Alen Thong... - The Emirates Culinary Guild

WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Back to
the past
A charming old
town dotted with
the glitzy features
of a big city. Al Ain
is the perfect place
to spend a weekend
lazing around in
the warm sun and
indulging in some
scrumptious food, at
the InterContinental
resort
Umaima Tinwala
It’s part of a triangle, but not the
dangerous kind. Al Ain, the fourth largest
city in the United Arab Emirates, is one
corner of the geographic triangle that includes
Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A short drive from both
the metropolises, Al Ain is a quaint little town
trying to pass off as a city.
The area, historically known as the Buraimi
Oasis, has been continuously inhabited for
more than four thousand years, and Al Ain is
considered central to the cultural heritage of
the country. It is the birthplace of Sheikh Zayed
bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the
United Arab Emirates. Today, the name Buraimi
refers to the Omani town whose urban area
merges with that of Al Ain.
Al Ain is surrounded by magnificent red
sand dunes and overlooked by an impressive
mountain range. Wide open spaces are the
first thing that would strike a Dubai resident.
With traffic flowing smoothly around one
roundabout after another, driving in Al Ain was
a sheer delight. And the sights along the way
surely helped. At every junction, we came
across some fascinating roundabouts, each
of which boasts themed sculptures, statues,
gardens and fountains.
The many gardens and tree-lined avenues
have given Al Ain the unofficial name of
Garden City of the Gulf. Strict height controls
on new buildings - no more than four floors
- emphasises the greenery of the city.
Other attractions include the Al Ain National
Museum, the Al Ain Palace Museum, several
restored forts and the Hili archaeological site,
dating back to the Bronze Age. Jebel Hafeet,
5 0 GULF GOURMET Oct - Nov 2007
Oct - Nov 2007 GULF GOURMET 5 1