eNewsletter April 2011
In this issue
It’s been a busy month of excavations, bird sightings and colourful cultural celebrations at Desert Islands. The archeological team has made a number of interesting discoveries at the Christian monastery site on Sir Bani Yas Island, while migrating Hoopoe birds have been sighted by guests at Desert Islands Resort & Spa Anantara. Meanwhile our culturally diverse team celebrated their ethnically diverse working environment with a delicious feast, as well as some dancing and singing. Read on to learn more about these exciting happenings as well as much more.
Newly Unearthed Treasures
After spending the past two months digging, investigating and restoring the Christian monastery site on Sir Bani Yas Island, our archeological team has made some fascinating new discoveries as they continue the delineation of buildings to the south of the church.
During this work, a store room was discovered that contained ‘torpedo’ jars. These are much like Roman amphorae (storage vessels) in shape and function, and were used to hold liquids. Fragments of three fine glass vessels, two of which appear to have been open cups or beakers, were also found in the northern courtyard. The most beautiful discovery was a fragment of finely decorated plaster, which originally formed part of a decorative frieze above a church door.
Much of the open courtyard around the church has now been exposed, as well as a substantial length of wall enclosure to the north. Three previously unknown doorways have also been identified, providing a greater understanding of the way in which inhabitants of the monastic complex moved between the different buildings.
Conservation work continued on all exposed structures to ensure that they are being properly preserved. Many of the buildings to the north of the courtyard that were originally identified during excavations in the mid-1990s have also been uncovered. An assessment will now take place to evaluate the amount of work necessary to conserve and protect them for future display.
Guests can visit the archaeological site by booking through the activities team.
Easter Weekend Special
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Come to Desert Islands during the Easter weekend and allow us to treat you to some fun filled family time.
Your weekend will begin from the minute you board a boat that will transfer you from the mainland to our island resort. If you opt for Pool Access Room you will enjoy the luxury of having a stunningly white sandy beach a mere seconds away from your private terrace, as well as direct access to our pool and garden area.
Those who choose our Deluxe Club Rooms can enjoy uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf, as well as complimentary Club Lounge access, a daily happy hour and laundry services.
As a special Easter gift, breakfast will be inclusive with any extra bed bookings you make for your little ones. On Easter Sunday you will be treated to a memorable family occasion where you can feast on a sumptuous adult brunch. Our culinary team has developed a special children’s feast to mark the occasion, where for an additional cost your little ones can enjoy a fun packed afternoon pizza making session.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• 3 nights’ accommodation in either Deluxe Club or Pool Access Room for two
• Buffet breakfast for two
• Easter Brunch on Sunday 24th April
• Return boat transfers from the mainland to Desert Islands for two
OFFER IS VAID FROM APRIL 21 – 27, 2011 AND RATES START AT AED 1,616
For more information or to make a reservation please visit: desertislands.anantara.com/Easter-Weekend-Special
Hoopoe Birds Dazzle Hotel Guests
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A number of beautiful Hoopoe birds have been spotted outside the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara this week. The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is notable for its distinctive crown of feathers and is considered special because it is the only extant species of the Upupidae family.
Like most other European and north Asian birds, Hoopae migrate to the tropics in winter. This explains why we’ve been treated to so many sightings of this unique bird recently! They love to pause on Sir Bani Yas Island, feed and refresh, before continuing on their way to avoid the UAE’s hot summer weather.
Hoopae are popular with humans, as their diet consists of insects that are considered to be pests. Sir Bani Yas Island offers an excellent feeding ground for the birds, which show a particular preference for our lush hotel gardens. The gardens and surrounding wadis also offer bare or lightly vegetated ground on which they can forage, as well as vertical surfaces with cavities where they can nest.
Hotel guests can identify the Hoopoe by their distinctive long, thin, black and fawn coloured beak, and their broad and rounded wings. They have a characteristic flight, which is similar to that of a giant butterfly and caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats.
Hoopoes sunbathe by spreading their wings and tail out against the ground and tilting their head up. They also enjoy taking dust and sand baths in the many dusty locations around Sir Bani Yas Island.
Interns
Four students from the Desert Islands Education Centre joined the Desert Island’s team last month to train as guides.
The interns, who have lived their entire lives on neighbouring Dalma Island, were shown the ropes by the tourism team. They were trained in kayaking, mountain biking, and hiking, and shown how to be Nature and Wildlife Drives guides. They also assisted a photographer, who was on a photoshoot, to get some wining shots.
The girls took to the activities with enthusiasm and a can do attitude. Wafa, who had never been on a bike before the internship, was riding a 19km biking track by the end of her training. Marium particularly enjoyed the kayaking; the rest of the guys had a hard time catching up with her as she paddled swiftly and confidently through the mangrove lagoon.
The interns will graduate from the City and Guild’s Travel and Tourism course at the end of this month.
Staff Cultural Celebration
The UAE is a cultural melting pot and Desert Islands is no exception. More than 300 TDIC staff recently celebrated living together in this peaceful and beautiful location with a delicious feast, which was followed by extensive entertainment.
A broad cultural mix took part in the celebrations, showcasing the amount of nationalities on Sir Bani Yas Island. These include Pakistani, Indian, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, South African, Australian, New Zealand and Welsh! The staff work in a range of different departments for the Desert Islands project, including conservation, agriculture, construction, maintenance and operations.
Guests were entertained by their fellow staff, who spent the past weeks furiously training at the Desert Islands Construction School on Sir Bani Yas island. The school was transformed into a makeshift music school in the evenings leading up to the event. The event’s entertainment included Punjab dancing, drama, Indian and Nepalese singing and Nepalese folk dancing.
Despite their cultural differences, everyone found common ground in music and dance. The evening inspired and excited all attendees, who are already eagerly anticipating the next event.