A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to join one of my local groups for a day-trip to Sharjah, the emirate bordering Dubai on the east along the coast. The bus ride from downtown Abu Dhabi took just two hours and I was surprised to have arrived at the Blue Souk already. There was no obvious change in architecture between the skyscrapers of Dubai and Sharjah. Both downtown areas merging into each other.
The Souk obtained its name from the blue tile mosaic adorning the building on all sides. It houses the gold souk, a clothing souk and upstairs antique stores. The gold souk was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday morning. As I learned a few days later it may have had to do with the low gold price which made the shopping even more worth while. Unlike jewelry-shopping in the Western world gold in the UAE is sold by weight only. No matter how elaborate the craftmanship. My quest to find small locally crafted or hand-made items was not satisfied. There may have been items in one or two of the antique stores, but the ones which caught my eye were still closed. Still I enjoyed a wonderful two hours exploring the beautiful building, marvelling at its architecture and enjoying the store displays.
Our lunch had been organized in the Sharjah Radisson Blu, a georgeous hotel with a fantastic high-ceiling open lobby architecture. Lunch was served in the lobby restaurant with a choice of buffet or ala carte menu. Sitting among the greenery of a tropical rainforest made it a lovely experience with great, friendly service.
The only regret I had was the lack of time to explore the hotel a bit more. It offers a beautiful beach on the waterfront. But our next stop at the Museum for Islamic Civilization was calling us. It was the highlight of this day for me. Following my quest for locally made items I was successful at the museum gift store which I visited before looking at anything else. From Jute-bags and clothes imprinted with art by a local artist to hand-embroidered coin purses to wood ornaments in thick paper frames, the selection was great! Showcasing the artistry of Islamic culture.
The building alone is worth a visit. It had been built as a souk/market and was renovated as a museum which opened in 2008. The merchant stalls on the lower and upper floors were converted into eight big exhibition halls. The four on the upper floor with the permanent exhibits displayed arabic weapons, clothes, housewares and calligraphy through the centuries. The main floor rooms were used for astronomy, medical and engineering advances and a temporary exhibit showing fabrics and saddle clothes from the Ottoman empire given to rulers in Hungary and Transylvania from around 500 years ago. The microscopically fine embroidery and often with silver or gold thread was amazing and will go back to its museum in Budapest once the show finishes (no photography allowed).
As impressed as I was by the interior architecture as beautiful and enchanting are the details on the outside of the museum. This was a day with wonderful experiences I want to share with my husband and visitors in the future.
There is a lot more to explore in our new home of the UAE. Until next time!
Maike
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