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Dubai off the beaten track - day 6

Bastakiah Quarter

Last day in Dubai - this time - and the total absence of wind gives me an opportunity to dig a bit deeper in the old part of Dubai. So I decide that I will go to the "river" called Creek where the first settlement was. Creek is not a river but part of the ocean - a river would be very unlikely in this climate - but was a good spot for a harbor back in the days. Now I finally find the Bastakiah Quarter, the direction on google maps shows the middle of the district. Here's the link:

Bastakiah Quarter on Google maps - search for Majlis Gallery

Majlis Gallery is fine if you are into contemporary art I guess, but I leave to see the old town instead... or whatever is left of it.

Empty streets....    Old windtower for ventilation in the house

The images does not give the full credit to how boring this place is... The only person I meet is an old Indian on a bicycle that told me that people used to live here but the authorities decided it was to dirty and moved everybody outside to make it a historical landmark. Made it an uninteresting historical landmark in my opinion.

Dubai Old Souk

Instead I get some dinner at a local place on my way towards the river bus at Old Souk station. The Old Souk is more interesting and if you are interested in buying fine Indian cloth, scarves and such, it is a great place. Unfortunately for me business seem to be slow so me and the other handful of tourists get attacked by the sales people. Out of pure stupidity I walk in to one of the shops to see their prices. Expect to be able to bargain at least 50% on the original price, but since I lack interest it was still too expensive. Get me right, it was cheap, but it had even less value to me.

At the "bus stop" you have three options. You can take the city's water bus (4 AED) that goes up and down the Creek(with one stop on the other side), or you can go across the river on one of the local "taxis" for 1 AED. The last option is to rent your own taxi. I choose the locals transportation and then take a walk upstream to the next bus stop.

Walking next to The Creek I see the blue and white cargo ships being loaded and off-loaded. This is very far from modern methods, and man power must be really inexpensive...

 Fancy car dealer

If you ever wanted a fancy sports car I recommend a visit to Alain Class Motors (http://www.alainclass.com/home) next to Noor Islamic Bank station. I especially like the Rolls Royce Cab. If I had just a little more money I might get the pink version.

Some leg exercises on the almost empty beach, some last photos of the sunset and the neighboring mosque and a swim is the last thing I do on Kite Beach this time.

Samad al Iraqi Restaurant 

The last dinner is served on Samad al Iraqi restuarant next to Damascus (http://www.samadaliraqi.net/en/home.html). We get the stuffed chicken for two, and the waiter sells us dolmas for a starter. By now I should now that a main course is more than enough and we cant finish all the rice that the chicken is stuffed with. But everything is really good, even though the prices are close to European and twice those of Damascus. If you have a problem with spicy food, Iraqi food is not spicy at all, you have the waiters word for it!

Sum up will follow!

Dubai off the beaten track - day 5

Last day of kiting

 Some photos while waiting for wind

But hey, who did I accidentally shoot... who's got the coolest trainer!

Got up late and went straight to the beach. The wind was slow but picking up and the guy who had the slot before me gets my first hour. He has been coming here for three months but never had any luck with the wind (not today either as it happens...). The Kite Beach is packed today too and people seem to have little to no respect for the crashing kites and sharp lines. We even saw one guy get tangled in the lines from a crashing kite and that can be really dangerous.

90 minutes late the wind is strong enough to start warming up with the kite and after fifteen minutes of repetition on the beach it's time to go in the water and practice body dragging. When you loose your board you need to be able to move in the water with just your body as resistance, hence "body dragging".

Charlene helps me the first time and hangs on my back as we flow through the waves. After turning it's time to do it alone. At first it goes well and it is really fun to feel the power of the wind pulling you through the water, but the wind is elusive and not strong enough for a beginner like me so when I'm turning the kite to go back to the beach the kite falls in the water and I get dragged for real. The idea then is to swim towards the kite, not away because then it catches wind and drags you instead. It takes me a while to understand this, but when I do, Charlene's hand signals make sense too...

Well, it takes a more experienced kite surfer than me to do something in this wind so we call it a day. I get my almost-done license and hope for better wind tomorrow since Charlene promises she will come even though it's Sunday and her day off.

Ravi Darbar and cheap shopping

We decided to have our dinner at Ravi Darbar Restaurant, highly recommended by Indians for their Indian food (we later learn that the restaurant is Pakistani). The food is really good and cost nearly nothing. You will find it next to Bur Juman metro station. Across the street we found a shop with just about everything for virtually nothing. Just the view in the mirrors in the staircase is amazing. Andreas tried on a jacket (he did not buy) for 9 AED, and I came back later to buy 18 socks for 20 AED... normal priced!

Sensation Club at Crown Plaza Hotel

The night ended at Sensation Club. Saturday is not the biggest party day, so the crowd was small, local/tourist mix with great music. A table is 1500 AED to drink for (lots of Club Soda) and Grey Goose seems to be the preferred alcohol. Check out their website if interested, because they have special nights and you might need to come as a couple. Especially Persian Wednesdays are packed. http://www.sensationclub.com/

Dubai off the beaten track - day 4

No wind - no Kiting

Day four and I am excited to go to the beach to surf. But when i got there at 12 it's obvious there won't be any surfing: zero wind! So I hang out talking to Charlene, waiting to see if the wind will pick up. It didn't! Lucky for me I have chosen another sport dependent on weather - another chance to practice patience! Besides there is always the ocean to swim in...

After two hours and no wind I head out to meet Andreas for a late lunch at JBR Walk and then check out the beach next to it.

 On the way I passed this marina and found
these adds for MAX, a SWEDISH burger joint!

JBR Walk Beach

Fridays are Dubai's Sundays so the locals are off so we found the beach full of people swimming, sun bathing and playing games. You can also take a camel ride if you like.This is a posing beach and a lot of people come here to look and to be looked at. But I prefer the not so crowded Kite Beach with free showers and toilets, less tourists and more action! But the view is nice and the backdrop of skyscrapers reminds me of the casino New York in Las Vegas for some reason.

Barasti Beach Club

We stayed to see the sunset, and went home to nap, shower and then head back towards Jumeirah for a night out at Barasti Beach Club (http://www.barastibeach.com/). After a dinner at a Yemenite restaurant - a new but not-so-much-to-talk-about-experience - we arrived at the club. Entrance is free and the crowd seemed to enjoy the six-or-so bars, dancing in the sand and behaving like in Rhodes. We order two club sodas in the bar and the bartender replies "seriously, is that all?" He found it so strange he just waves my money away and takes the next order. So if you like cheap Ibiza, loud and drunk British kids and dancing in the sand: Barasti is the place to be!

At two we are too bored to be bothered anymore and take a taxi home. On the way we stop at one of the abundant 24-hour mini markets to buy breakfast.