Like we said in an earlier post, breakfast took us two entire hours to
complete. Not that we were complaining since the dishes served were both
mesmerizing and appetizing at the same time.
Right beside the Arabian Tea House Restaurant and Café was a complex of
historical sites called the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. Like the
website Visit Dubai says: “Escape the skyscrapers of the city centre
and travel back in time with a trip to Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, also
known as Bastakiya. This atmospheric area in Bur Dubai is one of the oldest
heritage sites in the city, with a neighbourhood that dates back to the early
1900s. A tour of the area offers a beguiling glimpse into the Dubai of a bygone
era including traditional wind towers, bustling courtyards and maze of winding
alleyways.”
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| calligraphy, a dying art? |
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| Sern capturing a moment |
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| old and new: lantern with energy saving bulbs |
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| the new portion of the quarter |
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| aircond compressor was an eye sore |
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| Brendan getting lost in the landscape |
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| a high air tower |
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| modern art in the mix |
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| newly built old barn? |
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| a closer look |
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| Brendan capturing me... |
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| while I capture details of a wood grain |
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| traditional front door |
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| close-up of the modern lantern |
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| contrasting colours |
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| modern art in the mix |
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| are you being helpful, eh? |
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| a minaret in the distance |
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| the closest thing to the translation of mawaheb... |
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| is talent? |
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| the old and the new |
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| in perfect unison |
A brief explanation of the history of the
area taken from
lonelyplanet.com: "
The quarter was built in the early 1900s by
merchants from the Persian town of Bastak who settled in Dubai to take
advantage of tax breaks granted by the sheikh. By the 1970s, though, the
buildings had fallen into disrepair and residents began moving on to newer,
more comfortable neighbourhoods. Dedicated locals, expats and even Prince
Charles prevented the area's demolition in the 1980s. Hidden within the
restored maze, which is easily explored on an aimless wander, is a short
section of the old city wall from 1800."
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| narrowing alleyways |
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| cobbled pathways |
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| blending in with the landscape |
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| a door to its past and heritage? |
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| a private building we guess |
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| takes you back to days gone by |
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| an immense area of historical significance |
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| Al Farooq mosque |
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| Al Farooq mosque |
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| the courtyard of Al Farooq Mosque |
Here we found buildings with high air
towers built with traditional building materials such as stone, gypsum, teak,
sandal wood, fronds and palm wood. These building were aligned side by side,
separated by alleys, pathways and public squares giving it an air of both
mystery and mystic.
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| we found that the walls were made of many things |
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| including sea shells |
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| could this be the old city wall from 1800? |
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| could it? |
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| the gang planning about what to do next |
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| and apparently the next plan is a selfie with the old city wall |
We found the high air towers called barajeel expecially fascinating, and Sern explained its significance in the traditional buildings in the UAE and how it helped ventilate as well as keep its inhabitants cool during the hot scalding Arabic summer months.
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| it was so cool |
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| even a bird perched gleefully |
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| helps ventilate |
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| and keep the interior cool |
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| the barajeel |
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| the high air tower |
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| or the wind tower |
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| ingenious traditional air conditioning |
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| an integral part of UAE's traditional buildings |
The buildings here
house a number of varied cultural and artistic activities ranging from art
exhibits, specialised museums, cultural and artistic societies. The Coffee Museum was especially to us coffee lovers (that's you and me, Ginny!)
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| come, come, come.. the proprietor smiled |
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| from the somewhat modern |
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| to the positively ancient |
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| all manner of devices |
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| in the quest of an exquisite cup of coffee |
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| a barista's nightmare? |
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| or a collector's dream |
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| the end of the tour inside the coffee museum |
A visit here is a great opportunity to get
a glimpse into the old way of life in Dubai. The scarcity of front windows also
intrigued us and hinted at the local population's need for privacy while
maintaining the spirit of a community.
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| lack of windows hold a meaning |
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| large cast iron doors |
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| guarding something precious perhaps? |
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| then we found out how it was used |
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| ah, enlightening moment |
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| a square in the centre of the quarter |
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| or a courtyard for a majlis? |
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| beheading device (kidding!) |
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| a Majlis at a corner of the quarter |
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| backdrop of the fine architecture |
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| inviting |
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| a falcon trainer? |
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| about to go on a hunt? |
After more than an hour here in the historical quarter, we were off in search of the next exciting thing in this neighbourhood: the Souks!
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