Al Ain is about 75 miles southeast of Dubai, but it feels like entering a different country.

Our first stop was Qasr Al Muwaiji , Visit Abu Dhabi. This converted twentieth-century fort was the birthplace of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former ruler of the Abu Dhabi emirate and the second president of the United Arab Emirates.  

Al Jahili Fort Al Jahili Fort was built in 1891 as a residence for the ruling Al Nahyan family and to protect the palm groves. Now is a cultural center.  

The building is typical mudbrick, stone, and palm timber construction, and features crenellated towers with firing openings (see pictures). 

After visiting the fort, we went to the Al Ain Oasis, UNESCO Al Aina UNESCO World Heritage site. It is believed to date back thousands of years; some say it has been inhabited for at least 4000 years. It has also been cultivated for a very long time. 
 We took a tour in a cart-like vehicle, as it covers about 3,000 acres.  It was interesting to see the ancient falaj irrigation channels and the many types of palm trees. The falaj system distributes water from underground sources, such as wells, to the palm trees and farms.  
Again, the dedication to religion was clear because the oasis has several mosques. 

Al Ain Camel Market  Al Ain Camel Marketwas the last stop for the day. It is one of the last remaining traditional camel markets in the UAE. This is a working market frequented daily by breeders, traders, and buyers.

The locals in the market allowed us to photograph to our hearts’ content and pointed out the baby camels for us to see.  Tips were expected and graciously received.

TRAVEL AGENTS, SITES AND SERVICES

Anna at Bin Majid Tourism arranged our trips to Qatar and Oman. See link above for her contact information.