Al Ain's Wonderful Roundabouts

The Clock Roundabout

 I spent three wonderful years living at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates between 2005 and 2008. Al Ain, also known as the "Garden of the Gulf" is on the border of Oman 100 plus kilometres from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Al Ain is a beautiful, clean city known for many things, including its 400 odd roundabouts. Many of the roundabouts have thematic adornments.

See The Clock Roundabout. I think the clock actually works too.

Near the Al Ain Airport is the Camel Roundabout that has a group of several larger than life camels.

It's really nice to see it of an evening when the camels are silhouetted against the setting sun and the shimmer makes it look as though they are moving.

When I lived at Al Ain, there were no street maps and thus, the various roundabouts helped us navigate and to tell others where to go.

On social occasions, we'd take a snapshot of a Google Earth map of Al Ain and draw in where to go to find our house or some other location.

Here's a photo of the Coffee Pot Roundabout showing the traditional coffee pots and accoutrements.

If you ever visit Dubai or Abu Dhabi and have time, I highly recommend a trip to Al Ain. Since I've left, I believe there are now tours that go there.

Whichever way you choose to visit, please go there, it will be an excellent experience. Al Ain is a large, flat city, but on the Oman border lie the Jebel Hafit mountains at the bottom of which is the Green Mubazurrah, a spring water site that has swimming pools and large recreation areas.