During our second day in Dubai the wake up call rang a little bit earlier than expected. Our little girls immediately managed to get over the jet lag, and here we are ready to discover the oldest area of Dubai. But before we get going, it is time to enjoy a good breakfast at the Dusit Thani Hotel 🙂
The first stop of the day is the Dubai Museum, an old fortress that back in the time had the aim to protect the area from the enemy. This fortress is still perfectly preserved and it keeps some characteristics that are typical from this kind of construction. First of all, the spring. Water has always been an essential element for the construction of a building. Back in the days when it was time to build a new building, first it was necessary to find water. Once this problem was solved, it was time to start building the rest of the structure.
The fortress is home to one of the traditional summer residences of Dubai. This kind of home was built in the desert and it was meant to be comfortable, safe, and suitable for large families.
The indoor temperature was adjusted by the primitive version of air conditioning, that is to say a vertical chimney divided into three sections. Warm and cold water could pass through the chimney; however, since cold air has an heavier texture, it managed to pass through the room while the warm air was captured into the chimney. The residence was made of a kitchen, a bedroom, a shower with a sandy floor, and a gathering area for men where they could meet and take important decisions about the life of the village.
Inside the Dubai Museum it is also possible to see all the traditional ships that were used by the fishermen of Dubai. Most of the population was made of fishermen who caught fishes and pearls to support the rest of the village.
Once aboard a traditional ship, the Abra, we have crossed the Creek, that is to say a natural sea channel large 18 kilometres which splits the old area of Dubai into two. On the other side there is Al Fahidi, famous for its market where it is possible find fabrics, spices, and gold. Yes, that is exactly what I mean; old. The city of Dubai is famous for its gold. Here it is also possible to see the world’s biggest gold ring (which, of course, is not on sale).
After taking a short break at the hotel to enjoy a delicious lunch and some well deserved rest, we left again to discover one of the newest and most important areas of Dubai: Las Palmas. This area was constructed artificially and it was literally stolen from the sea. Within just a few years, engineers managed to build a real peninsula. This new land – which back in the days was occupied by the sea – today is home to apartments, hotels, shops and the Atlantis the Palm, which is one of the world’s most exclusive hotels. Besides shops and suits, the hotel is also home to one of the things that my two girls Gaia and Giada have loved the most: the Lost Chambers Aquarius. An aquarium surrounded by the ruins of Atlantis, a very charming place filled with all kinds of fishes. Our girls fell in love with this place and so did we!
To be continued…
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