Travel Stories: DUBAI (A First Impression pt. 2)

The extras.

One of the places I have read about and was excited for was BASTAKIYA, a preserved historic district in Old Dubai (Bur Dubai). It is lined with old Arabian houses and narrow lanes, which I thought was perfect for photo ops. It is a welcomed break from the highly urbanized Dubai, and shows the stark contrast between the past and present atmosphere of the city. The old structures were retained, but what once were houses are now made into specialty shops and cafes. The place is usually more active during late afternoon to night time. It was practically asleep when we went there at midday, but that was more suitable for the mood I was aiming for in my photos. 

The SHEIKH MOHAMMED CENTER FOR CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING is also in Bastakiya, and I strongly urge everyone to go and join any of their cultural meals. Serving traditional Emirati breakfast or lunch buffets, the session includes an open forum led by an Emirati speaker, discussing the culture and beliefs of Dubai locals. It was here that all my preconceptions about the Arab traditions were taken down and re-established. Sipping on Arabic coffee, I have come to learn that Arab women actually prefer to wear the Abaya. There had always been a notion—at least, among my peers—that it was a chauvinist act to require Arab women to drape black cloth over their bodies and reveal only their eyes. Attending this session led me to understand fully how the Emirati traditions were actually formed by faith and by choice, not by force, and how maybe religion does play a big role in shaping a country’s status. 

In other news, my dad and I have always wanted to try skydiving. Lo and behold, there’s Skydive Dubai! But, as we are a little inexperienced (just “a little” lol) we opted to first test our skills on a simulation of skydiving...at IFLY DUBAI. iFly is located at Level 1 of Mirdif City Center, and they said a lot of skydivers have trained there first before going on the real thing.  It’s priced at AED220 per person for two (2) 1-minute sessions and a prior classroom lecture on proper positions and such. The instructor was very patient with us (we were floating without direction and my dad even fell on his back), and on the 2nd session he took us to the highest point of the wind tunnel and then let gravity pull us back down. It was exhilarating! This isn’t exclusive to Dubai but if you’d like to give it a try you can visit iFly at Mirdif. We just walked in but you may call in advance anyway just to be sure. 

Getting Around.

Dubai is very advanced so it isn’t surprising to find an efficient transportation system in this city. The primary means to get around is through the metro. Although, in comparison to Seoul and Hong Kong, there’s a higher risk of getting lost in Dubai’s metro stations. Directional signs are both in Arabic and English, but they don’t tell you which exit goes where. A lot of times we went out the wrong way and had to go inside again to get to the other exit. It can also get a little bit crowded inside the train during rush hours, but if you’re a frequent Metro Manila MRT passenger, you should find it very spacious. :) Besides these, everything else is basically smooth-flowing. Tickets can be purchased from the machines or at the counters inside the station. 

Walkway from Dubai Mall to the train station. About 10 mins. at normal pace

Unlike in HK and Seoul where the station exits are practically in front of your destination, metro stations in Dubai are still either a 10-minute walk or a bus or taxi ride to your intended location. We haven’t tried riding the bus, since it only accepts NOL cards as payment. A NOL card is Dubai’s version of the octopus card, and you may also use this as payment for metro tickets and on taxi cabs. 

Taxis abound in Dubai. They use a taxi meter, but the minimum fare is AED10 for short distances. While Dubai is generally safe, do be cautious when taking a taxi. We were so fortunate to hail one from Rashidiya Station to Mirdif City Center whose driver “forgot” to press his meter and charged us AED50, when the staff at iFly said it should only be about AED16.50. Oh well, bless him.

Also try to experience getting on the ABRAs, or water taxis, at the Dubai Creek. Depending on your destination, abras could be the fastest way to get across the creek, avoiding road traffic. It’s cozy enough and could accommodate about 14 people. It goes at a comfortable speed, which is good since it doesn’t have railings to protect you from falling off. They do have lifevests and a fire extinguisher, so you're in good hands (I think). You can try the abra if you are going from the Gold Souk/Spice Souk to Bastakiya and vice versa.

Closing speech.

Honestly, I was more impressed about the politics behind the success of Dubai rather than the success itself. The city goes for shock and awe but it becomes more interesting once you understand that Dubai was not merely trying to make an impression, but actually trying to establish a secure and stable city for itself. I feel like Dubai is still finding its real identity, like a fresh college graduate--excited, idealistic, and optimistic. But parallel to the many constructions in the city, Dubai buries its foundations deep within the ground, with a firm set of principles on hand. Certainly there were still a lot of things lacking--at least, as far as the average traveller is concerned--but I do look forward to seeing what Dubai will be like 10 or 15 years from now.