The Desert

Of all the paintings that I've seen, artists always depict the desert as a vast area, on flat terrain, filled with sands, one or two cactus plants, a camel and a person walking under the sun. And so, this is the image that sticks in my mind, whenever the word 'desert' is mentioned in any conversation, books or magazines. 

It is a very strong image. Growing up on cartoons, art and pictures, it may have been a little distorted. I didn't realize it until I visited the desert recently. 

When I first visited the desert, I didn't expect anything great. I mean, what could possibly be so impressive about a desert? Just sand and a few plants. What's so awesome about that? Fjords, mountains and caves are much more captivating than a plot of sand filled plains. Oh well, since I had nothing planned for the weekend, I gave it a shot anyway. 

Nevertheless, nature always has its own way of proving someone otherwise in its most gentle mannerisms. 

For one, as the little four wheel drive travelled along the desert, I began to realize that the desert is not flat! Can you believe it? It consists of little mounds of hills made from pure sand! Every few metres or so, little mound of hills (called 'dunes'), ranging in the order of one to hundreds of feet, form all over the desert! Suddenly, millions of questions rush through my brains. 

"How are deserts formed?"

"Why isn't the desert flat?"

"How can the desert form, just by the sea?"

"If there's sea, there should be rain. So why does it rain only for 3-4 days in a year in Dubai?"

"How were dunes formed?"

"How come there's not a single cactus in sight?" 

"Where are the camels?" 

Except for the first five questions, all were answered by the tour guide. Apparently, cactus are not the only plants that grow in the desert. In the area we visited, not a single cactus plant was in sight. The only greens that we saw were some thin, stickly, little bushes, like a miniature pine tree which grew haphazardly on the ground. And guess what? These are what camels eat! It's their staple diet. 

Camels, as we found out much later, are usually reared as pets. They're not like birds or tigers or dolphins which roam around freely in the wild habitat. Instead, they're more like domestic farm animals, like cows or goats, reared for their meat and milk. In December, during winter, they're registered by their owners to participate in the annual camel race! Around Dubai alone, there are more than five camel race courses! Judging from the number of race courses, one can only guess that it is a very popular sport in the Emirates! And mind you, these race courses are not small. They are real big! Enough to form a residential area and build a world class golf course terrain. 

Can you imagine a camel running? Racing side by side with another camel? 

Another misconception of mine is that camels don't run. They only walk, like all camels in the movies. They walk alone in the desert, walking towards a destination which only God knows where; or they walk in single file, each herded by their caretaker, with goods between and on both sides of their humps; or with riders on their back, being a main mode of transport for the men of the ancient world. But racing? Who would have thought of that? So, one of my next desire is to watch the camel race at a real racecourse. Having never been to any sort of race, I'd love to watch one right in front of my eyes! Camels, for a start. 

In Malaysia, horses which retire from racing are often dragged to the beach for a life that's easier on them. Here, instead of being forced to jump fences and run for their lives, they are just expected to plant their hoofs, one in front of the other, and carry excited little children, who wish to look at the world on a horse's back, higher than they'd ever imagine. 

In Dubai, there are camels like that too! I don't know if they used to race once, but these camels certainly endure the heat and quietly follow their herder, carrying adults and children alike, who excitedly snap pictures with them, stroke them and feed them. I must say, it is a much better life than being butchered for their meat, or having their udder constantly pressed for their milk. 

And did you know? It's so windy in the desert! Who would have thought that it'd be so cooling? The winds were so strong that I had to push with all my might, just to open the doors of the vehicle! And I thought in the desert, it will be burning hot! 

As I stepped down onto the sand, my! oh my! The sands were so soft, that it felt like stepping on silk! So smooth, so fine and so welcoming! Instantly, I fell in love with the desert. Standing there, on the peak of one of the highest dunes, surrounded by nothing but miles and miles and millions of sand dunes, the sight is absolutely breathtaking! With the winds blowing from all four corners, felt as if I could be blown away anytime. Yet, it was a liberating experience. At that particular moment, I could have been swept off my feet by the winds and I would not have minded a single bit. 

Standing there, a thought occurred. Being in the desert, is like being in the ocean without water. You can feel the sands beneath the soles of your feet. You can feel the current of the waves, trying to move you, inch by inch. The only difference is, it's dry. You can just feel it. 

And did you know that the surface of the sand is not smooth? (The artist always depicts it as smooth, even colour tone). But there are different sizes of sand grains too! They form ripples, just like sands in a channel. From there, one can determine the wind direction. And they contain different colours, in varying shades of brown too! 

As we head back towards the city, the sun sets against the backdrop of my new found love. A scene of nomads, prophets and messengers walking in the desert jumps to mind. How did they know where they were heading to? There are no landmarks, no clouds. Nothing. Just a few plants scattered here and there. Save for the sun which rises from the east, and sets in the west. It's amazing how people managed to travel from one destination to another, just by using what they had. Today, we use GPS, and we still get lost! What an irony! 

