Month: August 2019

Tall buildings

It must be every inch a proud and soaring thing, rising in sheer exultation….

Louis Sullivan

  • Dubai Marina

I prefer to stand on the ground and look up at tall buildings than to climb to the top and look down. In Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities to do both. The city is packed full of skyscrapers and they really are marvels of architecture; twisting, shining and soaring.

Dubai Marina is a scenic spot for a stroll, with a back drop of water, boats and tall buildings. The promenade extends for 7km and at certain times of year is populated by food and drink trucks. We jumped on a RTA ferry at Marina Walk which is a great value boat ride, stopping at Marina Mall and out to Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) for a short hop across to the beach.

  • Burj Khalifa

Dubai is home to the tallest building and tallest free-standing structure in the world. The Burj Khalifa was officially launched in 2010 and stands at over 828m. There are many extraordinary facts and figures about the construction of this vast tower. It took only 5 years from the start of excavation to completion of the spire with 12,000 workers on site daily at the peak of construction.

It is awesome to stand and look up at this immense tower, which is illuminated every night with a different light show on one of its facades. I’m sure it’s every bit as impressive on the observation decks at the top or enjoying tea in the clouds, but the experience does not come cheap and I’m saving those trips for another time.

The Dubai Frame is a less costly and more relaxed way to look down on Dubai. Standing at 150m tall and 93 m wide, the Dubai Frame is positioned in such a way that modern Dubai is on view from one side and old Dubai from the other.

We visited on a Saturday in November and bought our tickets at the gate. There is an interesting exhibit of Dubai through the ages and a quick lift trip to the top. The children particularly enjoyed walking over the long opaque glass bridge which connects the two towers of the Frame. As they stepped on the bridge, the glass cleared allowing a view to the ground below. Walking on air.

Old Dubai

We are not makers of history. We are made by history.

Martin Luther King Jr

There are days when the polished sky scrapers, white washed residences and glossy malls all feel too polished, white and glossy. An escape to a bit of history is needed and there is plenty to be found in Old Dubai. Situated in the northern part of town, Bur Dubai and Deira, separated by Dubai Creek, are vibrant and diverse districts, full of historical and cultural interest.

Al Fahidi Historical District (Bastakiya Quarter) is a good place to start a tour of Old Dubai. It lies along the bank of Dubai Creek and offers a glimpse back at life in Dubai from the mid 19th century until the early 1970s. The beautifully preserved and restored gypsum and coral buildings were the residences of wealthy merchants, whose privacy was protected by the tall stone walls and lack of front windows. It is the last wind tower quarter left on the Arab side of the Gulf.

Barjeel (wind tower) sits atop the walls and funnels wind into the building below.

I easily whiled away a few hours strolling around the shady alleyways, stopping at the old buildings which have been converted into art galleries, museums, cafes and quirky little shops.

It is a short walk from Al Fahidi Historical District to the banks of Dubai Creek. This saltwater creek served a vital role in the history of Dubai, for fishing, pearling and as a gateway for traders. The Dubai Water Canal was completed in 2016, extending the Creek out into the Persian Gulf.

  • Abra station

I walked to the Bur Dubai abra station where it is possible to jump on a shared abra across Dubai Creek. There are over 100 of these traditional Arabian boats, constantly passing from one bank to the other. I loved the simplicity of the experience, sitting among tourists and tradesmen on the deck and handing over my 1 dirham coin to the abra driver in payment for the journey. There is little else to be bought for only 1 dirham in this city.

The spice souk is to be found on the opposite bank. As soon as I stepped ashore I felt like I had travelled to a different country. There was little of the modern Dubai to be found here, other than a passion for shopping. Atmospheric, bustling and lively, I had spices wafted under my nose and a pashmina wrapped around my shoulders by men keen to make a sale. Haggling is expected.

Bags of aromatic spices

Further along is the more sanitised gold souk. I had to jostle with parties of tourists to get a look through the windows at gold bracelets, rings and chains. Many people travel to Dubai to buy gold so it was no surprise to see sales being made in most of the shops.

Gold and more gold

There were no purchases for me on this occasion, just an opportunity to watch, wander and experience a completely different side of this fascinating city.