Crumbs on Travel

My first day in Dubai began with the perception of a very warm and humid climate. So much warmth and humidity that I couldn’t use the camera. The lenses were always super fogged when I was taking the camera out of the rucksack and it took ages to get right. But let’s start from the beginning …

I arrived at 1 am in the morning at the International Airport of Dubai where my friend, coming from Kampala in Uganda, was already waiting for me. We took a taxi to the nearby Al Seef Heritage Hotel.

The next day later in the morning, we decided to have a coffee somewhere and first have a walk through the Souks opposite the Creek. When we left our air-conditioned room, we had the great weather impact. Even I thought it is warm, though it was not more than 42°C, but very humid.

We walked to the station where the dhows leave to get a passage to the other side of the Creek – a water-street similar to the canals in Venice/Italy. For a little money we had a ride over the water, enjoying the light breeze and cooler air.

The other side is a busy city like all middle-eastern cities and the first thing I noticed was that there were nearly only men in the streets. Later when we switched to the Souks we saw also women.

In a little shop we stopped to have something to drink, and we got also a banana, just to eat something. We had a coffee which was good, the water was just not drinkable to us. It seemed to be pure chlorine. We just threw away the small bottle.

The gold souk was the first on our way. I wanted to look for a gold ring, my friend was not interested in jewelry at all. We had a quick look in a few shops, and I was amazed that with 250 shops and stores there was nothing I was interested in.

Soon we left and emerged into the spice Souk. This was much more interesting. A lot of colors, the display was often very nice in huge containers, spices heaped to cones. All sorts of spices and herbs: for cooking, for beauty, for health, for teas. I bought a bag of Harissa, a typical Moroccan spice mixture that I have difficulties to buy in Europe. Of course, it was a little like running the gauntlet with all the men (no women to sell anything) nearly jumping on us totally crazy tourists walking in the midday heat through the Souks.

So when we left the shady and cooler area to return to the Creek and set over to the other side we decided to have a look at the Arabian Tea House near to the hotel. We were a little hungry and that should be a good place to have something good.

We finished our day with a great, yummy dinner and went after that to a supermarket not far away. We bought some fruit and nuts for the mornings and during the day so we didn’t need to go more than once a day for brunch.

During the whole day and in the late evening we had problems with the camera and only carrying in the hand for a longer time it would adjust to the atmosphere. The temperature difference between outside and the rucksack was too much otherwise. Apparently it was the hottest and most humid day of our Dubai trip. The next day was much easier …

Dubai, Dubai/UAE:

For further information:
Visit Dubai

When I was in Dubai I had the perfect hotel room, but no breakfast included. My friend I was with in Dubai has the same nutrition style I have, and so we both didn’t want to pay for a breakfast which we couldn’t eat 98 % of. She booked without any meal. So in the morning where could we get my so needed wake-up-coffee? The answer was just easy and perfect: at the Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Café.

Thanks to Google and my friend’s smartphone she found out it was a very nearby place we could walk to in just a few minutes through the heat. Ideal for getting used to a warmer climate. Ideal also for ‘getting lost’ on the way. There is a whole heritage village with shops and museums in between.

But we talk about our mornings and our brunch-time. I only eat once a day, so we used to go to the Arabian Tea House around 10.30. We had a kind of coffee (you know, the one out of a machine) already in the room before leaving. The way was short, about 10 minutes maybe, and we tried every day not to ‘get lost’ on the way to. But it never worked out, and we always arrived hours later.

The tea house is actually a restaurant. You can sit outside at the street side and inside. It is cozy, not crowded (at least not when we were there) and friendly people served. I especially liked the young coffee-man. He stood outside to greet people coming to the place and shortly after he always arrived with the coffee. I love Arabian coffee, it is made with cardamom. And they serve it in small cups like I am used to in Italy. So you never over-drink coffee.

We tried out the milk shakes made with camel milk. I was previously reading (on my friends smartphone) that camel milk doesn’t give problems with lactose and I had no problems at all. And I loved the shakes! The Arabian style salad was yummy and more than enough for a meal. The camel burger… well, special like the bison burger I had a few times in the US. You really taste when the meat is good, clean and lean. I was laughing: when I asked about a burger without the bread/roll, the guy looked at me incredulous asking: how does that look? Well, I told him we would not eat the roll anyway and this way he doesn’t need to through it away.

If you are in the area, you should go to the Arabian Tea House which I saw has three different places in Dubai. They are kind, the food is really good and the prices are good. Don’t miss the coffee or tea! They come several times to ask if you want another one!

Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Café, Dubai/UAE:

For further information:
Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Café
Al Fahidi St.
(opposite Musalla Post Office)
Bur, Dubai

Opening hours: 7.30 am to 10 pm

Dubai – that was on my list for a long time. A friend of mine, after a long trip to Africa, had a few days there and asked me to join her. Of course, I did. She booked the hotel, and she couldn’t have made a better choice!

The Al Seef Heritage Hotel in Dubai is right in the center of the city, but close to the Creek where there is the old center and the souks. With the taxi it is just 15 minutes (it depends on the traffic of course) from the International Airport, but you would not notice it in the hotel.

In the historical Al Fahidi district the hotel appears in a tradition of Emirati architecture. The hotel has 190 rooms in 22 traditionally designed Arabian houses. Very nice to see, with wind towers and a perfect contrast to the futuristic modern Dubai.

Personal experience:

We arrived in the middle of the night (2 am), but there was no problem for the check-in which is 24 h/day. Friendly people helped us with the luggage (I was a little embarrassed with my little just 5 kg carry-on). Our room was on the first/second floor right on the top of the entrance. The view was amazing onto the lights of the modern looking city on the other side of the Creek.

The room itself was all designed in natural materials, had organic amenities, free WiFi, I think a TV, an espresso/tea machine and a hair-dryer in the bathroom. We had a twin-room, there was a couch, a table and chair and enough space for clothes. The two windows were to the floor but could be closed with shutters from inside as well (for privacy).

The air-conditioning was to regulate easily. We left it on during daytime when we weren’t in the hotel and switched it off for nighttime. Even though outside was a real sauna, inside it was a perfect temperature.

No noises from outside ever disturbed, we enjoyed our stay very much. Even the price was more than affordable.

The people in the hotel, very international and talking to each other in English, of course had all a perfect English and are very friendly and attentive. We got a lot of information about Dubai, where to go, they drove us near to the restaurant or the metro station, as the hotel grounds are very long-drawn-out. In case you decide to have breakfast, lunch and/or dinner in the hotel they will drive you over (and bring you back) to the main hotel which is a good 15 minutes walk away and a very modern, high building.

I recommend:

In my opinion the hotel is the perfect stay for being in the middle of everything but still in a calm environment.

In just a 10 minutes walk you are at the port where the little pedestrian boats leave for the other side of the Creek. There you find the busy life of the Herbal Souk and the Gold Souk. We saw both. The Gold Souk is touristy and super commercial. The Herbal Souk is interesting but you have to wander a little around to find the places were actually also local people buy there herbs and spices. I bought a good bag of Harissa, I can’t find elsewhere in Europe that easy. There are also many other shops and stores, little places where to eat something Arabic or buy some water. But be careful: we had a (sealed) bottle of still water and it was just terrible. We bought another one, sparkling and foreign water. I guess it depends on how they get drinking-water in an environment without water-wells.

Much more near is the Al Fahidi Heritage Center. It has various museums, stores and shops, a Mosque and a little precarious place for a camel mom with its calf. We got lost several times in this center when going to the Arabian Tea House for brunch. The Culture center gives you a real good glimpse into the local culture, local and foreign artists exhibitions are held and the amazing architecture reminds a little the typical Spanish Adobe style.

Very near to the hotel is also the Al Fahidi Fort and the neighboring souk.

If you want to explore Dubai, the nearby metro is the best way to go wherever you want. Fast, easy, cheap and every few minutes all day long. We visited this way the Frame, one of the many must-go places. We got lost in the Dubai-Shopping center which seems to be a half an hour walk from the metro station through elevated walkways with air-conditioning (very futuristic). A tour with the boat was not that exciting as the weather was too hazy to see anything clearly.

I definitely recommend the White Mosque in Abu Dhabi. There is an affordable tour of around 5 hours. It’s one of the most amazing places in the world.

We haven’t been on the Burj Khalifa but saw it during day-time and night-time and it just looks incredible from outside.

Book a night tour by bus! It gives you a nice view of the lights, the city is still very busy as during day-time it is too hot and everyone works and lives in the late evening. This way you get also a tour on The Palm and past the famous hotel Atlantis.

Dubai is full of attractions and offers a multitude of things and places to do and to go. Just don’t be afraid to use public transportation. They all speak a (more or less) perfect English everywhere, it is secure also for women alone during the evening-time (we saw young girls and women with children walking in the streets at night-time with no problems). The city is super efficient. There is no real dress-code but I would always recommend a moderate style and respect the culture of the country.

Al Seef Heritage Hotel, Dubai/UAE:

For further information:
Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood
Al Seef Heritage Hotel