At the end of the journey, I was speechless. Struck by the beauty of this immense, giant land, engulfed in all its quiet magnificence.

Sands made up of varying grain sizes

Sand Dunes... Uneven Terrain

Sand Ripples

'Grazing' Camels

4 wheel drive going down d dunes! Just like a roller-coaster!

Sunset in the desert

Desert Plant

Running on the sands

Footsteps in the desert

Varying Shades of Sand

Well to quench the thirst of weary travellers

The Museum

There is something about museums. I simply find them fascinating. Especially in Dubai. While in Malaysia, the museums seem to be an endless spoon-feeding of information in glass displays, Here, in the UAE, the museums are so interactive, that the moment you walk in, you will feel as if you've been unconsciously time warped back to few hundred centuries and eons ago. 

It is an extremely interesting experience. The museum curators put a tremendous amount of effort into recreating the ambience of the old times, that you can't help but be awed and inspired by everything you see, hear, feel and touch. Kudos to all of them!

In the Dubai museum, they even place sand along the corridor, to stimulate a feeling of being in the desert in the night, looking at stars, the sun and the moon; wax figurines looming at every corner, engrossed in their daily activities (they look very real, so much so that when you see a person sitting on a chair, twitching all of a sudden and standing up, that one would be taken aback, thinking, "Hey! This is alive!", and jump a few steps backwards). 

It is also very heartening to see to find out that while construction companies go around building skyrisers and famous landmarks, they ocassionally stumble upon artefacts of great values, and civilizations of the ancient times. Yet, they patiently wait for the archaeologists to carry out their studies, map out the areas, collect the artefacts, before they resume working on that land. 

Being an archaeologist, can be pretty fun too! Imagine yourself crawling on all fours, sweeping away sands, grass and dirt with your bare hands/gloves, peering through a microscope, and suddenly you discover a miniature spear, pot and lid! Wow! It's the discovery of the century! It's the answer to your roots, your origins and your identity! Wouldn't you be excited? Had I been born here, I would have aspired to be either an archaeologist or architect. It brings much joy and excitement to the world's little kids and adults alike. 

Most people think that museums are boring. They are only for those who have nothing better to do. Indeed, if possible, most avoid museums, or leave it until the last destination on their list of sites to visit. Yet, to me, if one would like to understand the country they are living in, the local culture and tradition, visiting museums are a real eye opener to the people that we interact with daily, to appreciate the transformation of a city that has been through trials and tribulations, just to be on par with the giants of the world. 

As I walk through the time capsules of Dubai Museum, I gained a heightened and elevated sense of the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who not only united the seven Emirates, but also walked around the country, hunting, diving and farming with his subjects! It requires a person of true calibre and charisma. One with a vision, who sees and understands the plight and need of his nation. 

Today's politicians are a far cry from our early founding fathers. Blinded by the sight of the original goal, today, they've been diverted to other side topics which are of the least concerns of the people. History, indeed, has a lot to teach us. We, on the other hand, still have much to learn. 

Merchants, discussing on the trading value of their priceless goods

Real Pearls! 

A man diving for pearls!

Decorative button (Look how simple the designs are!) Simplistic, yet captivating!

Miniature arrow heads! Cute, yet dangerous! 

Look at this pot! Just imagine how much time and effort the people put into carve these concentric circles around its circumference! 

The miniature lid

This is one of the buildings excavated at Jumeirah! Wow! What if a person who did not care about ancient civilizations just bulldozed the whole area? The discovery of this ancient civilization would have been erased from history forever! 

The Creek

When people talk about Dubai, they often describe how beautiful Dubai is, and how, it is an architect's dream playground. 

However, in our pursuit of realizing development and advancement of a country, we often forget our humble beginnings, the roots of where we came from. Hence, a visit to Dubai Creek is a must, at least once throughout our stay here, to see, feel and appreciate, how such a simple city evolved into what it is today because of a vision and the blessings of vast resources from Mother Nature. 

It is, in this part of the town, where we still see Dhows ferrying goods from all over the world. We see little wooden thatched huts that occupy an area of nine square feet and grey, mud huts built so low, that one could only huddle in it. For the richer ones, they occupy acres of land, with tall, thick walls. On every corner of these walls, are wind towers and watch towers. 

As we walk through these parts of the town, a thought occurred. How do the people of the ancient times who lived in this hut ,  stay dry if it rains? Perhaps, in this part of the world, and a long, long time ago, it never rained! (Is that even remotely possible?) 

In one of the wooden huts, there are cushions placed around the three corners of the walls. Under them, a colourful, hand-woven carpet brightens up the whole atmosphere. It looks so inviting that I feel like running in to have a seat. Ahhh... the wonders of simplicity. 

