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Published: February 17th 2016
Dubai
Crossing Dubai CreekMoving back to Dubai today, which is only 2 hours away so there was no need to rush. We are both a bit sad to be leaving Abu Dhabi as we have both enjoyed our time here. Didn’t bother with all the big ticket tourist sites like Ferrari World whilst here, but have spent a lot of time wandering the streets taking in the vibe. Had our usual Croissants for breakfast in our room before packing and checking out at 11. Got a taxi down to the bus station and was on the bus within ten minutes, and underway within another ten.
As we arrived at the bus station in Dubai we passed the old Cunard Liner QE2 which has been parked at Dubai since 2008, and is looking a bit sad. Been reading lately that the old girl might be off to the scrap yard so this might be the last we see of her. The bus station at Dubai is an outdoor sort of station, but thankfully isn’t as chaotic as some that we have had to pass through so it was an easy drop
Sharjah
Dhow car carrier off and into a taxi for the drive to the hotel. The traffic in Dubai is fairly horrendous and the short journey took 40 minutes, so we were glad the taxi meter works on distance not time.
We are back at the Grand Landmark Hotel in Riqqa, which we managed to secure a fairly hefty discount on, and it is good to be returning to a familiar area. Dropped our bags and went out for a late lunch, followed by an afternoon of blogging and reading. Dinner was the usual kebabs and curries.
Day 27 Sunday 14th February 2016 The United Arab Emirates, like its name suggests is a union of 7 Arab states into one country. The largest is the Emirate of Abu Dhabi which covers 87%!o(MISSING)f the country, Dubai of course is another and today we are off to visit yet another, the emirate and city of Sharjah, which is just up the road. The great thing about our hotel is that it is next to the Union Metro station and next to that is a bus station that we were able to get a bus
Dubai
Dubai Fountain to Sharjah for 26 Dirham (10AUD) return. The trip only takes 45 minutes and you actually do not feel like you have even left the city of Dubai as it is just about skyscrapers all the way.
Sharjah is a more conservative emirate and rather than pushing huge developments has taken the route of preserving more of the culture and history of the area. In the centre of town the Government is in the process of preserving a large area of traditional buildings and creating an arts and cultural precinct. The bus dropped us at the bus station in Sharjah and it was a good 30 minute walk into this area, along the busy Sharjah Creek. At present there is a lot of work going on in the heritage area and a lot of buildings looked restored but un opened, so there isn’t a great deal to see but the Souq wasn’t bad and was filled with lots of heavy antiques. If you were looking for an old camera, typewriter or two handed sword this could very well be the place for you. This is regarded as the U.A.E.’s oldest souq, which isn’t saying much as I
Dubai
Heritage area tourist rush hour am older than it, but it does have a casual vibe. Nearby was the Sharjah heritage museum, which was a great little museum covering the culture and traditions of the locals. Only took an hour to walk through stopping and reading all the signs but it was well worth the effort.
Spent some time wandering around the corniche and streets of Sharjah before having a look over the fruit and veggie markets. This was housed in a huge brand new building near the bus station and was perhaps the cleanest best kept markets we have ever seen. There were perhaps a hundred fruit and veg sellers in the hall and hardly a customer to be seen. Really would have loved to sat down with a fruit drink but strangely no one was selling any.
Late in the afternoon we got the bus back to Dubai and then a huge dinner of curry.
Day 28 Monday 15th February 2016 We both sort of feel like we have stayed way too long in Dubai and are craving something different, and should have departed yesterday. Dubai isn’t a bad
Sharjah
Entrance to the Sharjah Souq place it is just not the sort of place to keep our attention and we are running out of things we want to do, and perhaps we are looking forward to the next destination. Today we decided to hop across the creek to Bur Dubai and the “old” part of town. From our hotel we walked the 45 minutes down to the boat station on the creek to get a boat across. When we got there a guy wearing an official RTA Dubai shirt asked us where we wanted to go, and within an instant we were in a boat with him and about to head off. Suddenly realised rather than getting the public boat across he wanted to be our guide in our own private boat. Thankfully stopped him before we left the jetty and sorted the miscommunication out and got a public boat across the creek for 1 Dirham each rather than the 60 dirham ride.
