Farewell to the Oases City

In a city where buildings, with the exception of hotels and the minarets of mosques or communication towers, are not allowed to exceed 5 storeys (ground plus 4 storeys) or 20 metres, the… Continue reading →

The Best Part Of A Summer’s Day

The bright, silvery moon has, over the last couple of mornings, slowly been erased from the sky. In its place, only a persistent sliver remains. I step out of the cool interior of our… Continue reading →

Wish Upon A Star

The gentle snoring of my husband creates little eddies of sound in the otherwise motionless air. There are no other sounds. The sultry night air feels heavy on my skin. Like a warm embrace from a lover. I… Continue reading →

An Ocean of Words

Books have always held a special allure for me. Even as a small child, my mother used to recount, I would gently page through magazines and books, careful not to rip any pages. Spending hours… Continue reading →

Hili Archaeological Park

During that magical hour when the shadows start to lengthen and the light turns soft and golden, Hili Archaeological Park is the perfect place to visit. The soft cooing of pigeons is only… Continue reading →

Wadi Al Nahyan

Pushed up from the seabed millions of years ago, Jebel Hafeet does not just dominate the landscape around Al Ain, but is a fascinating geological feature. Here geologists can study Eocene and Oligocene… Continue reading →

A Sea of Green

The steps of the half-restored ruin that angles towards a periwinkle sky, are slowly disintegrating. The earth from which it was built is flaking away and is returning to a powdery dust. At the top an unexpected… Continue reading →

Omani Halwa

Omani Halwa is a sticky, gelatinous sweet that, although it has become a symbol of Omani hospitality, is just as popular here in the UAE. It is served at all sorts of social… Continue reading →

In Search of National Treasures

On Sunday morning we woke up to an unusual quiet. Nothing stirred, except for the birds who filled the air with joyous songs. When we moved to this neighbourhood at the end of June,… Continue reading →

Getting Lost in Al Qattara Oasis

Since our return from Lamu Island at the end of October, and the onset of cooler weather in the UAE, I’ve been itching to explore more of Al Ain which has been inaccessible during… Continue reading →

Al Jahili Fort

Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain is a beautifully restored fort in which one can linger for a happy hour or two. I visited it during the week when it was almost deserted. A small group of Emirati students… Continue reading →

Strolling through an Oasis

I have joined Michael in Al Ain for the week, mainly because when he is away from home in RAK I miss him too much, but partly also to get a sense of… Continue reading →