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Published: December 29th 2015
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The next morning after breakfast we did a tour of the hotel grounds. The hotel was called the Carlton Ritz on the grand Canal but it was so big, I couldn't work out where the sea started and the canal began. Apparently it also has the largest pool in Abu Dhabi but no time to hang around the hotel, what else was there to see we asked the concierge.We were recommended the heritage centre only a short taxi drive away, down by the marina. The word marina was enough to convince Martin as he was already planning his fish spotting opportunities. On arrival we enter a no fee outdoor exhibition of a few tents and shacks made from palm trees and sacks, a really basic museum, an old man with a camel offering rides around a small yard, a few market stalls and a restaurant. It took about 20 mins to walk around
- this is rubbish, I comment. Now I know that Abu Dhabi is a relatively young country in terms of western standards but surely there is some history they can share? As it happens, there was a free guided tour starting shortly so I suggested that we take the tour, perhaps a bit of context is what we need? As it happens we were the only visitors who turned up for the tour so we had a 1:1 guide. Now what a difference that made. We took the same steps but this time, history came to life. The guide told us about the 3 types of bedouin people, those that travel all year round moving from one water point to another, those that spend 6 months by the sea and assured water points and 6 months travelling and those that stay relatively settled. That is what the different tents and shacks were representing, typical living arrangements. The story goes that the travellers search for water points and when they find one, they own it. But these
people live a peaceful life and if other travellers come by, they share their water source and food and will even accommodate them for up to 3 nights before the visitors move on. Now I haven't seen Lawrence of Arabia but Martin tells me that this what the film was about, apparently someone finds water and rather than sharing it, they shoot them! Is it true that the film was based on a true story or is he just winding me up again? Sometimes travellers settle together and make their accommodation to suit. So two families may have adjoining accommodation and if a new family arrives and chooses to stay they just add on extra at the end. So you may start of as semi-detached and before you know it, you are mid-terraced! Accommodation may be made of palm tree leaves or even hessian made from goats hair. Apparently the hessian cover is to provide warmth at night yet the coldest it gets is about 10c, still to the becousin people who are used to 40c
+ heat, this is cold. Horses, camels, goats and dogs are the usual desert animals and believe it or vulcans are kept too. Apparently the vulcans are flown to spot small animals or other birds for food and the dogs are trained to respond to the vulcan diving to capture the prey, the idea being that the vulcan and the dog reach the prey on the ground at the same time! The second tour of the museum, provided an enhanced understanding of what was on display. The traditional dress of kandooras for men in white and abayas for women is based on the logic that men are often out in the sun and needed a colour to reflect the sun, while the women are indoors preparing food and looking after children where they are not so susceptible to the sun and needed a colour that wouldn't show the dirt! I am not
sure how that works when they travel from place to place unless they only travel at night? The men's head scarfs are simply to protect them from the sun and can be used to cover the face to protect them from sandstorms. The colours of the head scarfs are simply 'fashion' with no cultural relevance at all. The rope around the head is used to walk the camels when their hands are tired or sore. Apparently camels are never released from a rope because they would simply scarper. They soon learn that it is no use pulling and become compliant to the limits of the rope even to the extent that they will be led by a rope on a head! The women's abayas are of course designed to ensure that their bodies are protected from the eyes of others although underneath them many women where very bright and colourful clothing! I won't mention what Martin suggested they might be wearing as that would seem disrespectful! At home at least where they are safe from preying eyes, they will wear what they like but whenever they go they will put on their abaya like a coat. One of the main sources of income for Abu Dhabi used to be pearls but the development of the Chinese imitation manufactured pearls decimated the once thriving local trade. But as they see it, God replaced one natural source of trade with another - oil! This was the real beginnings of the UAE that we know today. Apparently the discovery of oil brought global interest and risked the stability of the region. Identifying the risks of 9 countries working independently, 7 of them agreed to come together in 1971 to form the UAE based on the same principle of the USA. Clearly oil has had a huge impact on the region and the photos of Abu Dhabi in the 60s compared to today are unrecognisable. Apparently the position of the heritage centre opposite the water to a place called the Cornish beach, with it's high rise building and beachside water sports was a deliberate strategy to demonstrate the transition of Abu Dhabi into the 20th century. Well that's better I say now appreciating what the heritage centre had to offer. A mooch along the waterside, a few fish spotted and a taxi back to the hotel for dinner. Back at the hotel, after passing under this decoration a few times Martin asked if I too smelt gingerbread, I did, so we went back for a closer look - it was actually real, I mean real baked gingerbread biscuit, cemented and decorated with icing! The roof was made of brown slices of fruit bread and the biscuit was making crumbs where people had picked at it! This place is amazing!
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