As time goes by…In Dubai!
BY MELINA DEVI SEEAM
A metamorphosis of a desert into an upmarket centre, in the Arabian Sea…This is the evolution of a city, that has been subjected to the love for innovations in infrastructure, architecture and technology. Furthermore, with many others, planned for the near future and especially for the upcoming key event in UAE history: Expo 2020. Time, does go by, as in the theme song from Casablanca!
Image by Melina Devi Seeam
My parents moved back to Mauritius, from the UAE, in September 1996, that was, three months, before I was born. If you are good at Maths, you’ll all know how old, I am! I, nevertheless, had the chance to visit Dubai on several occasions in the early 2000s. However, I was even more fortunate, when they decided to relocate there in the subsequent years (Back to Expat-life!). At the end of 2006, we said goodbye to Dubai. After that, I only visited Dubai again, in 2013. The transformation, in that lapse of time, was insane.
“In 1993, ‘Downtown Dubai’ was just a sandy, undeveloped area, which mostly constituted of the vast Emirati desert. Today, one can still relish the old beauty of the busy hub at the time, which constituted of Bur Dubai, Karama…and I am really happy about that,” says Leena Radha (Mum).
Image by Melina Devi Seeam
I sat down with Alexander Brock, a student at UCT (Like me!), who happened to visit Dubai. “I went in 2012, December, so Burj Khalifa was already built at that point, I thought, it’s going to be a super modern place,” he begins. (Surprise, Surprise!) Dubai has two facets, the old Dubai, “with the old markets or souks” and the new Dubai, home to the Burj Khalifa and Palm Island, and he luckily saw “both sides.” Old Dubai brings back, some of my cherished, childhood memories.
“We stayed further towards ‘old Dubai’, near the Creek.”
“1 Dirham, for a ride in the dhows (type of boat in the Arabian-region),” I tell Alex –
“Yeah, that kind of vibe,” he affirms.
“Just going there, talking to people and seeing the old part of Dubai, was really fun,” he continues.
Essentially, this is where I also used to hang out as a child. It is indeed an awesome place to be! A place, rich in culture and its historical beauty never ceases to fascinate me.
For a culinary break! Sorry, but I love food, so obviously, I had to ask him the foodie question. “I definitely had some of the best…and hottest foods, I’ve ever had in my life. Masala Chai was there as well. And, I really loved that. I miss the one that I had in Dubai, for sure, and I have not been able to find that anywhere else really,” he attests.
I feel nostalgia setting in, just thinking about any food that I had there, especially, those from the small authentic hidden-gems. Anyways, food pause over now! Let’s head over to new Dubai!
“I went up the Burj Khalifa, that’s kind of exciting. The mall is crisis…it’s a big mall. I mean if, you want to find something, go there! Probably, because you will find it there. Otherwise, outside the mall, they have that fountain display, at night, it was amazing,” exclaims Alex.To fully appreciate the grandeur of the water effects and synchronised music, you must be on-location.
Image by Melina Devi Seeam
In 2004, the 8-year old Anissa Ramdianee moved to Dubai. Little did she know, that, Dubai would become her forever home. Our friendship began somehow, during that time! Ah! The old times! Now, studying at the University of Nottingham, she goes back to Dubai for every holiday. In a telephonic conversation, she recounts, “The country has blossomed from a small unknown city in the Middle East to one of the most world-renowned tourist destinations in the world. Dubai has gradually increased its ease of access to goods and services to compete with the likes of mega cities, like London and New York; in some cases, has even surpassed with various broken Guinness World Records.”
“UAE is set to host Expo 2020, and there are many infrastructural developments which are being made, such as new lines of metro, more hotels for accommodation and better road links amongst many others. Expo 2020 will attract many visitors of myriad nationalities. Many countries are also expected to participate, by showcasing their own innovations in multiple fields,” she adds.
Image by Melina Devi Seeam
UAE is a beacon, illustrating paradigms of rapid growth in diverse sectors, in the Gulf. It is riveting to observe that the country is not intimidated by future proliferations. It continues to thrive economically through many developments in the pipeline, with Expo 2020, as a probable booster. One thing, for sure, is that sightseeing and most importantly, food options, in either parts of Dubai, will ignite a wave of admiration for this formally desert-clad, Middle-Eastern country.
Travellina 