Al Jahili Fort

Al Jahili Fort was just as beautiful and inspiring as everyone has said. It was built in 1891 out of mud and straw and is the birthplace of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It was built to defend the city of Al Ain and to protect their palm groves and oasis. A cool fact - the name of the city Al Ain is translated from Arabic meaning "The Spring". No wonder I am drawn to this place.

Al Ain was also a vital oasis for traders and travelers en-route via caravan from the shores of Abu Dhabi to Oman.

A great quiet place to explore and let the kids run around. Grace loved the bedrooms with their wooden doors and enclaves for candles. Audrey and Sullivan preferred the roof top lookouts. I loved the hall ways with the Arabic-motif windows.

Outside the fort there was an amazing portable museum showcasing the last 200 or so years of life in the UAE. Really interesting. It exhibited snippets of traditional music, housing, burial chambers, weapons, tools, costumes etc. It was crazy to see video footage of the Tower and mosque at Maqta Bridge in Abu Dhabi as the only solid structures on the island about 60 years ago. I'll have to take a picture of that Tower. I think it also served as a sort of lighthouse.

Anyhow - we had a very educational day. Enjoy the photos!

The kids climbing up to the look-out.

The main tower and look-outs.
The fort where everyone lived. There were about 8 bed rooms.

Hazel and Grace outside one of the windows in the courtyard.

The main entrance to the living quarters.

The side entrance. It has beautifully carved Arabic inscription from the Quran above the door.

Jebel Hafeet

Jebel Hafeet is one of the major landmarks of the city of Al Ain. In fact, this rocky mountain is the tallest in the UAE, standing at 1,200M high. There are natural hot springs at the base and beautiful lush parks. Wild goats, long eared bats, and blue-headed lizards are just some of the animals that live here. We didn't see any. It has been some time since we have found ourselves in the mountains. It made each of us a little homesick for American Fork Canyon. The day was a bit overcast and rainy- but you may be able to make out sand dunes in the background. The view from the top shows the endless desert scattered with green shrubby patches. Al Ain is also famous for its seven oasis.

Ahhhh.. grass!

This is supposed to be one of the many palaces of Sheikh Khalifa. It reminded us of the isolated Tibetan monk structures built high up on some rocky outcrop. Except this one probably has a few more plasma TV's inside.

I love this pic of Quin and Hazel!

The new (old-ish) Seamons Family Truckster

Hili Fun City - Al Ain

So yes, we did make it back out to Al Ain. The draw? Well, not the "fun city", although it was. Al Ain has the feel of a relaxed city where you really feel like you are in the Middle East; most Westerners reside in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Here is mostly Emiratis. The parks are beautifully landscaped with real grass, fertilized grass. I think the climate is a bit cooler for growing things. The grass roots seem deep instead of prickly and sprawling. Feels more like carpet.

Again I can not seem to download all the pictures that I want. I will post again. We had a great day.

Hili Fun City is a local amusement park- with about 28 rides. We spent a few hours there and walked onto every ride. I think there were maybe five other families in the whole park. Cost? About 40 durham each- making it aprox. 12 US dollars each. Hazel was free. The kids loved it. Has a carny kinda feel- but much safer and all the ride attendants have most of their teeth :). The carousel was a double decker - I've never seen that before. The kids got their fill of bumper cars, they would have been happy to just ride them all night. Well worth the detour.

Look! Recycling? I am so impressed!

Another reason to love this park- two ride admittance lines. One for "Gents and families" and the other for "Ladies".

Just thought the height guy was funny. Very culturally appropriate. Grace was about 1/4" too small for the roller coster. Quin argued her case and ended up putting her in his sandals to appease the attendants. Mission accomplished, Grace loved it. It's not to often she can say she was tall enough for one of the 'fun' rides.

Just thinking...

Just thinking about life here in the Middle East. Specifically, here in Abu Dhabi. I am thinking about it because a new family from the USA just arrived and we had them over for dinner. As I was talking to the wife about the transition for her and the kids etc, it was strange to be looking at her and hearing her voice. I could have been looking in the mirror and listening to my own thoughts spoken aloud from just a few months ago.

I look back on some of these posts and realize I am posting the positive and the "fun" and all the good stuff. It is all worth talking about. We are really having a great time. But what is missing is the hard parts, the lonely thoughts and the difficult stages of the transition. There were really stressful points of moving here - gathering documents, buying a car, the kids crying for their friends and family, me missing friends and family and trying to re-create a functioning "homey" home away from home. Figuring out where to shop, groceries, phones, internet, utilities, church, piano lessons, roads and directions, and more all in a foreign city. As I am writing it - it doesn't seem like that big of a deal- but factor in four little kids and the heat, the language and meals and FHE and Quin and it was, well really stressful. I know because there was a lot of hair going down the drain after my showers...

Now after 5 and 1/2 months, we have curtains, our own car, legal documents for everyone, schools sorted out, church callings, directions, favorite stores, friends, somewhat furnished home, bank accounts, books stores, functioning kitchen, long distance phones, pictures on the wall, family habits etc, life is very different. Even peaceful. Even home? Maybe. I am able to see all the blessings and remember all the reasons why we are here. That all is good - that this is the "plan". God's hand is in our lives and directing us. We are very blessed here.

Of course I miss Utah - there are things I wish for weekly - like our bikes, Target and Costco and laying in the grass (however, that is not even possible until another few months there), and visiting family and friends. But I am slowly finding all that here.

I wanted to hug this new family and even cry with them. It is a tremendous change they will go through. But it is an adventure too - the good and the bad. And in the end you are with your family. You accomplished it together. Nothing will ever replace the USA. Maybe that is what we are truly here for, to realize all the freedoms, the beauty, the blessings and never to forget it. When we first arrived a woman told me "If you can make it through the first four months, you can do it." Six months. We did it. And so far so good.

Al Ain Aerobatics Show

Me too! I love Al Ain! This is a pretty city just about an hour south west of Abu Dhabi. The city boasts the name "Garden City". It has a more laid back feel, more of a vacation type, get-a-way destination bordering Oman. Their temp is less humid and cooler than the coast. Much more green and lush. I am looking up more things to do in Al Ain on the internet for some future family weekend trips.

The pics are from the 8th Annual Spectacular Aerobatics Show. Some of the highlights were the Turkish Stars - eight supersonic Northrop NF-5 Freedom Fighters, UAE AF F-16, Saudi Hawks, Skydivers and paramotors.
There was also a kid zone full of helicopters and planes to sit in and take pics with, bounce houses, games and trampolines. We had a great afternoon.

Turkish Stars!