HABEEB SALLOUM HAS A CAMEL ENCOUNTER ENROUTE TO DUBAI’S MOUNTAIN RESORT

THE CAMELS ARE COMING!

The night rains had freshened the air and now I was driving southward with my daughter and wife from Dubai, the economic heart of the United Arab Emirates. Our goal was Hatta, Dubai’s mountain resort on the border of Oman.

Glancing back, I saw the sky-reaching structures of the city, glimmering in the morning sun, imbuing them with a magic aura. They were a reflection of a modern fantasy city that had risen from a barren land.

Today, we would exchange this world of 21st century splendour for the mountain air of Hatta - Dubai’s number one natural resort.

It was hard to leave this fairyland urban centre, which only a few decades ago was a tiny coastal town surrounded on three sides by desert sand.

It was as if Aladdin with his magic lamp had created in this short span of time a grand metropolis vying in its splendour with the top cities of the world.

Its 21st century edifices, in the hundreds, tell better than in words the story of that magnificent city, now fading into the distance.

Soon we were speeding along a super four-lane highway heading toward Al Ain, the oasis garden city in the United Arab Emirates.

The thick shrubs and trees lining both sides of the expressway shut out the surrounding desert.

I had driven along the same road a mere four years earlier and for most of the way the sands edged the paved highway.

Today, the greenness was all encompassing. We rarely glimpsed the sands beyond except where there was the odd opening in the shrubs and trees
.
About 20 minutes after leaving the city of Dubai, we turned on the road to Hatta – another four-lane highway but sans the greenery. Now the sand dunes, some green with desert shrubs, were clearly visible. As we drove along, the sand gradually turned to a reddish shade.

I was engrossed with the pristine sand dunes when I heard my daughter shout out, “Look! Camels! Camels are crossing the highway!”

A few minutes later, we were in a traffic jam. Like all the other drivers, I stopped the car to watch a camel herd slowly, without a care in the world, cross the road. It was a serene scene – the old and the new intermingling.

The sea of reddish sand in the background, the camels in single file and the long line of autos made for an enchanting picture post card.

My daughter, entranced with so-called ‘ships of the desert’, commented, “They’re cute but ugly!” Not to be left out, her mother cooed, “Oh! They’re so cute!” as a mother and her baby camel slowly made their way to the other side of the road.

How strange to see the young Emiriti men, usually dangerous tigers behind the wheel, terrorizing other drivers on the road with their land cruisers, stopped and waiting patiently to let the camels pass. Some even stood in front of the first row of autos in order to make sure the camels made a safe crossing.

The animal that had a great hand in the survival of their ancestors was still commanding respect by the new generation, living amid the most modern gadgets of the 21st century.

Back on the road again, the outline of the Omani Hajjar Mountains came into view.


The desert began to fade away to be replaced by small hamlets and homes dotting the countryside. After a little more than an hour’s drive, we entered Hatta, the Emirate of Dubai’s only mountain resort and one of its most ancient towns.

Situated 115 km (71.5 mi) southeast of the city of Dubai, this 200-year old village is hugged by the rugged beauty of the Hajjar Mountains, with some greenery clinging to a precarious existence and tiny cultivated plots of land with their stone houses. In these mountains hidden waterfalls and refreshing pools of pure mountain water provide an idyllic location for a picnic or, after a desert trip, a bathing place in the refreshing waters.

For travellers, the most important site in Hatta is the Heritage Village, which helps visitors discover the charm of Dubai’s yesteryears. The fortified buildings and some 30 fully restored houses offer visitors a fascinating glimpse into that city’s historic past.

Signs in Arabic and English guide visitors to various sections of the site which includes an 200 year-old mosque, barasti (palm leaves) and mud houses, a majlis (meeting place) and a large central fort and tower, which overlooks the village. Further up the hillside, two restored towers that were once used as defence fortresses give the area a medieval aura.

The remainder of Hatta contains many eye-catching newly constructed structures; we ended our tour at the Hatta Fort Hotel on the edge of town.

Here, as we sipped on our Turkish coffee, I reminisced about booming Dubai with its mass of skyscrapers, the beloved and respected camels and the mountain resort of Hatta, set in a lunar landscape of barren rocky mountains.



It was a day of contradicting worlds – from the modern 21st century to the preserved historic past.

Report by HabeebSalloum

---

IF YOU GO

Facts About Dubai:

1) Dubai has good connections with the rest of the world. Some 106 airlines operate from the city to almost 160 destinations worldwide. The airport has been expanded and has become one of the world’s inter-continental transit centres, processing some 22 million passengers. By 2010 visitors are expected to reach 60 million.

2) Most western European, American and Canadian citizens can enter the UAE without a prior visitor’s visa; they can obtain visas at the entry points.

3) Autos rent at a reasonable price. A small auto, fully insured, costs about $30 per-day - less if you bargain. Roads are excellent, but beware of two legged tigers driving autos.

4) The U.S. dollar is equal to 3.67 UAE dirhams. The rate has remained the same for over two decades. Exchange cash or traveller cheques at the money exchangers - they do not take commission.

5) A great way of seeing Dubai is to take a tour of the Creek by traditional dhow. Some of Dubai’s major landmarks can be viewed from this waterway.

6) Major international hotel chains are well represented in Dubai. However, there are other very reasonably priced and excellent abodes to be found throughout the city. The choice is wide. There are 373 hotels and hotel apartments in the city. The best place to stay in Hatta is the Hatta Fort Hotel, PO Box 9277, United Arab Emirates, Dubai. Tel: 971-4-852-3211. Fax: 971-4-852-3561. E-mail: hfh@jaihotels.com. Website: http://jebelali-international.com

7) In peoples’ eating places, one can dine for as low as $4, but the average cost of meal in good restaurants and hotels runs from $20 to $50. For luxury dining try the Al-Boom Tourist Village with its series of restaurants - some located on dhows. It specializes in Gulf dishes and all types of seafood.

8) The best time to travel to Dubai is from mid January to mid February during the month-long ‘Shopping Festival’ with its street parties as well as its shopping sales and bargains, held in a carnival atmosphere.

9) No travellers should leave Dubai without going on a desert safari with its sand dunning, camel riding and desert feast.

10) For other activities, attend some of the horse racing and camel racing events held during the cool winter months.

11) Dubai is a shoppers’ dream world - its more than 30 huge modern malls offer the products from the entire globe. The most popular gifts visitors take back home are: Arabian coffee pots, silver and wooden miniature dhows, gold jewellery, Persian carpets and Arabian curved daggers.

12) Compared with other parts of the Middle East, Dubai has relaxed dress code. However, take care not to give offence by wearing clothing such as short shorts or revealing strapless blouses or dresses.

Note: All prices quoted are in U.S. dollars.

For Further Information, Contact:
Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Tel: (971 4) 223 00 00. Fax: (971 4) 223 00 22. E-Mail: info@dubaitourism.co.ae; website: http://dubaitourism.co.ae