Some of these caves had frayed old rope ladders leading up to them, and inside were galleries of ancient Buddhist art. They were pocked with caves like some kind of fairy fortress. I took in a deep, laboured breath, and looked around me at towering sandstone cliffs rising hundreds of metres. That I was able to hold in my hands signs of life from the age of the dinosaurs was remarkable enough, but what made it even more astounding, was the realisation that the spot at which I now stood had once been the bottom of a tropical ocean. So, what was it doing in this unlikely spot 4,000 metres above sea level? An ammonite is a type of a long-extinct marine mollusc that disappeared from planet Earth about 65 million years ago.

It was the fossil of an ammonite, and scattered haphazardly across the ground around me were others. On one side, the palm-sized rock was smooth, flat and uninspiring, but turning it over revealed a hypnotic swirl of circular patterns criss-crossed in ribs. His account of this Mustang trek has now been published in The National Magazine, UAE, and this article is reproduced belowвЂ¦ Al Mina Fish Market, Mezlai, Meylas, Al Areesh and Najd Palace also get a mention.Stuart Butler вЂ“ Author of the Rough Guide to Nepal and Lonely Planet Trekking in Nepal recently went hiking into Upper Mustang, Nepal with Snow Cat Travel The guide also has a section dedicated to Emirati cuisine, highlighting spots such as Al Fanar Restaurant and Cafe, YadooвЂ™s House and the aforementioned FaвЂ™e Cafe. In Al Zahiyah, or Tourist Club Area, diners can sample Afghan treats at Khyber Darbar, Ethiopian specialities at Sheger and Indonesian delights at Bandung.ДЄl Fanar Restaurant & Cafe in the Venetian Village at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal, Abu Dhabi. The food court at Madinat Zayed Mall is listed as a must-visit, despite not making it on to most tourist maps. вЂњThe hidden gems that dot Abu DhabiвЂ™s streets offer dirham- and waistband-stretching sustenance you will be glad you discovered,вЂќ the guide says.Дiners in downtown Abu Dhabi are advised to start at Al Markaziyah, where they can feast on everything from Indian subcontinental cuisine to Nepalese momos and Jamaican jerk chicken. Photo: Cipriani Yas IslandДЄ section dedicated to вЂњAbu DhabiвЂ™s best-kept secret restaurantsвЂќ is broken down by neighbourhood, covering downtown, the waterfront and Al Zahiyah. International names such as Cipriani dominate the fine-dining section of the book. The guideвЂ™s listing of fine-dining restaurants is dominated by international concepts such as Coya, Cipriani, Cafe Milano, Zuma, Hakkasan, Buddha-Bar, Nusr-Et and MarcoвЂ™s New York Italian. Faisal Naser of the artisanal fast-food concept Lento is also profiled, alongside Khaled al Saadi of FaвЂ™e Cafe and Balveer Balkissoon, chef at FouquetвЂ™s Abu Dhabi. The bookвЂ™s first section is dedicated to fine dining and includes an interview with chef Tom Aikens of steakhouse Oak Room, Mediterranean-style Alba and the healthy living-inspired Market at Edition Abu Dhabi. вЂњHere in Abu Dhabi, we know and understand the power that food holds in every community, and we make sure we can always serve the best and authentic food from every part of the world to our visitors and residents.вЂќД¬hef Tom Aikens is profiled in the new guide. вЂњFood delights our taste buds and fulfils our appetites, but more than that, every meal tells an incredible story of culture, history and humanity,вЂќ writes Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi, in the foreword to the book. It features street food, quick bites and dessert spots вЂњfor every budget, taste and moodвЂќ, as well as a вЂњneed to knowвЂќ section that advises newcomers to the UAE on local customs and traditions relating to food. Lonely PlanetвЂ™s The World of Abu Dhabi CuisineВ includes 100 culinary destinations, from fine-dining restaurants to off-the-beaten-track eateries.

It was launched to coincide with Abu Dhabi Culinary Season, which is running until December 9 and includes events and dining opportunities across the city. Created in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Culinary, an initiative by the Department of Culture and Tourism вЂ“ Abu Dhabi, the guide shines a light on the capitalвЂ™s leading dining spots. Lonely Planet has launched its first guide to Abu DhabiвЂ™s culinary scene.

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