Dubai Creek
Post categories: Student blog
| 10:50 UK time, Monday, 22 October 2012
When you visit Dubai or read about architectural marvels of this "Pearl of Persian Gulf", one place which you cannot afford to miss is "Dubai Creek". It is from here that Dubai embarked on the journey of becoming a global city.
Dhow cruises ferrying on today's Dubai Creek
The word "Creek" means an inlet of the sea. Dubai Creek's natural length is approximately 14 km (and its further extension work is in full swing) which divides Dubai into two important parts "Deira" and "Bur Dubai". Though Dubai has always awed the world with its giant new age constructions like Palm Jumeira (palm shaped artificial archipelago) or Burj Khalifa (world's tallest building over 800 meters high) or Dubai World (cluster of 300 artificial islands in the shape of world), but Dubai Creek still holds its old world charm where time has stood still. Amongst the sky scrapers built along the creek, narrow lanes will take you through the densely populated areas to the ancient times where you will find rulers fort and wind towers (used as residences in pre-electricity era). So no one can deny the economic, social and cultural significance of the creek in Dubai's history.
Picture showing the wind towers and boats of old Dubai
Before the advent of crude oil, Dubai was a pearl fishery village with its population mainly concentrated on both sides of the Creek. The pearl industry suffered huge losses in later 1930's when Japanese invented an artificial way of cultivating pearls. As a result Dubai had to develop itself as one of the main ports and a free trade zone to save its economy from sinking.
This brought many foreign merchants to this land. The markets (also known as souk) began to flourish along the creek side. Today, there are around 200 nationalities in Dubai. And the gold souks, textile souks and spice souks in Deira are mainly dominated by the people of Indian and Iranian origin.
The mornings at creek are chaotic and full of hustle-bustle with loading and unloading of the cargos but as the siesta approaches, things begin to slow down. Sunset on the other hand unleashes the splendid beauty of this place. Dhow cruises, aroma of the sizzling barbecues, cool sea breeze, dazzling waves in the moonlight hold the calmness and serenity in the atmosphere even though one is surrounded by hundreds of people, with street dances and night markets in full swing. A true delight indeed!!!
Dance performance at the creek in a 2 week long celebrations of Eid in Dubai
Isn't it a beautiful place to spend some time with your loved ones....?
Navneet
Comment number 1.
At 22nd Oct 2012, Ibrahim wrote:I think dubai one of the best cities in the world , It,s a beautiful place and fantastic..
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Comment number 2.
At 22nd Oct 2012, FCAJM wrote:What a marvellous City!
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Comment number 3.
At 22nd Oct 2012, Huseyin wrote:陌 want to go to Dubai. 陌t is interesting City.
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Oct 2012, Elmansour wrote:Hello navneet,
I think Dubai is a lovely but a costly place to visit. How much money one needs to spend a week there, let's say in an average standard, not the highest and not the lowest one. I'd love to visit, but I'm afraid it's out of reach!
You are living there I guess, aren't you?
All the best.
Elmansour
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Comment number 5.
At 26th Oct 2012, Jayashani wrote:Hello Navneet,
I like your description about Dubai Creek. I think you must have visited it or you must be living there. I really like to visit wonderful places in the world some day. After reading your article about Dubai Creek, I added that to the places I like to visit , if I get a chance. According to your description, I also think it is a good place to spend a vacation with our loved ones.
Bye!
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Comment number 6.
At 30th Oct 2012, Navneet_Kaur wrote:Hello elmansour...
Sorry for the late reply....
Yes we do have very high budget or luxury hotels in Dubai.... But we too have budgeted places to live here .....
And moreover u can avoid rush season and at that time u will get some very good deals....
Most of the malls are connected with metro .... So u can save money by taking metro instead of cab....
Moreover online u will find the rates for all the major attractions ....
Few i m mentioning
Ski dubai
Waterparks if u love water sports
Desert safari
Dolphin and seal show
Dhow cruises
The best place to check online would be 'time out Dubai' site....
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Comment number 7.
At 30th Oct 2012, Navneet_Kaur wrote:Hello jayashani ...
Yes i have been living in Dubai since feb 2011. And its really a must see place .... With all the desert activities....and best place to see the middle east culture....
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Comment number 8.
At 5th Nov 2012, ezgi g眉rb眉z wrote:i think dubai is the most great city in the world and i want to go to dubai. i hope go...
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Comment number 9.
At 29th Nov 2012, khalidmfy wrote:Thank you deeply for all your interesting posts . In fact, I have benefited greatly from them .
There are two points that I would like to clarify :
1- The official name of 鈥 Persian gulf 鈥 above mentioned in Emirates is 鈥 Arabic gulf鈥 .
I know this point is in dispute, but at least , as a kind of compliment for Dubai which you praise it , I prefer to call it 鈥 Arabic Gulf鈥 as they say .
2- Dubai is fusion of many nationalities and cultures, so we can call it melting pot . Although people coming to Dubai moved its wheel of development , but they had many effects over the national society of Emirates by and large morally, linguistically, demographically, and so on .
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Comment number 10.
At 9th Jan 2013, zain wrote:yes, it's really a beautiful place to spend some time,,, i will have to make a plan to pay a short visit there....and very informative blog really.
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Comment number 11.
At 9th Jan 2013, Din Islam wrote:Dubai is one of the most beautiful city in the world.
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Comment number 12.
At 24th Jan 2013, avci wrote:hello navneet
You said: isn't a beautiful place to spend some time with your loved ones....?
certainly it is perfect place to spend time with loved ones though this place very costly i hope everybody imagine to be in dubai. it is one of the most invested place in world... enes
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Comment number 13.
At 28th Feb 2013, Hamlet79 wrote:Good article, I've never been in Dubay. I image it like a place where you can see two world. I don't know if is a place where you can spend time in love.
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Comment number 14.
At 23rd Mar 2013, Hugo Cordoba wrote:You wrote a very good description about dubai, it really looks like a beautiful and interesting city. I think someday I have to visit dubai and enjoy all the things you mention.
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