Estate Living Magazine Precinct Living - Issue 33 | Page 62

GOLDEN OLDIES
Cities develop over time – sometimes around their strategic
location, other times by need. Some grow haphazardly, some in a
structured, planned way, while others manage to maintain their
original identity, defying the sprawling development that is inevitable
as cities develop. Here are a few golden oldies worthy of everyone’s
bucket list.
DUBAI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Dubai was once inhabited by Bedouins who made a living
fishing, harvesting pearls and herding sheep and goats. Ancient
dhows transported livestock and merchandise across the creek,
camels were used as transport, and open markets were the
shopping malls of the day. This ancient Dubai is still to be found
amid the steel-and-glass skyscrapers of this most modern of
Middle Eastern cities.
A great place to start is the historic Al Fahidi District in Bur Dubai,
with its wind towers, stone-coloured buildings and minarets.
Walk through twisting streets and past coral-clad mansions –
many of them now restored and home to quirky coffee shops, art
galleries and museums. From there, venture into the wonderfully
colourful, a tad noisy and extremely fascinating souks for a spot
of shopping. The Textile Souk sells everything from beautiful
fabrics to clothes, handcrafted shoes and souvenirs – there are
fabulous pashminas in every colour, texture and fabric you can
imagine.
Across the Creek in Deira, accessed by nifty water taxis (abra), is
the world-famous Gold Souk, where the narrow streets and lanes
are lined with shops whose glass-fronted windows are crammed
with gold – from delicate necklaces to large ceremonial pieces,
and absolutely everything in between. The nearby Spice Souk
offers a more traditional experience, where you can imagine the
colourful selection of spices with their wonderfully heady aroma
having arrived in hessian sacks on a heavily laden dhow – or a
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camel. Enjoy a fresh coconut drink, watermelon smoothie or
chicken shawarma along the quayside … or even a puff or two of
the shisha pipe. www.visitdubai.com
MANILA – PHILIPPINES
This Asian city defies the obvious with its predominantly
Christian population, with 86% being Roman Catholic – which
is no surprise considering it was colonised by the Spanish from
1521 to 1898. Intramuros, Latin for ‘within the walls’, is the historic
core of Manila. Its defensive walls were constructed in the late
16th century by the Spanish colonial government to protect the
city from foreign invasions – and in later years to keep the ‘not so