THE SOUL OF DUBAI
An eye-opener of a visit to the best-kept secret on the other side of the metropolis
From the Tigris and Euphrates of Mesopotamia to the Nile of Egypt, from the Indus of India and Pakistan to the Yellow and Yangtze of China—each of these great ancient civilizations were born near a water form: a river, to be exact. Dubai shares similar beginnings. The then-mile-long stream was originally a pearl farming site and became the center of life of the pioneer community. It likewise served as the entry and exit points of merchant sailboats from friendly and rival kingdoms, near and far, way even before mighty oil was discovered.
Just like how the human body acts as a vessel for the spirit, the Dubai Creek is the centerpoint as the soul of old Dubai.
The famed body of water—which we explored during a recent day trip, upon the insistence of long-time expat residents of today’s Dubai, friends Cesar and Khamille Sta. Maria—divided the settlements into two separate segments: the Bur Dubai and the Deira.
The former consists of mosques and the domicile of rulers and leaders, while the latter being the focus of barter, commerce, and trade.
AT THE CRADLE OF LIFE
Whenever we wish to understand and further appreciate the destination more, there’s no better place to start at a depository of —here we go—history and heritage, tradition and folklore, and arts and culture. And as such, we immediately made our way to the Dubai Museum, the most ancient building in town.
Though simply stark in appearance, its interior had a completely opposite touch. This packed series of showrooms proudly recreated several notable three dimensional and life-sized street scenes of the then-uncomplicated daily life: homemakers selecting herbs and spices in a stall, a tailor busy patching up clothes for the neighbors, a blacksmith leads an assistant in forging new tools, a teacher introduces pupils to the beautiful world of words and happy schoolmates in celebration for passing their Quran class.
A glass cabinet showcased tribal clothes, handcrafted jewelry, shell-embellished weaves, and a selection of traditional musical instruments such as pipes, lyre, and drums from existing raw materials.
There were likewise images of local water species and a largescale exhibit that describes how life existed by the river.
Together with my travel buddies—who all hail from islands back home—we were all interested in an exhibited dhow, a sailing vessel with one to two masts used to transport items like fruit, fresh water, and other merchandise.
As we exited, we bumped into an iconic Bedouin tent, the mobile home of nomadic Arabs. With no pretentions at all, the dwelling which was open on either side seemed to have been lived in. This was evidenced by worn out yet still colorful carpets, rugs, kilims, huge square pillows of intricate weaves and drapes of various animal furs. Taking a peek in the interiors of the tent, you would have even expected to see some animated members of the families.
Nearby was an improvised cooking area, with never-seenbefore pots and handmade containers to meet basic kitchen needs, complete with smoke for added effect. Alongside were domesticated camels and sheep.
"The comfortable tents, true to their lifestyle, can be quickly disassembled for relocation and sturdy enough to handle the vicious unpredictable sandstorms.” our tour guide Egypt-born, Dubairesident Mohammed said.
“The starry sky, the whistle of the wind, the sound of harmless
animals at a distance and the instructional chatter of the elders at night served as the theater for the ancestors.” the guide continued.
We then headed to the nearby two-story Sheikh Saeed House, the official residence of Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, the former ruler. It was likewise the birthplace of his sons and grandsons, one of which is now the present Prime Minister.
It has now been converted into another museum, extending to 3,600 square meters, spanning nine wings which featured the family legacy, the history of the house, the breathtaking views and social life. Curious artifacts may be seen, such as historic documents and maps that indicated the shifts of boundaries in geography, while a collection of stamps and coins reflected the progress of the land through the years.
Photographs and testimonies provided a glimpse into the environs of the young kid who eventually grew up to be the nation’s Chief Executive.`
IN THE BIRTHPLACE OF A CULTURE
We took a relaxed approach around the Al Fahidi historical neighborhood—the Bastakiya to locals—the most venerable collection of heritage establishments in the vicinity, as we ambled from narrow streets to even narrower alleyways and peeked into magical courtyards reminiscent of its golden era.
Mohammed—who answered all our questions in a snap— pointed out two towers with protruding horizontal wooden sticks. "Those are windcatchers, used to create ventilation into the buildings. Residents even hung wet towels on the poles as a coolant. It's an improvised aircon!" he clarified.
More mazelike paths led us to the Al Fahidi Fort, with one of the three fabled Old Watchtowers utilized in times of yore to spot enemy forces.
We went wayward—got temporarily lost at times like the Biblical sheep—but soon found ourselves at the Old Souk, the latter word meaning old-fashioned market. This series of shops
focused on garments, as they carry absolutely fashionable items such as shirts and blouses, coats and jackets, pants and slacks, shawls and robes. And slippers and more slippers!
Our eye caught a lot of kandura—loose-fitting ankle-length robes for men, usually in white and fabrics and more fabrics for the women. We suspect these will resurrect as abayas—long black flowing dresses, worn over western or traditional clothes, plus the jalabiya, a traditional full-length dress with long sleeves.
Mohammed warned us there were more surprises should we cross to the other side. We quickly hopped into an abra—a traditional motorized wooden boat where passengers sit back to back and a popular mode of transportation for tourists and locals alike—at a price of one dirham.
A GOLDEN OASIS
We moored at the floating dock, walked past a portal and dashed into the street shopping district of the old Emirate.
Our first stop was the Gold Souk—with some 380 retailers— known as the best place to acquire legitimate gold at the most affordable price.
Some stores have established their legacies for numerous decades, while some still exhibit youthful less-than-a-year energy, all competing with each other and yet there is enough business to coexist peacefully.
We understand that silver, platinum, and even diamond were likewise sold in the area, but all we could see was gold in every imaginable shape and form.
Whether you desire to purchase a piece of gold for a keepsake or to celebrate a milestone, or would perhaps just want a feast for the eyes—it is certainly worth a visit.
Drifting southwest was the newly renovated and revamped Grand Souk Deira, the site for the loose collection of an entire strip of stalls and stores, which treated us to interesting aromas and scents, tastes and flavors.
We sampled tray after tray of unfamiliar sweets and purchased packs and packs of nuts and grains and boxes and boxes of figs and dates.
Haggling seems like second nature to us, almost embedded in our veins—turning the art form into an exact science, so we worked our charms on the vendors with smiles, complimented with precise body language, complimented with the changes in the tone of voice, added in a little bit of drama on the fastdisappearing currencies and even feigned to exit the shop, yet to be called back by the shopkeepers to strike a deal where both parties are pleased.
We observed a number of men who crowded around a shop that sold flavors for shisha, a customary way to smoke in Middle Eastern countries that involves burning tobacco, sometimes mixed with fruits, molasses and sugar inside a bowl to produce vapor which comes out of a mouthpiece at the end. Several guys smoked
by the premises on demonstration. Or perhaps, just to relax.
Oh from the corner of our eyes, did we see rows and rows of Turkish delights on display?
As the late afternoon sun finally set, we made our way back to the metropolis for dinner. And guess what—the venue was an evening dhow boat cruise along the Dubai Creek, once a mile, but today, all of 10 kilometers long.
We boarded an open roofed ship with subdued lighting and muted soft music. A self-serving buffet awaited us, as our vessel coursed through on the now-dark waters, only magically illuminated by the breathtaking reflections of the New Dubai—of soaring skyscrapers and tall towers, huge hotels and massive malls.
The Old Dubai was the soul. The New Dubai was definitely the heart of the city. No doubt about it!