attractions: culture dubai 2012
BASTAKIYA The old Bastakiya district, on
the shores of Bur Dubai, gives a glimpse of old Dubai with its proliferation of narrow lanes and traditional courtyard houses. Today, Bastakiya provides a bustling market in the cooler winter months and a cultural centre to Dubai. It is perfect for walking tours, incorporating intriguing shops, museums and artists' galleries. Bartering for a good price is now a novelty, but was once a way of life. Here, tailors, cobblers, traditional spice shops and the occasional token gift shop, line the streets. Further up the Creek, located in Heritage & Diving Village, is the House of Sheikh Saeed Al Mak- toum. Built in the late 1800s, this traditional Emirati house held a commanding position near the sea so that the Sheikh could observe shipping activity from its many balconies.
Today, the House of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum serves as a local museum, housing a rare collection of historic photographs, coins, stamps and documents that record Dubai's history.
+971 4 3937139
Saturday to Thursday 8.30am to 8.30pm, Friday 3pm to 8.30pm Al Shindagha Area, facing the mouth of Dubai Creek
DUBAI MUSEUM Al Fahidi Fort, which houses the
Dubai Museum, is the oldest fort in the emirate, dating back to 1799. Over the years, the fort has been a palace, garrison and prison, but today provides a window into Dubai's past. The museum provides an
interesting collection of artefacts which depict the social, economic and professional life of historic Dubai, with some dating back as far as 4,000 years. Interactive exhibits using waxwork models and traditional artefacts showcase Dubai through the ages, with an especially interesting exhibition on the life of pearl divers.
The new underground section of the museum houses wonder- fully life-like exhibits of an ancient souk, a Quran school, typical Arabic households and an oasis. The walls of the fort are built from coral and shell rubble from the sea and are cemented together with lime. Wooden poles support the upper floor and the ceiling is made of palm fronds, mud and plaster. A massive, iron-studded door stands at the entrance and its battle-scarred walls and towers bear witness to the conflicts of the past.
+971 4 3531862 Saturday to Thursday 8am to 9pm; Fridays 3pm to 9.30pm 62A Street, Bur Dubai, Dubai
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SPICE SOUK
The Spice Souk in Deira, beside the Creek, is a huddle of narrow alleyways that have surprisingly survived the intense building of high-rise developments that have gone on around it. In the tiny lanes of the Spice Souk, the atmosphere and the scents of the past can be savoured.
Bags of spices, incense, rose petals and traditional medicinal products are stacked outside each stall, with vendors selling spices straight from the sack and always more than happy to chat to visitors about their wares.
Visitors are welcome to wander
through the maze, which not only provides a true experience of traditional Dubai but offers some respite from the daytime heat. The streets around the souk are full of traditional tea shops and bakeries, where you will see people sitting outside smoking shisha and sipping tea or coffee.
Daily 7am to noon and 5pm to 7pm; Friday 5pm to 7pm Al Shindagha Area, facing end of Dubai Creek
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