Visit to Bur Dubai

Last Friday (official off day in UAE) I visited a town called Bur Dubai, an old town in Dubai. I was informed that Bur Dubai is the 'real' and original Dubai. It was just a 15 minutes taxi ride from my hotel in Safa Park and the cost was AED21.00. My first destination was Burjuman Shopping Centre. This shopping centre reminds me of Bangsar Shopping Centre but inside it are full of luxurious brands like Loius Vutton, Saks Fifth Avenue, Prada etc. I spent just 15 minutes roaming the ground and first floors then went out for Friday prayer. After all it served no purpose just to see the price tags and 'gulp' ..

A structure of windtower. An architecturial style of Old Dubai

After the Friday prayer I asked the direction to go to Khor Dubai or Dubai Creek. I walked about 2 kilometres strolling along the various shops owned by mostly Pakistanis and Indians. I thought, are they the faces of old Dubai? Suddenly I saw a structure of an old fortress and to my delight it was the Dubai Museum. So I jumped into a queue of tourists leading to the entrance of the museum. The entrance fee was only AED3.00, very cheap according to Dubai standard.

The tourists were from Spain, all grandfathers and grandmothers

The walls were made from river mud, seashells and clay

A short canon. I doubt it could cause any harm to anything except if you stuffed your butt in front of it

A traditional windtower

Inside the fort

The tour in Dubai Museum was very educational to me. Now I know that Dubai has been the melting port for traders and merchants of the world for centuries, and the foreigners (mostly Pakistanis and Indians) have been the faces of Dubai.

After Dubai Museum, I continued walking towards my original destination i.e the Dubai Creek. The scene of the creek illuminated by sun shine and traditional boats called Abra was breathtaking and spectacular. Besides the Abras there were also yachts and water buses. I pity a water bus when it tried so hard to sail against the creek's current. It was so painfully slow that I finished my whole tea meal in 1 hour but the water bus was still in my sight. I enjoyed the view of peoples embarking and disembarking the Abras whilst having my sips of Turkish coffee and hummus with bread. Very Arabic..hehe. My wife called and I have to shout in order to talk to her in the phone as the whole place was noisy filled with the roaring sound of the Abra's engines.

What a peaceful view for coffee and shisha !

The Abras' engines were very noisy but lively

Passengers disembarking from Abra

Taking my own picture

The Creekfront before Maghrib time

Three Emiratis on an Abra

When can I own one?

After I performed Maghrib prayer at the mosque nearby, I continued strolling along the Creekfront until I reached the city centre. Man, I really love the sound and smell of a river. It was a relaxing walk in the evening amidst the busy life of an old trading city. Whilst walking, I imagined myself to be a merchant from the Far East had I come to Dubai a century ago. But what would be my trade? Hmm maybe ...hehe nevermind.

Passengers on Abra

After dinner I went to the Burjuman Shopping Centre again for taxi. This time I got no choice than to queue for almost an hour just to get a taxi home. I cannot wait to get my UAE driving licence soon.

"What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn't have any doubt - it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn't want to go anywhere else"

Hal Boyle,

American writer 1911- 1974