All about Deira
© Todd Reisz
You may or may not know that I am a fan of the Deira side of Dubai, the real 'old town', unlike the faux "Old Town" that is part of new Dubai. I don't go there as often as I'd like to, but when I am there, I always enjoy walking around, remembering the old days when Dubai was a much smaller city.
I came across Deira Modern, Notes from Dubai - a photo essay by Todd Reisz a few months ago which really articulated me feelings about Deira. I've been meaning to share this with you much earlier, but as they say, better late than never.
Here's a small selection of photos and an extract from Deira Modern, Notes from Dubai. You can read the full essay here.
Deira was Dubai’s most modern quarter. It still is, though it’s often referred to as “Old Dubai,” a generalization that only describes a stop on the Dubai visitor’s course. To see a gold souk, a fish market. To take an abra for no reason other than to take an abra.
The charm of the antiquated is an applied layer. Deira survives this nostalgia by ignoring it.
In contrast to the towers of Sheikh Zayed Road, Deira might seem static and quaint, poor and outdated. This couldn’t be further from the truth. How could Deira be irrelevant when everyone complains that Deira is too crowded? It’s crowded because Deira is true urbanism; it’s more city than elsewhere in Dubai.