Hatta

Normally when you think of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, you think of skyscrapers, man-made islands, souqs, and lots of sand. It was unexpected to find ferocious looking mountains tucked inside the Arabian peninsula just a little inland from the big cities. In the town of Hatta, the view into Oman was a haze of layered mountains. Once over the border, sharp craggy mountain peaks surround you on all sides. An oasis - maybe not of the palm-tree-and-cool-pond variety, but a visual respite from the sand dunes and modernity of Dubai.