Souk Up The Atmosphere And Experience Traditional Bedu Life At Dubai Hotels

Like a modern city of Oz, Dubai seems to have risen magically from the sands of the United Arab Emirates

. Where once there was little more than a sleepy fishing village, there are now dozens of town-sized shopping malls and even the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, while Dubai hotels are firmly established among the world's elite. In fact, many visitors can find Dubais vertiginous towers and monumental scale a little overwhelming, but it is still possible to detect some of Dubais original character.

The best place to get a feel for what Dubai was like before commercialisation (BC) is at the Al Fahidi Fort, the oldest building in the city and home to its most important museum. Visitors can see photos of traditional Emirati daily life, learn about the lives of pearl divers and experience a recreation of an original souk.

But to really get a feel for traditional Emirati life, you should leave the comfort and luxury of Dubai hotels behind and head along the rugged coastline or inland to see the harshly beautiful desert landscape. The cultural heritage of the Emirates has been formed by the desert and oases that make up one of the harshest terrains on Earth. Though the desert traditions of the Bedu people are dying out somewhat, it is possible to experience the lifestyle (without the inconveniences) by joining a desert safari. Here you can learn to ride camels and Arabian horses and perhaps spend a night under a dazzling array of stars making the excesses of the city feel very far away. Most Dubai hotels will be able to arrange such trips, and for many travellers they are the highlight of their visit to Dubai.

The most famous traditional pastime of the Emirati people, and one that remains popular to this day, is falconry. In the dunes and waddies of the desert, magnificent birds of prey are used for hunting, sport and even pest control. You can be taken into the desert to learn how birds are trained and watch with baited breath while they hunt. Even the most high-tech mall in Dubai, has little in the way of excitement when compared with seeing a hawk bear down on its prey at over 100 km an hour.

Dubai being the shopping Mecca that it is, even people who are looking for traditional Bedu crafts will find that they are well served. Among the malls and high rises, you can still find souks full of twisty passages and shops stuffed with goods. Budding chefs will be impressed with the wide range of spices and it is also possible to get frankincense from Oman, exquisite gold jewellery and ornaments such as camel bells and water pipes. And, while you haggle for your goods, you can sit with the traders and enjoy a traditional cup of coffee knowing that youre part of a scene that has been played out in the Middle East for centuries and continues to this day, even in the ultra-modern surroundings of Dubai.

by: Nick Yorke

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