Channeling Audrey

Bryn and I had some free time this afternoon so we grabbed the camera and went for a drive around the neighborhood (it's too hot to walk).  There is such a stark contrast between old and new, refined and run-down.  The juxtaposition of incredibly big, ornate mansions and dry, crumbling desert wasteland is amazing.  There are parks with immaculately manicured lawns and sweet smelling frangipani trees, and on another street there are dead or dying palm trees.  Just to set the scene a bit more: the sun was searing down on us and the call to prayer was blaring over the mosque's loud speakers (actually, multiple mosques!) as we took these first few pictures.

A lot of Al Ain isn't much to look at and it's a shame, but one of these days I'll  get out to the real desert to take some pictures so you can see the real beauty of this country!