the heritage area is scruffy and a pain to get to. I haven't yet been to the Museum of Islamic Civilisation (having finally figured out where it is) but I am interested in any comments and it would obviously add to the pull of that whole area if worth visiting. Previous visit to the Blue Souq didn't find much of charm in there to be honest but a drive around the Sharjah creek is pleasant..Rootlessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-15895348617597341352010-11-16T14:12:57.332+03:002010-11-16T14:12:57.332+03:00Fabulous collection including a few I haven't ...Fabulous collection including a few I haven't been to yet. Seriously, anyone that does not see the amazing amount of things to do here - need their heads examined and should get on the next flight home!Mitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12052007884871469490noreply@blogger.com