The UAE

zaytsev

zaytsev

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Over the past couple of years I have lost my photography mojo through a mixture of being omni-busy and having a young family to entertain. I made a resolution that 2020 will be different, and then that little world event occurred that put the UAE into a near total lockdown in March where movement was only allowed through permits - when movement restrictions were relaxed it was a 50C summer which isn't fun to take photographs in to say the least and I found myself restless.

Inspired by @justpix forum documentary series on meanderings through Manchester I decided to go through some of my old photos and make plans on getting out with my camera in hand when the weather doesn't make you melt as soon as you leave air conditioning. As a security measure to ensure that I would actually get out and have some fun I thought I would post a few of my old photos of Abu Dhabi and Dubai up here to start with, and upon my aimless walks I will sporadically post some more of the old and new.

Dubai-4.jpg

One from the present - Karama barber shop, Dubai 2020. So many small business that lead a hand to mouth existence have closed throughout Dubai in the wake of the pandemic, however haircuts and shaves for AED 12 (£2.50) still proved popular here.

Louvre Roof.jpg

Roof of the Louvre Museum 2018 - purposely out of focus as I was trying to be artistic and hide all the MEP services. I'll post one with the roof in focus at some point.

Abu Dhabi Sand Storm-1.jpg

Abu Dhabi corniche just as a shamal (sandstorm) was nearing during sunrise, 2013. That morning the sky rapidly went from a musty smudge to an orange hue, and 5 minutes after I took this I was sheltering in my car as the dust and sand enveloped the city for half an hour. When I first arrived in the Gulf in 2005 shamals seemed a more common occurrence, but with the huge amount of development and the growing expanse of Abu Dhabi and Dubai they seem to be more infrequent.

Dubai-1.jpg

Dubai dhow wharfage 2010. You used to be able to walk amongst the dhows laden with cargo which would typically be on its way to Iran, Pakistan or the west coast of India on the timber vessels that used the inshore creek port. I drove past it the other day and it was quiet, the boats laid up and devoid of the hustle and bustle that it was renowned for. As soon as it comes back to life I shall go back for the first time in a decade to see how it has changed.

Thanks for looking.
 
Definitely would like to see more of this
 
Really nice set. Very well done.
 
Thank you for your kind comments, on to part 2:

Dubai-2.jpg

When many people think of Dubai they have the shining glass skyscrapers and the lifestyle that the media tends to portray, but the real soul of the city is where it all started - by the creek. There are some great examples of 'older' buildings that were constructed in the late 70's and 80's that are so often overlooked and will be ready for demolition soon for yet another hotel (I cannot complain though as construction keeps me in employment). This is a residential building in the Al Raffa part of town close to the creek taken in 2013.

Fossil Rock-1.jpg

Despite being built in the desert, it seems that most people who live in the cities of the UAE never venture any further into the sand than off the side of the road or on a one-day desert safari - and I am one of these people, and I can come up with many excuses but it ultimately comes down to laziness on my part. Near one of the prisons in Abu Dhabi there are formations of sandstone that have been carved out by the wind, and despite trying to make it look like this was in the middle of nowhere my car is only 100 metres away.


IMG_2898.jpg

Back to creekside, and this morning - it is a public holiday in the UAE today and things are quiet, and yet at 6am this man is rolling out the first of his parathas at one of the small bakeries that are still in operation. When you walk through some of the older parts of town the smells from the tandoors, charcoal grills and bakery ovens are awesome and I'd happily sit down and eat anywhere watching the world go past.


Dubai Creek Morning-1.jpg

Finishing today with the first shot I took on this morning's short walk - Dubai creek. A lone abra (small wooden passenger vessel that ferries people from one side of the creek to the other for 20p) starts up his trade for the day. Later this afternoon it will get increasingly busy, with 70-100 of the government ran abras plying their trades on the water. In many ways it reminds me of the Star Ferry running between Kowloon and the Island when I lived in Hong Kong, but on a much smaller scale.

Thanks for looking, next time I'll try and put some more architecture in here!
 
Thank you for carrying on with your pictorial stories. (y) I never got further in this part of the world than Turkey ... ---
 
Very nice set of images, liking all of these very much.
 
I hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas, and did suitable damage to the waistline yesterday.

On to part 3 of the UAE mini tour:


Ali Ibn Abi Talib Mosque-1.jpg

The main cities of the UAE have grown rapidly over the last 40 years, and the buildings that have been constructed have adopted many different architectural styles. Some of these are disastrous and hideous examples of no idea and too much money, and others are far more eclectic and tasteful. The construction of mosques has always taken prominence and through some of the older parts of the city there seems to be one on every corner in a similar way to pubs were in the UK.

This is the minaret of the Ali Ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Bur Dubai, which I guess would be late 70's early 80's with its clean concrete lines.


Friday Evening Prayers-1.jpg

Keeping with the religious theme it doesn't necessarily mean that the larger/more prominent the mosque, the more people want to worship there. Numerous small mosques and makeshift prayer areas are set up for Friday prayers, and 20 minutes or so after the call (this was the last of the 5 prayers performed daily, the Isha prayer) the pavement is reclaimed by pedestrians and very little trace of the ceremony is left.


Connect 4.jpg

Back to the capital, Abu Dhabi and what is now a cult building - officially named the 'Obeid al Mazrouei' building, it is more commonly known as the 'Connect-4 Building' for fairly obvious reasons. I do hope that the UAE government realise the uniqueness of some of the their facades and buildings and protect them, much more so than they have with the mangroves and other older buildings that have fallen foul of unwarranted new development. I have often wondered what the apartments in this building are now like as when it opened (assumed to be 1980) would have been a premiere residence, but is now a faded but beautiful queen on Electra Street.


City Balconies.jpg

Before the mass use of centralised chilled water for air conditioning, many of the buildings tried to design some form of solar protection against the raging sun and 50 degree summer heat. There is a thoughtful intricacy behind many of these examples to maximise the shading effect, this one being somewhere in Dubai.

I am not sure if it is my eyes from too many pigs in blankets yesterday but the images appear to be soft in TP, but on Lightroom are much sharper even with the resizing for the forum.

Stay safe, and a happy new year to everyone.
 
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