Life Begins At...

W I T H G R E G C L A Y T O N Where old world meets a modern metropolis, Dubai is at the heart of travel in the Middle East. As Greg Clayton discovered, there is a myriad of ancient suburbs, desert safari's and quick side trips to other exotic eastern spots. I had 48 hours to get out of Dubai! Sounds like a plot from an old Hollywood movie, but in fact it was a lot simpler than that. As most would be aware the fl ight from Australia to London is a long one, so I had decided to break the journey and have a stopover in Dubai. 48 hours to enjoy the sights and sounds of this amazing Middle Eastern city that had transformed itself over the past 20 years. So, what fi rst? After checking in to my hotel, it's time to do what I always like to do – and that is discover as much as possible about the old Dubai, before I get into the wonders of the modern world that is this fascinating city. Dubai, for centuries had been a small but important trading port on the Persian Gulf, providing commerce and exchange between West and East. In fact, it began life as a pearling port, trading pearls to the world. Unlike most of its neighbours in the ME, Dubai had a relatively small amount of oil reserves and was therefore focused on expanding and developing trade revenues to supplement these oil riches. It is still possible to fi nd areas of Dubai that retain the feel and look of a more traditional Arabic lifestyle, but as in most modern cities, you need to look a little harder these days. I fi rst found my way down to the mouth of Dubai Creek, which at one time was the heart and soul of Dubai. Today, it is a far cry from those times and while 'touristifi ed' you can still see what remains of the old fi shing fl eet and older colonial style buildings in the area. Find your way to an 'abra station' where operators are ready to take your money and provide you with a short ferry or water taxi ride across the Creek to the ancient part of Dubai, called Deira. Of course, if it's a more modern experience you're after, you can charter one of the many boats for hire and enjoy a cruise through the Dubai Marina or even hire a 'modernised' Arab Dhow for a private experience or a glorious Sunset Cruise out into the Persian Gulf. It's here you can wander the Gold Souks (or markets) and gaze in awe at the range of jewellery on display from the many stalls and storefronts that are found here. The adjoining Spice Souk has unfortunately suffered from the ravages of modern retail in the malls and shopping centres and is now only a shell of what it once was. Determined to fi nd 'old' Dubai I ventured to the ancient suburb of Bastakiya where in addition to fi nding many reconstructed buildings in the traditional style, I also came across the Dubai Museum. Inside, there is a trove of ancient artefacts as well as the opportunity to go back in time inside the al-Fahidi Fort and a new option – explore the modern extension beneath the fort which showcases (using modern technology) much of Dubai's history. A major attraction is the reconstruction of a traditional souk complete with sights and sounds from the era. I also found time to visit the amazing Jumeirah Mosque, one of the Middle East's best examples of Islamic architecture and calligraphy. It's also one of the few open to non-Muslim visitors so defi nitely include this stop on any visit to Dubai. Having had my 'fi x' of history and culture it By THE RETIREE 99 Winter 2017

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