If you’ve visited Dubai, you’ll be amazed how flat the place is. As long and far as your eyes can see, there are no mountains in the horizon. The above photo was taken by M atop some random high building, showing how there are zero mountains in the city of Dubai.
I love me some mountains and have missed to see them since we lived in a place like this in Japan:
~ Japan Alps as seen from Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan ~
We drove far out off the city to go to Hatta, is an oasis town located 130 kilometers from Dubai. It promises mountains, wadis (desert streams) and rock pools. A great respite to the monotonous Dubai cosmopolitan scene, I must say. On the way to Hatta, you will pass a bit of Omani territory and there will be a passport check. Don’t forget to bring your passport or any identification card if your passport is being held by your company, like me.
It was almost lunch time so we dropped by Hatta Fort Hotel to rest and have our lunch. We saw this pretty camel, well, sitting pretty in the sun.
You know what happens next.
Notice the oh so beautiful blue sky? That’s what we love about “winter” here in Dubai! My two pals here are even wearing short-sleeved clothing. After the camel ride and a burger lunch (as usual, Pristine had her own packed lunch since this kid do NOT eat burgers, at all), we got into the car again in search of the mountain range mentioned by our guide – my husband.
After about 20 minutes, there it was!
M says we need to go down the valley to see the desert rivers and water formations. He never said we’d be trekking so I was kind of upset that Pristine did not have the proper shoes to which he solved by carrying her piggy back style. She was amused. I found this tree on the way down.
It reminds me of the bush that burned somewhere in the Moses story in the Bible.
The rock pools and wadis:
I suppose there’d be more water if it’s the rainy season.
Look closely, there’s a running stream:
The rock formations tell me this place used to have plenty of water some tens or hundreds of years ago? I wonder where it all went.
The mountains of Hatta do not resemble the snow capped mountains of Japan during winter but it was awesome in its own way. I’m glad we went despite all the dust and fine sand in our feet.
The mountains of Hatta look like mountains but with no trees in them, they look really bare, like huge lumps of rocks instead of mountains. No sound of music will make these hills alive. Ok, bad joke.
Finding Backroads 
wow that’s pretty…..
.-= Melany´s last blog ..Protected: I?ll be her Aunt (mail me for password) =-.
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Your company keeps your passport?! How is that legal? What happens when you want to go home…or prove citizenship?
Anyway it looked like a nice day trip!
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Most of the companies here in the UAE/Middle east keep their employees passport. We only have what’s called “labor cards” to prove anything if asked. When we want to go home to our country, we have to file an application to get our passports and then surrender our labor card to the company.
After the trip, we give back our passport. Crazy stuff hey.
I’ve wrote about it before:
http://www.sandierpastures.com/work/the-passport-issue.html
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Very cool place, it reminds me of parts of the southern Negev Desert.
.-= Robin´s last blog ..The Magic Carpet is Ready to Take Off – Get Your Ticket to Ride =-.
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Fascinating!
I can’t help but notice the mountains has an Indiana Jones feel to it.
.-= Charlotte (Life’s a Charm!)´s last blog ..When Frustration Got the Best of Me =-.
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Now THOSE photos look like our mountains here in our desert! Made me feel quite at home. *smile*
.-= Desert Songbird´s last blog ..Chip off the "Old" Block =-.
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Those are terrific pictures. I would imagine that the blowing sand can shape rock formations too in the dessert.
I love the picture s of You and Pristine (love your hair!) and of Hubby bending down with Pristine! They are just beautiful!
.-= Maribeth´s last blog ..Dogs, Fish & Memories =-.
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Nice photos!
It’s good to see greens and flowing water. It’s sad that it’s quite hard to find places like that here in the UAE, but at least there are.
.-= rose´s last blog ..the signs are showing =-.
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Thanks for all the wonderful pictures of Dubai and Hatta and Japan.. Hope to see more. I too, like comment left by Dominique wondered about the legality of keeping your passport since the are not your “husband”
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Those are seriously beyond word pictures!! I mean, WOW…
I can’t believe how much a dessert land can hold so much beauty-You wouldn’t anticipate it, but those pictures prove otherwise 😀
It’s totally awe inspiring!
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The mountains were beautiful indeed, even with the absence of trees!
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What a beautiful photo essay. I was thinking the same thing of the tree photo – Moses and the burning bush. I think you are looking so lovely, and SKINNY!!
It’s nice to see photos of your husband, there are not nearly enough of him on your blog. What a wonderful family day you all seemed to have had. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
BTW – love the camel!!
.-= Lorie Shewbridge´s last blog ..12 by 12 Reading Challenge: February =-.
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SKINNY!!?? — oh Lorie, you are too kind! LOL
Thank you though. You inspire me to work harder. One day, I’m going to wear a skinny jeans (a real one worthy of being called skinny jeans), take a photo and dedicate it to you! One day…
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Hi Grace those pics are beautiful, I’ve been to dubai once to visit a friend who worked there and the place is really beautiful aside from the heat of course. Just want to ask are you a Filipina?
.-= Julie Hodges´s last blog ..Does every divorce go to trial? =-.
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What a cool post, I’m glad you took this adventure!
.-= Krista´s last blog ..A Brief Update =-.
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Wonderful Pics you have shared here.All the locations are really awesome.Thank for nice post.
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great, I just know it.
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