[ road trip to al ain ]

I ALWAYS love a road trip and yesterday we decided to take a drive out to Al Ain, about 120 km south of Dubai. Also known as The Garden City for it's lush greenery, it's the birthplace of the first president of the UAE and has the highest number of Emirati nationals. Weather in Al Ain is less humid making it a popular destination for many people escaping the coastal cities in the summer.

With its tree-lined streets and many opulent villas, it's a very pretty place to visit...

It's always interesting to see the traditional bits...

and the new Tim Hortons was a welcome sight!

One of the main attractions of Al Ain is Jebel Hafeet mountain so we decided to drive up it to see what all the fuss was about...

It didn't seem very big from below but driving up the 8 degree winding road was quite fun...

There are a few lookout points along the way so you can stop and admire the view...

The mountain straddles part of the border with Oman. At the foothills is the Green Mubazarrah, where hot springs gush up in little streams and form a lake ~ a popular tourist attraction.

We continued our drive up past various signs ~ not sure if they were warnings or welcomes...

... and finally reached the top.

At the top is a hotel, a private palace, a snack bar and a parking area with 360 degree views...

There were a lot of people there and some got into the weekend spirit by cranking their car stereo and dancing in the parking lot...

After admiring the endless view, we grabbed some snacks and headed back down...

We had a great day and now that the temps are hovering around the 40C range, a road trip in air conditioned comfort is a great way to still enjoy the sights.

lisa