Today, I wanted to show my mum the oldest part of Dubai. The Al Fahidi Historical District, commonly referred to as Al Bastakiya. Al Fahidi holds the memories of an era that pre-dates the confederation of the emirates. Nowadays Dubai is mostly known for the glitz and glamour. But before the tourism boom, before the discovery of oil and before the union of the Emirati tribes in 1971, it was a vastly different place. The UAE was an area of sheikdoms – where bedouins lived as herders, date farmers and fishermen.
When the materialism of the Marina or the Lamborghinis on Sheikh Zayed Road get too much, you can escape to the old part of town; and just wander the streets of Bastakiya, exploring the coffee museum, peeping into the art cafes – I love it there! The Bastakiya quarter truly exudes tradition and history. One of the oldest neighborhoods still standing in Dubai. This area was built in the 19th century by the Iranian community who arrived in the Emirate due to trade via the Dubai Creek. The buildings in Bastakiya tell their own story, they were built using coral and shells and still remain the same till this day. The community has now become a cultural hub for both Dubai residents and visitors.
This is where it all started. Dubai`s richness is not so much based on oil (there is more of that black gold in Abu Dhabi) but its long tradition as a trading place – due to the strategic location between the continents. So I made my mum dive into the Arabian world, listen to the muezzin`s call for prayer and watch the old wooden dhows. We decided not to take an Abra to Deira to visit the souks, since she was feeling a bit dizzy and overwhelmed. But in Deira real pashmina’s, gold and jewellery and oriental spices are among the most demanded items offered by the very eager salesmen. There it is a true shopping for all senses, but it is also crowded, loud and dirty.
So, we went for lunch at my favourite restaurant: The Arabian teahouse. (http://arabianteahouse.net). I just really love the vibe there, and the food of course! My mum also loved it. Max did not want to see anything old, nor eat the Arabian delights. He wanted to explore the new Dubai…
The Arabian Tea House, formerly called the Basta Art Cafe, is a gorgeous little cafe with an open courtyard featuring a variety of delicious Middle Eastern dishes. My dear friend Regina made me discover this gem last year.
After lunch, we explored the Al Seef area – This is where the ‘Old Meets the New’. There’s an area where it’s modern, and there’s an area where you can see windtowers and stones which reflects back to the history of the UAE. Al Seef has retained the charm of Old Dubai This creekside area is rich in history and culture as this is where pearl-divers, fishermen, and tradesmen started. While Dubai will always come up with new and modern destinations, I’m really happy that they developed this new place while keeping its charm a history.
We ended this inspiring day with a sweet & bitter honey flavoured mojito at the hotel, whilst Max dove into the nightlife at JBR Barasti.(https://www.barastibeach.com/)
It was really funny when we met 2 young Belgians in the elevator, dressed in Gucci short, sneakers and T-shirt, obviously looking and smelling for a night out – and my mother asked if they came from the gym 😂🤣😩. Wel, they had shorts and trainers on!!!
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