The boat dropped us off at the Bur Dubai souq, which unlike yesterday’s Sharjah Souq, was a bit of a mad house. The sellers at Bur Bubai are probably some of the more aggressive sellers we have encountered to
Sharjah
Looking across the Sharjah Creek the point of actually grabbing us and throwing scarves on us. Don’t mind a bit of banter but draw the line when they get physical. Got called “professor” a lot as we walked through, which was a bit weird, but I guess I have been called worse things. From here we wandered around to the Dubai Museum, which is housed in an old fort and then onto the “Dubai heritage area”. The Dubai government is at present restoring a large area of old homes along the Dubai creek foreshore, in an effort to get UNESCO world heritage status. It is all rather pretty and sterile and really not sure how many buildings are old ones restored or just new ones to look like they are old. There are a few “old restored” buildings you can wander through, a few more that are transformed into restaurants but a lot of buildings just empty and locked up. There was only a handful of tourists walking around so it felt rather sterile but perhaps at night it I more lively. After walking around these homes for a while we stopped at a café and had a cold mango smoothie as a poor substitute
Sharjah
New Hotel and Mosque for a beer; maybe a bar down here would get the tourists in?
Back in our room late in the afternoon and I realised what I needed was a beer so I did a quick search on the internet and discovered that there was a bar a short taxi drive away and that happy hour had just started. I think it was the quickest we have ever got ready for an evening out on the town and we ran out the door. The bar was in the Pullman Hotel at the Deira City Centre and soon discovered that a pint of beer was normally 45 Dirham (17 AUD) so happy hour bought it down to half that, still expensive but okay except they only gave me a choice of two beers, Budweiser and Carling, and to quote Monty Python, both are a bit like making love in a canoe. We soon decided to move on and I had read about another bar in another hotel so we walked off in search of it. Found the hotel “Ramee Guestline Hotel” but it wasn’t where I thought it should be but went in anyway and after inquiring about a
Sharjah
Corniche beside the creek bar was pointed down into a dimly lit restaurant in the basement. It was run by Southern Indians and it really took us back to Kochi. They did sell food but that wasn’t their main business, it was mainly beer and you got it by the bucket, 3, 5 or 9 bottled beers per bucket. Had Kingfisher beer at 19 Dirham each and we managed a couple of buckets before heading off for a feed. Walked down Rigga Street towards home and got a feed of Shwarma and curries, and discovered right next to our restaurant another “Ramee Guestline Hotel”, which ended up being the hotel I had heard about. After dinner we went in and had a beer at the “Lords Pub”, and like the other hotel it was located in a dark corner just off the Lobby. The beers came in pints and if you are desperate, the place is okay, also if you are male and in need of companionship this may also be the place to head for. The working girls didn’t hassle us of course and were discreet, but the smell of mould was what ended up sending us home. We had heard there were
Dubai
Bur Dubai some “cheap” bars in Dubai and it was great to finally find them and let our hair down a bit, especially as we are looking down the barrel of 4 weeks of sobriety.
Day 29 Tuesday 16th February 2016 Woke up feeling a little worse for wear, hadn’t drank too much last night but had eaten a lot of peanuts with the beers and I don’t think they agreed with me; well that’s my excuse. Would have loved to have slept in but we had reception at the hotel ringing us thinking we had booked a car for the day, which we hadn’t, and after 5 minutes on the phone with them decided to stay up and have breakfast. Had thought we might head to the Atlantis Hotel on the palm but it all seemed too hard and so just opted to go back to the Dubai Mall and stroll in the air con. Once again we got the Metro out to the mall and today we got a chance to see the fountain show. It went for about 3 minutes and I guess it was okay and
Dubai
Dubai Museum in old fort sort of assume the night one might be more spectacular. Walked around till our legs fell off and then had to stop for an expensive feed of burger. Eventually we both were window shopped out and got the crowded metro home. Went back to the “Sandwich club” where we had our feed last night, once again it was packed and the food was great. Contemplated hoping in next door for a beer but decided against we should behave on our last night in the U.A.E. Waddled back to our hotel to do a better pack on our bags feeling really excited about our flight tomorrow to Tehran.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Wandering the streets taking in the vibe
That is always the best thing to do in any city. Sounds like you've enjoyed Abu Dhabi. I like the sounds of Sharjah. We've been to Dubai and liked it but I can see how you felt you stayed too long. Wow a bucket of Kingfisher sounds like a good reward. Perfect. Eager to hear about Tehran.