One of the days K was working, I ventured into the souq area of Deira. Part of it is more touristy bazaar stalls selling the typical t-shirts with Dubai print or stuffed camels but the further you move away from those stalls the more it becomes evident that there is some serious trading going on.
The famous gold souq - which sees its fair share of tourists - is also a trading place in the old sense. I have seen people from various countries of Africa dressed in their colorful traditional dresses with the big headpieces buying gold to take home and maybe trading for something else. Once you stop looking at all the glitter you start seeing small, non-noticeable hotels where the traders stay overnight (lobby full of packages and traders carrying their newly purchased goods in and out). In the narrow streets everything is being sold and traded - clothes, electronics, household supplies, spices, you name it. It seems that the whole world comes together here - I have seen nationalities and cultures I hardly knew existed - national dresses I had never seen before and have no idea where are from. Variations in color, in the shape of hats, in the patterns of a dress - all national and regional differences coming together in one place. People everywhere.
I hardly need to say that I was - again - the only white person around and way out of place but somehow it seemed that people in that area are so used to seeing all kinds of people that they didn't bother to say anything - from men in various traditional outfits to men wearing a skirt-looking sarong - to Indian women in saris with their shoulder and back part bare or those covered up in beautiful colorful dresses with floral embroideries, to African women in big colorful dresses. Also here there are about 100 men for every woman you see but (luckily) it's social taboo to approach a woman so I just kept my eyes down and kept walking through it and no one bothered me. That also explains the lack of pictures - I just couldn't stop and draw more attention. I only stopped at a small juice bar with a menu consisting of pictures that made it easy to point at wonderful freshly made strawberry/mango or watermelon juices. There were 3 small tables on the sidewalk right next to the busy street and some traders were resting. I think it's the only place in the region I have been to so far where no one cared if men and women (i.e. strangers) sat next to each other - if there is an empty chair you sit down. Drink your juice and continue your trading.
I feel that I have seen the real world. And in the middle of the chaos with its many different sounds, smells, sights and with people from all over I feel the most alive - alert, all senses working overtime, cautious and curious at the same time and a reminder of just how much I love to travel.
I did manage to take two pictures, however, in a rare moment when I was not surrounded by people.
Shop supplying all imaginable kinds of head scarfs, veils and things to wear under the veil to keep the hair hidden and in place. And outside is a vast assortment of hats worn by men - with all the varieties of patterns, embroidery, shapes and colors:
(Shop in Deira in the heart of the trading area)
This one catered only to men but was also well-stocked in different types of hats and headpieces:
(Shop in Deira in the heart of the trading area)
I also had a long walk in the part of the area where the wholesale trading offices are located - typically small offices with glass doors and fronts, some men, a desk, a phone and some goods on display - mostly sacks of rice, it seemed but also spices, shoes and other goods.
This one was a bit different (and the men had left for their lunch break so I could take a picture through the window):
(Chewing gum on display at a whole sale trading office, Deira)
Although not related to trading, I also walked past the government office where all the guest workers need to go - I suppose for all the paperwork for their work permits. It was in the midday sun and there must have been at least 50 men queuing in the heat (and the queue did not seem to move). In all the streets around this office were little shops offering their services in translation - English and Arabic - as well as typing. I have not seen typing services anywhere else, I think, but of course it is needed here.
A greenish mosque in the Deira souq area:
(Mosque, Deira souq)
(Mosque, Deira souq)
(From close to the juice bar - this 'down town hotel' really is down town - just don't expect it to be in the touristy area)
(View from the juice bar, next to the bus station - it has little to do with Texas, though)
And a few pics from the touristy part of the souq:
(Wind chimes, Bur Dubai souq)
(A mother cat looking at shoes while her kitties play in the background)
(Traditional embroidered shoes - possibly worn only by tourists and made in China?)
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