It is, in this part of the town, where I truly feel alive. It is here I can feel the winds brushing against my skin; the sun shining brightly, spraying its rays across the lands; and people truly interacting with each other. No electronic gadgets, no glass panels, no uniforms. Each shop is unique, inherited from their fathers and ancestors. Occasionally, we even see a boy in his teens, carrying a tray with six cups of tea, three on the top, three on the bottom, serving it to the individual shop owners. This, is the environment that I was born in. No pretence. Just a pure, caring, loving heart to create a peaceful community. Life has enough trials and tribulations of its own. We don't need to add any more to it. 

As I sit in the abra (water taxi), I am relishing every moment. I wish this boat was my holiday getaway destination. Whenever my nerves are knotted up, this is the perfect place to be. The bobbing abra on the gentle waves, calms my excited neurons. Like a child in a cradle, I learn to let go and sway along with the tide. My mind stops thinking altogether. The present appears. The past and the future fade into distance. This world, is so beautiful. The world, is my oyster. 

Abra (Dubai's Water Taxi)

Textile Souk

Pigeons! Yes, in Dubai Creek, shop owners throw grains to attract these birds

Isn't it romantic? Notice the couple holding hands, walking in the blazing heat. 

Dhows... which carry a wide variety of goods (even TV, made in China)

View from Dubai Creek

Villa

I used to wonder what it was like, whenever I passed by the numerous brick villas in Dubai. Thus, when I found out that the residence of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum was opened to the public, I was elated! 

Before I venture any further, I think that the most proper thing of all would be to introduce Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum. Born at the end of the 19th century, year 1878, he began ruling in 1912. He was simple, religious and a true Arab to the core. He favourite sport was falconry and hunting. Guess what? He owned a date plantation too! 

During his reign, the pearl industry thrived and Dubai was established as one of the main ports in the Gulf. He was far-sighted, transforming Dubai into a modern city. He ruled for 46 years, and died the year my parents were born, in 1958. He lived 'til a ripe old age of 80. 

Houses were huddled closely, with high population density

Ahhh... Dubai was prosperous, even before the discovery of black gold. But have you ever wondered, how did the city look like before its skyline was dotted with high rise buildings? As I walked through the creek and museums, I learnt about its humble beginnings. It started out like any other cities in all civilizations. It began by the river, where men could easily fish, farm and trade.  

At that time, of course, there were rich people and poor people.  Rich people or rulers lived in grand houses and large compounds, whereas the commoners or poorer ones lived in wooden huts and palm leave roofs, a vast contrast indeed. 

Commoner's Residence

The Sheikh's residence was very grand. Why? Because it was built over a large compound. Consisting of around 1100 square meters (about 12000 sqft), Sheikh Makhtoum's villa consists of 2 floors with a spacious courtyard in the middle. Each room has a living room, bathroom, verandah and summer room. 

While the commoner's house was made of wood, the Sheikh's house was constructed from limestone! 

As a petroleum engineer, all I know is limestones are they're excellent oil reservoirs! I never thought that  in the past, people used limestones with embedded fossils to build their houses too! Wouldn't it dissolve, form holes or caves, staglagtites and staglamites? I guess these chemical and dissolution processes take a long time. By the time these natural structures formed, its occupants would have been long gone.

The Sheikh's house has to be decorated too, to distinguish it from the rest of the other houses. So, here, the house is unique because it has a distinctive floral designs which are extremely geometrical, using only gypsum and charcoal! (My first thought as I read this was: How did the charcoal last for so long? Wouldn't the colour fade? or its tiny particles risk being blown off the surface by strong winds?) 

Oh! Have you noticed that both kinds of houses contained tall wind towers too? They're square and hollow, just like chimneys. The only difference is, it brings wind into the house, instead of polluting the air with thick, black smoke puffs. Being more environmental friendly, it sieves out light sand particles, increases ventilation and even removes bird waste! 

I used to wonder why a ruler's house ought to be high on the mountains, or taller than anybody else's house. Why? When I stepped out onto the roof, I finally found the answer. It's because, as a ruler, you'd want to see the lands your own, the activities of your people, to enjoy the beauty of your own homeland. What better way than to locate it right in the heart of all activities, and make it the tallest building in the vicinity of hustle and bustle of the town? 

Standing on the roof top of Sheikh Makhtoum's house, I realized why kings always want to conquer more lands and have many loyal subjects under them. Imagine if I were the ruler of this land, I would not only want it to prosper, I'd also like to the boundaries of my country to extend far and wide. The more subjects I have, the more taxes I'll get! No wonder people went to wars all the time. You can't blame them. The idea of having more is very addictive. 

Today, Dubai is very different from before. Emiratis of the previous generation miss those quiet and peaceful times, when people still experienced face to face interactions, and visited each other physically. (Read all about it here.)