Modern Al Ain and traditional Al Ain

 In one-two generations, Al Ain apparently went from date palm frond tents, no air conditioning and a nomadic life, to malls, SUVs, and fast food.  I can't really get my head round that.  It all feels very modern now.  Above and below are scenes from Al Ain Mall's food court.  People in traditional dress (which Charles says they were too poor to wear a couple decades ago, and then when the money arrived, they adopted the traditional Saudi dress - white kandouras for men and black abeyas for women) eating at KFC.  Hatam is Iranian food - kabobs, and houmous and stuff.

 Henry at the top of the Mall.  See the Islamic crescents.

This is how Sheikh Zayed used to live from the 1930s to the 1960s, when he was elected as the UAE's first president and presumably moved to Abu Dhabi.  It was a nice palace with lots of rooms.  This is one of the public rooms, or majlis, where people could come to talk to the sheikh and ask for money or help.  That's Zayed with his falcon on the wall.  Below is an outdoor majlis.

 This was a coffee room for guests.  See the traditional coffee pots and palm frond food covers.  It would have been so hot without A/C.  I don't know how anyone survived here before it.