U.A.E. Map

 

 

 

       Middle East Map

latest picture: January 21, 2013

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101  View from the artificial island “The

Palm” offshore of New Dubai, to the skyline

of Dubai’s Marina Bay. Initially 3 of these

artificial “Palm Islands”, reclaimed from the

sea (Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Jumeira, Palm

Deira) and 2 archipelagos (Universe, World)

have been planned, which have been put on

hold in 2008 due to the financial crisis. Only

“The Palm Jumeira” is in operation today

102  We drive next to the metro

towards the “gate” being part of the

extravagant hotel “Atlantis The Palm“.

It has 1’539 rooms between minimal

about US$ 550 up to the underwater

suite for US$ 9’720/night

103  One of the multimillion projects

on this artificial island “The Palm” is

this residential area built in Yemeni

architectural style

104  Two Arabs enjoy the afternoon at

the Al Mamzar Creek in the conservative

Emirate of Sharjah where there is neither

alcohol nor pork meat – in contrast to

Dubai and other Emirates

105  The muezzin has called for prayer

at the Al Qasba Mosque in Sharjah

106  Two Arab ladies walk at a leisure

pace through the sandy square near the

Blue Souk in Sharjah. Covering up in

the Emirates isn’t compulsory like

e.g. in Iran or partly in Saudi Arabia

107  The friendly face of Sheikh Sultan

bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi of Sharjah

greets from the glass facades of sky-

scrapers. How modest our Land-

Cruiser looks in comparison

108  Gigantic are not only the futuristic

skyscrapers, but also this limousine.

In the Emirates everything is some

“sizes” larger than elsewhere

109  Our LandCruiser on “our” parking

lot in front of the Crystal Plaza Hotel in

Sharjah. Parking areas are mostly sandy

squares and scarce, where each evening

one struggles to grab a free space

110  Liliana is gazing over the Sharjah Creek

to the festively decorated “Directorate

of Town Planning & Survey” with the

7 Sheikhs of the 7 Emirates (Abu Dhabi,

Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman,

Ras al Khaima, Umm al Quwain)

111  A teacher instructs her children

in the Qasba for the 41st Indepencence

Day on December 2nd, 2012

112  Two attendants at a gasoline

station wear a T-Shirt with the

symbol “Spirit of the Union” for

the Independence Day

The UAE show us the same hospitality, generosity and support

like we were able to experience it on our previous visits in 1994, 1996 and 1999

113  We meet Sujith (with blue Shirt) at

the Carrefour parking in Sharjah and end

up on a desert tour with family and his

friends at “Fossil Rock” and “Big Red”,

about 30 miles East of Sharjah

114  We were in contact already since

Borneo with Foremost International - F.Z.E.

in Ajman for 5 Facet fuel pumps for our

LandCruiser. Director Rammohan C.

Kottieth (next to Emil) offered them for free

115  Business partners Robbie (red T-shirt)

and Kubair (green T-shirt) from Robbies

Motorsport in Dubai (left of Liliana) pose for

a picture with their crew. They replaced for

free a spring leaf and two shock absorbers

116  We celebrate Christmas 2012

amidst the sand dunes at “Fossil Rock”

(Jebel Fayah Mountain) near Maleiha,

East of Dubai …..

117  ..... our tiny Christmas tree

spreads a festive mood and our

dessert is special: Black Forest

cake and pineapple

118  Sujith, his family and friends are

singing “Jingle bell” for us and pose

for this unusual Christmas picture

119  The dunes at “Fossil Rock” are the

playground of the grown-up – locals like

expats. Our old-timer wanted to go up there

too – but we didn't let him (too heavy,

too top-heavy, and the power is too weak

120  The most popular dune for

dune-bashing and dune-bugging is

the 300ft high “Big Red” along the

Hatta-Dubai Road E44

West of Madam …..

121  ..... on weekends the Emirati

make an extensive use of letting off

steam. It’s even possible to rent

vehicles on the spot

122  Two camels are peacefully

roaming and foraging around in

the sand dunes – a sight that

never loses its fascination

123 A young Emirati is looking at his friends.

His traditional attire is part of the charm of

this country. The choice of the headdress

(checkered or white, etc.) is just fashion

124  We always had a fascination

for the desert. In the U.A.E. we

can live it out

125  Delightful golden decorated

home in Huwaylat, North of Hatta

126  One of the splendid buildings

emerging from the desert and possibly

belongs to the University of Sharjah …..

127  ….. here the “University City Hall”

of Sharjah along highway E102 to Kalba

128  We capture our first encounter with

Mr. Awad Mohamed bin Al Sheikh Magrin

(shakes Emil’s hand). He is the organizer

of the “1st traveler’s Festival” in Dubai

and invited us to participate

129  With a glass of warm camel milk we

sit around the fire in front of Mr. Awad’s

desert tent at his farm near Lahbab

along the Oman/Hatta highway

130  Official Invitation and Program of the

“1st Traveler’s Festival” under the patronage

of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin

Rashid al Maktoum being held on

December 27th, 2012 at the ‘Cultural

& Scientific Association Building’ at

Al Mamzar in Dubai

131  The desert mobile home of Bel Helei

from Abu Dhabi is another example of the

gigantism in the United Arab Emirates. We

got to see it at the “1st Traveler’s Festival”

on December 27th, 2012 in Dubai …..

