Sun and Souks

My four-hour adventure in Dubai started with a taxi ride from the hotel to Gold Souk (souk meaning market). Four hours was all I could spare this time, but it was enough under the scotching sun at 40 degrees Celcius with hardly any trees or air conditioning where I was going.

Despite the modern buildings and conveniences, Dubai felt very much like a dessert. The city's unique location by waterway promotes wind, which is most welcomed under the blazing sun. There is perpetually a layer of haze or dust over the city. I would rather think of it as dust from the dessert sands, but it's more realistic to accept it as pollution.



It was about 9:30am in the morning, but the residue of the morning rush hour continued to cause congestion on roads. My chatty taxi driver from Mumbai complained about the Dubai traffic the whole 15 mins.



Gold and spices were two of the many trades that build this ancient city (they were also known for pearls, pottery and silverware). The Gold Souk is lined up with goldsmiths and shops displaying their temptuous bling.

Most of the shops around Gold and Spice Souks are wholesalers. It is apparent as you walk around that men are the majorly the working gender, while the women are probably at home attending to the home and kids.

Most of the shops surrounding this area are wholesalers, which is extremely strategic considering that most of the trade items arrived via the Dubai Creek, just across the road.

While searching for the Spice Souk myself, I met a lovely German couple, Mona and Herbert. We easily carried on a conversation and soon decided to locate the Spice Souk together.

Herbs and spices on sale include saffron, mint, chilli, cinnamon, vanilla, dried lemon, even frankincense, just to name a few.

Being caucasian and obviously tourists, Mona and Herbert attracted a lot of attention wherever they went. The spice shop-keepers quickly ceased the opportunity to impress us by their ability to speak German. We ended up stopping at every spice shop to chat with the owners because their presence caused quite an excitement in the lonely, narrow alleys of the Spice Souk.

The three of us took a boat across the Dubai Creek and walked through Al Souk (the largest market in Dubai) before heading in to the Dubai Museum. required a tiny office space.

Most of the retail items on sale at Al Souk were clothes and cloth for tourists. Small alleys hosted offices for wholesalers.

Entry to the Dubai Museum costs only 3 Dirhams. It is located on the Al-Fahidi Fort, which is believed to be the oldest building in Dubai, built in 1787. The museum is part open air and part indoors with separate sections highlighting different topics on the city.

We parted ways after the museum and I was ready to head back to the hotel. Before crossing the Creek, I had to buy myself a souvenir. And a beaded shoe shop was conveniently situated at the docking area.

Upon arrving back at Al Ras (where Gold and Spice Souks are), I noticed a terrible traffic jam along the main road and just then, the noon prayers were broadcasted.

My interesting find for the trip was a fruit that looked like it was from the peach family. It was half the size of a peach, shaped more like a pumpkin (round and flatter) than a peach. When I bought it, I was hoping it was some exotic dessert fruit, but it tasted very much like a hairy nectarine (juicier than peaches, more hairy than nectarines).

p/s: Jia-Yi, you're right! They are Saturn peaches! Also known as Peento, Chinese Flat or Saucer Peach, these were originally from China. White-fleshed and one of the better tasting peaches around according to motherearthnews.com.

It is exciting to observe how Dubai is making itself a hub for man-made wonders like The Palm, The World (a collection of man-made islands shaped into the continents of the world) and Corniche Deira (Dubai's waterfront promenade). And despite the sweltering temperatures, it is worth a visit and worth having a second visit to look forward to.