Falconry is a centuries-old tradition in our mystery city, and in the wider region. Trained falcons are used to hunt small animals for their keepers. Today it’s a popular sport but some Bedouins still use falcons to put food on the table. Pampered falcons visit the renowned falcon hospital in our mystery city for a check-up and a bit of grooming. Tourists are welcome to visit the falcon hospital.
Can you name that city?
See below for answers.
photo by Sallie Volotzky
Our mystery country’s super-modern cities rest proudly on a foundation of Bedouin culture. Most Bedouins in the country have given up their traditional nomadic life to live in the urban fringes, making their living as agricultural workers, but a few maintain the old ways, at least part of the year, living in tents and moving around the desert with their herds of camels, sheep and goats. The picture above was taken from a highway en route from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
Cultural heritage museums in the cities offer a glimpse of Bedouin life. Visits to Bedouin camps can also be arranged. Hospitality is central to Bedouin culture and strangers are welcomed like family.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
Qasr Al Sarab is a luxury desert resort near Abu Dhabi, the capital of our mystery country. Located in the world’s largest uninterrupted sand desert, the Rub’ Al Khali, the resort is an oasis base for exploring the surrounding dunes. Camel trekking, dune bashing, desert sailing (yes, desert sailing), and fat-tire biking are just some of the activities available. Desert animals like oryx and gazelles freely wander the grounds and sometimes drink from the swimming pools.
Can you name that country?
See below for answers.
Moroccan door
baby camels!
Fez medina, Morocco
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Havana, Cuba
on the Nile, Egypt
Nizwa, Oman
Oludeniz, Turkey
Muttrah Souk, Muscat, Oman
Recumbant Ramesses II, Memphis, Egypt
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Most Ya’lla Tours itineraries include visits to one or more mosques. These are some of the most exquisite buildings anywhere, must-see sites for their artistry as well as their cultural importance. Like all sacred places, mosques have certain expectations around attire and behavior. Here are some things to know: Continue reading
Beach holidays are not our specialty. For the most part, American travelers do not cross the Atlantic ocean to lie on a beach. However, many do work a couple of R&R days into otherwise busy cultural itineraries. In any case, while much of the US is still suffering the epic winter of 2015, we offer this brief, mental escape to gentler climes.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Paradise Beach, Corfu, Greece
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat, Oman
Baha’i Gardens and Shrine, Haifa, Israel
Bin Ali tomb, near Mirbat, Dhofar, Oman
Chora Museum, Istanbul, Turkey
Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem, Israel
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel, photo by Noam Chen, courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Tourism
Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Istanbul, Turkey
Qasr Amra, Jordan
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Church of the Beatitudes, Israel
Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Istanbul, Turkey
Church of the Seven Apostles, Capernaum, Israel
Church of the Beatitudes, Israel
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel
Abuhav Synagogue, Safed, Israel, photo by Itamar Grinberg, courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Tourism
Muscat, Oman
Santorini, Greece
Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat, Oman
All the clues in this post refer to one Ya’lla Tours destination: Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Turkey, or United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai).
We’ll show you images of popular tourist sites in our mystery country, along with descriptions of those sites. Continue reading
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