U.A.E. Map

 

 

 

       Middle East Map

latest picture: January 28, 2013

• click a picture to see details

173  At the Northern edge of the Rub’ al

Khali Desert is the Liwa Oases. A tarmac

road at Mezaira’a  leads 15 miles across the

magic dune landscape to Moreeb Hill, where

the road ends near up to 1’000 ft. high dunes

174  The dunes are the home of the

camels which roam around freely. They

have a life expectancy of 40 to 50 years

175  Be it South, North, East or West

– the sea of dunes in various shapes

and shades is omnipresent

176  In the soft evening light the crests

of the dunes look strikingly sharp

177  Our LandCruiser is exploring

a bit the desert

178  “We also need to have a rest now

and then!“ Camels can travel 350 miles

without drinking (2 weeks without water

at a daily output of at least 25 miles)

179  Camels nibble at the scattered grass

bushes. They can reach a sustained speed

of 25 miles/hour (short bursts 40 miles)

180  Absolute peace: A desert

camp between the dunes

181  We are driving downhill to the salt-

pans respectively gravel plains. It is a so

called “lake bed”, which is said to have

had water many thousands of years ago

182  What a wonderful feeling to roll

through the deserted magic

world of the dunes

183  Sabkhas (salt pans) and crescentic

dunes are the uniqueness of the desert

at the edge of the “Empty Quarter”.

How this is looking from the air –

see picture No. 16 of our journey in

2011 to the Yemeni island of Socotra

184  A camel – here in Arabia they

are one-humped dromedaries – is

approaching curiously our LandCruiser

185  Unspoilt, endless and magic: The

fascination of the desert with its play

of  colors. The dunes are shimmering

either in cinnamon, gold or apricot

186  The sun disappears behind the

crest of a dune. Then it can get

pretty chilly in the desert

187  The dunes are shifting constantly

showing always different patterns

188  Our LandCruiser in front of the

1’000 ft. high dune at Moreeb Hill –

one of the highest dunes in the world

189  A desert camp at Moreeb Hill

190  Adventure pure: The tracks on

an almost vertical (slope 50 degrees)

dune show that ‘dune bashing” has

reached a new dimension: Quads, bikes

and souped-up 4x4’s try to climb it

191  Vegetables are cultivated also in

the desert – here at the Liwa Oases.

Fences from date palms protect the

fields from the dry desert wind

192  Between Hameem and Mezaira’a

we make a lunch break at a village.

There is not one soul around, only

camels are roaming around

193  A beautiful contrast – a date palm

forest (plantation) that borders a sand

dune (between Hameem und Mezaira’a)

194  A camel farm at the foot of a dune

195  Opposite the camel race ground

at Madinat Zayed on the highway E45

a small camel train begins to move …..

196  ..... and heads straightaway to the

race ground – probably to “exercise”

197  The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan

Mosque is the master piece of Abu Dhabi.

It can accommodate more than 40’000

worshippers in its central court yard and

main prayer hall …..

198  ..... the four minarets (height 351 ft.)

and some of the 82 marble domes that

adorn the roofline contrast beautifully

against the evening sky …..

199  ….. from whatever angle this

newest landmark of Abu Dhabi –

conceived by the late Sheikh Zayed,

the “father” of the UAE –

is always captivating

200  When the setting sun illuminates

the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan

Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the arcades

look especially appealing …..

201  ..... the darker the skies, the

more stunning the view. Even the display

of the water fountains is magical …..

202  ..... and the reflection of the pillars

in the pond shows another of its

fascinating sights

203  Gold-plated marble pillars divide the

interior of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-

Nahyan Moschee in Abu Dhabi. The main

prayer hall is covered with the largest

Persian carpet of the world. It took 2’000

craftsmen two years to complete …..

204  ..... one of the seven gold-plated

crystal chandeliers made of semi precious

stones is dangling from the ceiling. The

largest measures 33 ft. in diameter

and weights almost 9 long tons …..

205  ..... designs have been taken

over from Morocco, Turkey and

even India’s Taj Mahal

206  The ‘Capital Gate Tower’ in

Abu Dhabi has its uniqueness: It is

leaning 14 degrees more than the

Tower of Pisa in Italy (‘only’ 4º)

207  Where in the world do you have

a Formula 1 Race Track roaring through

a hotel? The futuristic ‘Yas Viceroy

Hotel’ in Abu Dhabi is offering it!

208  Abu Dhabi’s skyline comes up

with another curiosity: With the disk-

shaped, 23-storied, 361 ft. tall

building of the Aldar headquarter, a

property development company. It’s

the first circular skyscraper of the world

209  Through the massive gate, we

get a first glance of the Emirates

Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, once the

Presidential Palace, now belonging

to the Kempinski hotel group …..

210  ..... the hotel comprises 114 domes,

nearly 400 rooms and suites and the interior

is of its finest: from marble, gold and 1’002

crystal chandeliers. The rate starts at about

US$400 (592 sq.ft.) and climbs up to about

US$11’500 (7’319 sq.ft.) per night .....

211  ….. sitting on a hill, it offers views

over the Etihad Towers (5 towers with

a height between 715 and 1’000 ft.)

212  Buy gold bars and gold watches to

updated gold prices. The Emirates Palace

Hotel in Abu Dhabi refers to its world’s

first gold vending machine (ATM),

coming from Germany …..

213  ..... it sits in the main hall. Against

payment with the credit card it discharges

the chosen purchase. Soon, the first of

such a gold vending machine will be

placed also in Switzerland (Ticino)

214  Near the Emirates Palace Hotel

in Abu Dhabi the next Presidential

Palace is in construction – more

gigantic than the previous two

215  Emil is enjoying his picnic at our

favorite spot in Abu Dhabi: The sandy

beach overlooking the Mussafah bridge

and the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-

Nahyan Mosque in the background …..

216  ..... on weekends we share

the place with families which

come to fish and relax …..

217  ..... and to enjoy the sunset

218  The negative side of the progress:

High voltage power lines take away

much of the desert charm but radiate

finally an own fascination

219  A monster of a gas tank is parked

along the road. It is on its way to the Shah

Gas Main Plant, a joint venture of Adnoc

(Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) and

the American Oxy (Occidental Petroleum)

220  This is THE Arabia we love!

221  Sand dunes, oases and the backdrop

of the rugged, 300 miles long Hajar

mountains is the scenery we see at

Shwaib at the Oman border

222  In Shwaib we discover tiny

white flowers sprouting out

of the desert sand …..

223  ..... and a few miles further the

lush green of the cultivated vegetable

gardens catch our eyes

224  Very convenient in the desert: Fresh

fruits and vegetables sold along the road

225  The French supermarket chain

“Carrefour“ adapts to the tough country

rules: Point three says that “kissing or

display of affection is prohibited”

226  Beautiful setting: The ‘Golden

Tulip Hotel’ in Habhab near

Ras al-Khaimah, the most

northerly Emirate

227  Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah: From the

little hill of the ‘Golden Tulip Hotel’ in Ras

al-Khaimah there is a lovely view to the

little desert oasis of Habhab …..

228  ..... with its typically white houses

229  In Ras Al Kaimah, the northerly emirate,

we bid farewell to the UAE – at least for

some weeks. In Tibat we cross the border

to the Omani exclave of Musandam

 

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

Sharjah/Dubai/1st Traveler's Festival/Emirates National Auto Museum - UAE with car Nov. 2012 to Jan. 2013 - part 1

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