Page 68 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Dubai & Abu Dhabi

66 ❯❯ Dubai and Abu Dhabi Area by Area

Al Fahidi
5
This is one of
the oldest and most
atmospheric heritage
areas in Dubai. Here
you can wander the
alleyways between
original, restored
courtyard houses.
Many are crowned with
tall windtowers, which
were the earliest forms
of air conditioning. Late
afternoon is the best
time to spend a couple
of hours here, when
the light throws the Beautiful carpets at the Textile Souk
architecture into golden
Textile Souk
relief. The area has become a 7
cultural hub for the city with many At the heart of Bur Dubai, the
buildings converted to art galleries Textile Souk begins at the water’s
and courtyard cafés (see pp18–19). edge by the Dubai Old Souk Abra
Station. Since the souk’s
Heritage Village
6 renovation, it is now housed
and Diving Village
under an imposing arcaded
MAP K1 • Al Shindagha • 04 393 wooden roof, keeping it cool even
7151 • Open 8:30am–10pm during the most consuming heat.
A microcosm of Dubai’s cultural It’s a mix of old and new – here
and historic past, located near you’ll find moneychangers,
the mouth of the creek in the textiles, bargain clothes, glittery
old Shindagha conservation Arabian slippers and curios.
area, this traditional complex The souk (sometimes referred to
is a living museum staffed by as the “Old Souk”) is great fun to
potters and weavers practising explore – look out for the tailors
crafts as they have for centuries. working on old-fashioned sewing
There’s a tented Bedouin village, machines. Lanes off the main drag
armoury displays, handicraft are dotted with examples of local
shops, camel rides and an traditional architecture, including
exhibition of Emirati cooking long wooden balconies, latticed
techniques. The Diving Village windows and the occasional
focuses on Dubai’s sea-faring windtower (see p27).
and pearl-diving history, with
Hindi Lane
displays of dhows and black Artifact from the 8
and white photographs. Heritage Village MAP K1
Buried away at the
back of the Textile Souk, this truly
MAKTOUM FAMILY’S SETTLEMENT delightful “Hindi Lane” (as it is
ON DUBAI CREEK known locally) is one of Dubai’s best-
The Maktoum family’s reign as rulers hidden secrets. Walking into this
of Dubai began in 1833, when Sheikh narrow little lane is like stepping into
Maktoum bin Buti and around 800 India itself, with its colourful shops
tribesmen broke away from the Bani selling religious posters, garlands
Yas tribe of Abu Dhabi. They settled in
Shindagha, an ideal location for trade of flowers and bindis, and other
and for the development of Dubai’s subcontinental paraphernalia. There
pearling and fishing industries. is even a tiny Sikh temple tucked
away above the shops.

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