132  ….. more modest, but still

impressive looks the LandCruiser of the

“UAE Travelers First Car Team” (Emirati

Travelers) decorated with routes and

places they have been traveling …..

133  ….. the most modest however is the

car that has been traveling the longest time

around the world: Our good old Land-

Cruiser FJ60/1982. “Keeping low profile”

was always our philosophy – and we

want to keep it that way

134  The exhibition of the “1st Traveler’s

Festival” at the ‘Cultural & Scientific

Association Building’ in Dubai is being

prepared. The posters of the

participants are arranged

135  Emil gets a little treat for all

his interviews: His comment:

“I could get used to it!”

136  A remembrance shot of our stand:

We sit in front of our two posters showing

pictures and the certificate of the Guinness

Book entry of the “Longest Driven Journey”

137  Organizers and participants: The

participants are from Australia, Bahrain,

Bosnia, Yemen, Jordan, Malaysia, Oman,

Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates

138  The young girl in her lovely outfit

is waiting for the Sheikh, who will cut

the opening ribbon to the exhibition hall.

Liliana poses for a picture with her

139  The showcase of Saeed Al Memari,

the first male Emirati who climbed

Mount Everest twice. He presents his

equipment he carried to the top

140  We show our worldrecord Land-

Cruiser – our “showcase” – and answer

questions while waiting for the arrival of

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed

bin Rashid Al Maktoum …..

141  ….. also an Emirati bagpipe

band is waiting for His Highness. One

of its players is already in action …..

142  ….. and now the whole band is

in action, when H.H. Sheikh Mansoor

bin Mohammed bin Rashid

Al Maktoum is arriving

143  H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed

bin Rashid Al Maktoum is greeted by

Mr. Awad Mohamed bin Al Sheikh Magrin.

He arrived in a 'Mercedes G63 AMG V8

Biturbo’ for the official opening ceremony

of the “1st Traveler’s Festival” in Dubai

144  The two most important men of

the “1st Traveler’s Festival” in Dubai:

H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin

Rashid Al Maktoum (left) and Mr. Awad

Mohamed bin Al Sheikh Magrin, organizer

and founder of Emirati Travelers

(www.emiratestravellers.ae)

145  The delegation is walking straight

towards us. His Highness (opposite of

Emil) asks us some questions

146  H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed

bin Rashid Al Maktoum cuts the ribbon for

the inauguration of the 1st Traveler’s

Festival 2012 in Dubai

147  The visitors are swarming into

the exhibition hall with the stands of

the different participants

148  Emil and Liliana on stage: They

give a short overview of their

28 years worldrecordtour

149  In the presence of Mr. Awad

Mohamed bin Al Sheikh Magrin, organizer

of the festival, His Highness Sheikh

Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid

Al Maktoum presents us an award …..

150  ..... the award .....

151  ..... and the obligatory group

picture with His Highness, the

organizers and participants

152  At the ‘Relax RV Camping and Resort’

a desert camp in the Emirate of Ras

al-Khaimah, camel meat, rice and chicken

are cooking on the open fire for the closing

evening buffet of the “1st Traveler’s

Festival” in Dubai …..

153  ….. The camel meat is arranged

on a large plate. It is fibrous and a bit

hard to chew – not necessarily our taste.

But at least it is cholesterol free .....

154  ..... a guitar player entertains

us with Arabic sounds

155  Winter sport in the desert? Yes, in

the Emirates Mall in Dubai (District of Al

Barsha in the so called ‘New Dubai’)

there is a skiing hall with a ski lift, chair

lift, coasting slide, snowman and a ¼ mile

long run from a 279 ft. high hill …..

156  ..... and in the Dubai Mall – the

biggest shopping mall of the world –

there is also an ice rink for ice skating.

The ice rink as well as the skiing hall

are functioning even if the thermometer

outside is showing 118° in August

157  It looks almost like real at the

rushing waterfall in the Dubai Mall:

Elegant dives headfirst into the water.

Again a superlative in the Emirates

like Burj Khalifa – the tallest tower

in the world (2'722 ft.)

