Majli's Gallery occupies a typical traditional building in the Bastakia Quarter of Dubai. (Diane Slawych/QMI Agency)

48 hours in Dubai Dubai construction projects

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Modern landmarks, such as Burj Al Arab - billed as “the world’s most luxurious hotel” - and Burj Khalifa - the world’s tallest building, previously named Burj Dubai - regularly grab the spotlight. But beyond the gleaming towers - and there are many - is one of the few surviving neighbourhoods of old Dubai.

Yes, there is history in this city, or so I am told. With so much focus on the new - Dubai’s skyline was largely constructed in the past few decades - I can’t help wonder what remains of the past.

And so, equipped with a map, a bottle of water and good walking shoes, I set out on a tour of discovery. I have to admit my expectations are not very high and I envision a neighbourhood of crumbling homes and vacant commercial buildings.

My destination - the Bastakia Quarter - turns out to be a pleasant surprise.

The narrow laneways and pedestrian-only streets lined with traditional buildings in various shades of desert sand seem to be in remarkably good shape, considering many are more than 100 years old. There are leafy courtyards, decorative floral motifs above some doorways and windows, and unique “barjeel” or windtowers - the ingenious way of bringing cool breezes into a house.

The Historic Building Section of Dubai Municipality, it seems, has been busy renovating. In the past several years, more than 50 homes have been restored using traditional materials such as mud-based mortar and coral stone. The work has taken place in a 38,000-sq. metre area that includes a stretch along Dubai Creek.

Once an enclave of wealthy Persian traders, who named the area after the Bastak region of Persia, the Quarter is now home to galleries, cafes, restaurants, boutiques and museums. Yet there is a distinct Arab flavour to the Quarter - men in dishdasha (long, usually white, robes worn by many Middle Eastern men), Persian rugs for sale and the scent of frankincense wafting through the air at Basta Art Cafe.

One local landmark worth a visit is Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House. Once the official residence of the architect of modern Dubai, it’s now a museum and national monument. The two-storey home features four elegant windtowers, a central courtyard, vaulted high-beamed ceilings, arched doorways and trellis screens.

After browsing its rare collection of photos, coins, stamps and historic documents that record Dubai’s history, I poke around at some of the other nearby sites - the Calligraphy House, the Architectural Heritage Society and the restored Al-Ahmadiya School.

I find a nice view from the second-floor terrace of the Bastakia Nights restaurant, and later stumble on a section of the wall that once protected Dubai. Built in 1800, a sign said it was 50-cm thick, 2.5-metres high, 600-metres long and surrounded the Bastakia area including the Al Fahidi Fort and the Grand Mosque.

Far removed from the eight-lane highways, the shopping malls and bustle of modern Dubai, the laneways of Bastakia exude a sense of tranquillity and calm. A real gem in the heart of the city, yet in two hours, I’ve only seen a few dozen tourists, if that.

Where is everyone? Perhaps they’re enjoying afternoon tea at the pyramid-shaped Raffles Dubai hotel or skating at the Olympic-sized ice rink at the Dubai Mall or even lounging on Jumeirah Beach.

The Bastakia Quarter seems under-appreciated. The only place that attracts a sizeable crowd on the day of my visit is the Dubai Museum. Housed in the Al Fahidi Fort, one of the city’s oldest buildings dating to 1787, it offers a good overview of local history - including early coastal occupations - dhow-building, fishing and pearl-diving. The latter eventually led to Dubai’s rise in prominence as a trading centre.

The courtyard is studded with a variety of boats, while dioramas inside - some with life size figures, and special effects, depict everyday life in pre-oil days. Also on display are fine copper, alabaster and pottery artifacts uncovered in 3,000-4,000-year-old graves at Al Ghusais.

By the time I discover two other museums - the House of the Horse and the nearby House of the Camel - both located in nicely renovated historic buildings, it is near closing time. Neither my guidebook nor any of the tourist brochures I picked up even mentioned their existence.

I guess that proves you never know what you’ll find when set out in search of Dubai’s history.

- For tourism information check dubaitourism.ae. Note that since Jan. 2, Canadians travelling to the United Arab Emirates need a visa available from country’s embassy.

writer@interlog.com