Our day in Dubai was unfortunately hijacked when our ship excursion was bumped from morning to afternoon. That broke up our day and made it impossible to do the exploring we had planned in the glamorous modern part of Dubai. No shopping trip to the famous Dubai mall. Ah well, we did enjoy the walking tour of the old city and the contrast between Dubai’s change from a few thousand people in mud dwellings to one of the most wealthy, sophisticated and powerful cities in the world. And all this happened in the last 50 years. Fun fact: 25% of the all the building cranes in the world are in Dubai.
Below is the the Al Fahidi historical district of Dubai. This site preserves a picture of life here from the mid 19th century to the 1970’s. The tower below is one of the wind towers. It provides a natural way of protecting home interiors from the often punishing heat. Breezes circulate in the tower, where thick mud walls cool the interior and that cooled air moves down below to the home.
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| This archaeological site displays a remnant of Dubai’s old city wall, which was demolished at the beginning of the 20th century to make way for the expansion of the city. In the background is one of the many beautiful murals that decorate the old town. |
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| One of Dubai’s oldest restaurants sits across the street from elegant modern buildings. Today the Al Fahidi district is home to restaurants, galleries and museums instead of residences. |
| We visited a representation of a Bedouin Bait Al Sha’ar or House of Hair. They were built from goat hair which was collected and knit together by Bedouin women. The tents are strong enough to last up to 50 years. |
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| The 200-year-old Al Fahidi Fort has served as a defense post, an arsenal and a prison. It became a museum, but is now closed for renovations. |
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| The Dubai creek is where life in the city originally gathered. It provided the economy, which was based on pearl diving, fishing and date plantations. It was dredged in the 1960’s and 70’s to make it deep enough to accommodate large shipping vessels. That was the beginning of Dubai’s emergence as a major world trading hub. |
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| The beautiful curves of Dubai’s Water Canal Bridge are a dramatic backdrop for the creek. |
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| We visited the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum home, now a museum and once the home of 4 generations of the powerful royal family. |
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| A daytime view of Dubai’s iconic skyline. Bye bye, Dubai. |
J and J Travel 