158  The impressive skyline of the

Sharjah Emirate is looming across

the Al Mamzar lagoon

159  A warning sign in Arabic, English

and Russian (Russian tourists are taking over

in the UAE) reflects the conservative Sharjah

Emirate: Nudity (total or partly) is strictly

forbidden. This can include also bathing suits

160  Colorful dhows are lining up

in the Sharjah Creek. They are

loading all kind of goods bound

for Iran and Pakistan, but also

for other Gulf countries

161  The portraits of the rulers are

omnipresent. Here a billboard with the

President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa

bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (right)

and the Vice President of the UAE,

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Al Maktoum (left)

162  A rear car window with two of the

many Sheikhs of the UAE shows the respect

for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

(right), the former ruler of Abu Dhabi and

first President of the UAE, and Sheikh

Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

(left), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi

163   At the ‘Emirates National

Auto Museum’ (about 43 miles South of

Abu Dhabi along highway E65) Sheikh

Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan watches

over the gem of his 250 vehicles’

collection: The ‘Dodge Power Wagon’,

a custom built replica 8 times oversized

Our pick from the private collection of Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan (aka “Rainbow Sheikh”)

at the “Emirates National Auto Museum” 28 miles South of Abu Dhabi:

164  World-globe shaped 3-storey caravan

with all the facilities in a normal house

165  Nissan Patrol 8x8 – custom-made for

Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan

166  The oversized “Land Rover Café”

at the car museum

167  The world’s largest two-wheeled

five-storey travel trailer was built 1990

for Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan

of Abu Dhabi. It is 66 ft long, 39 ft wide,

39 ft high and weighs 269,000 lb. There

are eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms,

four garages and water storage for 6’340

gallons). It’s listed in the Guinness Book

of World Records 1993 (see right)

168  Left the Guinness Book Certificate

for the world’s largest two-wheel

travel trailer

 

Right the Guinness Book Certificate

for the largest motorized model car,

a Willy Jeep

169  An outsized model of a Willy Jeep

in the scale 4:1. It is the largest motorized

model car, created by Sheikh Hamad Bin

Hamdan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi. It got

2012 an entry in the Guinness Book

of World Records (see left)

170  Fiat 500 Maria, Model 1973,

made in Italy and painted in the

colors of the rainbow

171  Replica of a Tricycle Mercedes', a

“Benz Patent Motor Car” – the first

automobil, Model 1885, made in Germany

172  Not a collection object, but still in

use by the ruler family of Dubai (we were

allowed to take a seat): Fort 350 Super

Duty 6x6, Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V8

 

More websites from the United Arab Emirates:

Fairytale Wedding in Dubai - United Arab Emirates - with our car from February 7th, to May 20th, 1999

Sharjah + Dubai: United Arab Emirates - without our vehicle from February 19th, to 27th, 2011

Liwa - United Arab Emirates with our car in February 2013 - part 2

Al Ain, Eastcoast & Ras al Khaima - United Arab Emirates with our car in April 2013 - part 3

 

More websites from the Middle East:

Welcome to Kuwait on March 3rd, 1996

Yemen car trip (from Oman to Saudi Arabia) - from May 16th, to June 15th, 1996

Sandstorm in Saudi Arabia on February 4th, 1999

Trip to Dubai in January and February 1999

Oman 1999 - from mid-March to mid-April 1999

Oman 2013 – Part 1 - February 2013: Musandam Peninsula

Oman 2013 – Part 2 - February 2013: Sohar - Muscat - Rustaq - Nizwa

Oman 2013 – Part 3 - March 2013: Sur - East Coast - Island of Masirah - Dhofar

Oman 2013 – Part 4 - March 2013: Salalah & Surroundings (Dhofar) - Nizwa

Oman 2013 – Part 5 - March 2013: Western Hajar Mountains

(Oman 2013 – Part 6) - April 2013: Omani Madha Exclave in the UAE

Iran 2013 – Part 1: Ferry Port Bandar Abbas-Shiraz-Persepolis-Pasargad (between Persepolis and Yazd)

Iran 2013 – Part 2: Pasargad (excl.)-Yazd-Esfahan – May 2013

Iran 2013 – Part 3: Esfahan (excl.)-Chelgerd-Hamadan-Sanandaj-Orumiyeh – May 2013

Turkey 2013 – Eastern Anatatolia - June 2013

Socotra - without our car from February 9th, to 19th, 2011:

Part 1: Socotra trip in Yemen (East) – Hadibo - Dihamri - Arher Beach

Part 2: Socotra trip in Yemen (South) – Homhil - Aomak Beach - Wadi Daerhu - Dicksam Plateau

Part 3: Socotra trip in Yemen (West) – Qalansiya - Shouab Beach - Qadama Beach - Momi Plateau - Wadi Ayhaft

Saudi Arabia 2016: Transit from Sudan to the United Arab Emirates

Iran 2016 – Part 4: Ferry Port Bandar Abbas-Kerman-Mashad-Bajgiran – April/May 2016

 

Articles in newspapers etc. about us in the United Arab Emirates:

Website: "Award Traveler's Festival Dubai 2012", Blog "HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum", Dec. 27, 2012

Article: "Human bond knows no borders", Daily Newspaper "Gulf Today" - December 27, 2012

Article: "Still on the road 28 years later, Swiss couple attends Dubai Travellers Festival", Daily Newsp. "GulfNews" - Dec. 27, 2012