The Museum of Islamic Civilization pictured above is in Sharjah, about a 30 minute drive from fellow emirate, Dubai. Housed in the historical Souq Al Majarrah building, the museum’s extensive permanent collection is exhibited in sections on religion, science and technology, and 4 galleries of Islamic art.
Can you name that country?
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This manmade island complex in the Arabian Gulf, Palm Jumeirah, is one of many extraordinary feats of engineering in a city known for pushing boundaries. Palm Jumeirah is home to luxury residences and hotels and the luxury establishments that serve them. The iconic Atlantis Hotel sits at top, center on the crescent.
Can you name that country? What about the city?
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In the 19th century, the first settlements of our mystery city were located along the banks of the saltwater creek pictured above. The only natural harbor around, the creek served as a port for small trading vessels and supported the traditional economies of fishing and pearling. In the mid-20th century, the creek was dredged to accommodate larger ships. Today, major shipping traffic uses the city’s two man-made ports, which are the largest man-made ports in the world.
Crossing the creek by water taxi between the city’s historic districts is a popular tourist activity. The creek reaches about 8 miles inland from the Arabian Gulf and ends in the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary.
Can you name that city?
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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?
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This mystery country is made up of seven largely autonomous city-states. In the most populous and best-known of the seven, the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding welcomes visitors with the traditional tea and dates, as well as full meals, lectures, demonstrations and classes. With an expatriate population of about 85% and a steady flow of business and leisure travelers, cultural understanding is a national priority.
Can you name that country?
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Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
Cappadocia, Turkey
Deira, Dubai
banks of the Nile, Egypt
roadside market, Oman
Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt
dancing Circassian boy in traditional dress, Israel
Jebel Shams, Oman
stork & nest, Morocco
You might be surprised to learn that this mystery city is not all about extravagant, record-breaking real estate developments, luxury shopping and fast cars. It has a slower, more traditional side too. In the days before fossil fuel powered air-conditioning, wind tower houses like the one pictured above kept occupants cool in the searing heat and wicked humidity of this desert by the sea. Wind is drawn down into the tower and cooled by water standing at the bottom before circulating through the building.
Can you name that city? Country? What about the site?
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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
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
Here’s a look at the shopping experience in some Ya’lla countries:
Dubai souk
Dubai souk
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