Around Middle East: Part Ten

In which I visited Bur Dubai

15.12.2024: Tour Day Four 

I woke up at 6:30am, had breakfast at 7:30am and kept the luggage at a corner near the reception. We checked out the rooms and luggage was loaded in the bus. We left the hotel at 8:30am and drove to the Grand Souk for the Abra ride. It was a ten minutes ride to the Deira Old Souk Marine Transport Station.

Abra is a traditional wooden boat, on Dubai Creek used to transport people between Bur Dubai and Deira. Dubai Creek was the center of commerce and played a vital role in its development as a trading port. Riding an abra offers a glimpse into Dubai's past and provides scenic views of the creek. 

Bur Dubai 

Relive Dubai's past and trace the city's origins in this storied neighbourhood where traditional souks, authentic dining and seafaring vibes thrive. It all started in Bur Dubai, the oldest neighbourhood in the city. Long before Dubai transformed into an urban metropolis, this area to the west of Dubai Creek was the site of the city’s original settlement. The district has many shopping streets and souqs, including the Textile Souq near the abra boat station.

Deira

Located on the north-east side of Dubai Creek, much of Deira’s character comes from Dubai’s waterway, with the traditional dhow wharfage located on this side of the creek. We reached the City Centre Deira for the shopping at 9:30pm. I had to kill time till 12:30pm moving around shops. Think of buying something, you have it all here, pharmacy, beauty, dining, food, fish, Christmas trees, etc. 

We had lunch at 12:45pm in the Delhi Highway restaurant. A lot of food to try from street food to chinese. 

We had cake cutting for the successful completion of the tour, though we are yet to visit the final sightseeing. Having done a heavy lunch, we left at 1:45pm for the last sightseeing. We reached the temple at 3pm, got the tickets scanned, passed through the security check in ten minutes. More on this in next post.