If you've been following my posts (I hope so...), you would notice that a lot of it happens around Umm Al Emarat Park. From my morning/evening jogs to shadow hunting, to the most recent witnessing of a custom cannon firing in Ramadan. It's always just from around Umm Al Emarat Park. Why? Because it is nearby, free, and if it's only to get moving and get those steps, the perimeter of the park is already perfect.
However, there are times when going inside the park is great, too. Like when joining an event like the Neon Book Hunt, or simply enjoying the amenities inside like the playground or the mini zoo (Animal Barn).
Getting here.
Umm Al Emarat Park (previously known as Mushrif Park) is located on 15th Street, (Mushrif Area) between Karama and Airport Road, Abu Dhabi.
Map: Google Map
Entrance Fee: AED 10
It must be noted that bringing cooked food is not allowed in the park.
We came with the intention of visiting and observing the animals at the Animal Barn for our Science lessons but of course, we can not leave without exploring the rest of the park.
Botanic Garden
If you're looking for a quiet place to escape to, this area is for you. The Botanic Garden is home to more than 200 plant species -- most of which are from the UAE, while some are from other regions like Africa, Australia, Latin America, and North America.
The place is big, with an area of 7,000 sqm. It's up to you what you want to do-- walk around to check out the surroundings or simply just sit on one of the wooden benches and bask in the calmness.
My kids had particular fun hopping on the stones across the pond. We were kind of hoping there were fish in it, but the clear flowing water was sufficient to fill the kids' excitement.
The sound of flowing water is naturally relaxing. I was tempted to remove my shoes and dip my toes in the water, but nope, not here, Arlyn, no!
It almost feels enchanted being here. I thought fairies would show themselves any moment.
The chorale of different birds! Perfect music.
Then something caught our attention - this part of the garden where different kinds of cacti are growing. Some are small and some are tall!
"I wouldn't want to be caught in that," Little Man even said.
"Me neither," I replied.
It would be really nice to just stay here, read a book or just meditate but we saw a structure nearby that we really want to try again.
Shade House
The Shade House is a tall structure inside the Umm Al Emarat Park. It is a two-floors viewing platform, 30m high. It can be climbed through stairs but there is also an elevator that can bring visitors to the upper levels.
It's been years since we were last here. My eldest was still an infant then. This time we had the chance again and it's a mix of different feelings for them.
At first, Little Man was excited to go up mainly because he just wanted to be our elevator man. LOL. We can see far and wide the through the glass panels of the elevator and then the "fear of height" kicked in. It took me a while to let him walk away from the elevator and to the middle of the viewing deck.
We first went to the first floor, then to the second, top-most level. After a few minutes of admiring the view from the top and the obligatory children's photo, we decided to go down.
While it was completely safe up there with all the railings around, it definitely gave me that churning feeling in my gut! LOL.
The Shade House, as it suggests, also provides a very fine recluse from the extreme heat as it houses lots of plants and tall palm trees within. It is specifically designed to regulate the sunlight and overall pattern of the shade within the Shade House. How cool is that?!
The kids ate what was remaining of their food and then we headed out to the big lawn to find their favorite spot of all --
Playground
Okaaaayyy! I just realized I did not take a photo of the full tree, but only the marker. LOL
The Umm Al Emarat Park is dedicated to the Abu Dhabi community by HH Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Actually, there is really no shortage of these kinds of recreation for the residents of Abu Dhabi and most are free!
There are two of these big playgrounds inside the park. There were not a lot of kids at the time we were there because it was mid-afternoon but it usually picks up in the evening after work hours.
There are lots of stimulating elements in the playground like this big xylophone here below. The big stainless steel structure at the left side of this photo down is actually a mirror that shows how reflections can be thin or fat or flat depending on how the mirror is curved.
Wisdom Garden
Finally, I was able to encourage the kids to leave the playground. Before that, we passed by the Wisdom Garden which is located just near the entrance of the park.
The Wisdom Garden features 10 marble walls engraved with unforgettable quotes by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (May he rest in peace), Founding Father of the Nation and first President of the United Arab Emirates.
It also has a water feature -- water that continuously flows down the walls.
The quotes are engraved in Arabic language but there are also small plaques with I suppose are their English translations.
The walls below have quotes that speak about Sheikh Zayed's thoughts on gender issues and heritage to name a few.
This square has a total of 30 quotes to fill us with wisdom and encouragement. Though dedicated to the citizens of the UAE, they can resonate with anyone.
We came to the park with the intention to learn only about the animals but we definitely got more than that. It was a fun, stimulating, and educational activity, indeed.
There are other parts of the park that I did not talk about like the amphitheater, the children's garden, and the evening garden. That's for next time, perhaps!
