Bur Dubai refers to the section of the city that is located on the south bank of the Dubai Creek. This is a very densely populated area of the city with many five star Dubai hotels, houses and apartment buildings and is the main district for trade and commerce. Many of the attractions of historical significance are located here as well, the mansions and the fortifications as well as the final historic neighborhood. The biggest of the city’s parks is located in this neighborhood, surrounded my many markets, souks, and outdoor bazaars making this a section of the city that best exemplifies the diversity of culture, art and commerce of Dubai. This is the perfect location for a tourist, as many of these attractions and venues are within walking distance of one another.
Children’s City is located on the South bank. This was the first center of its kind in the UAE and opened its doors in 2002. This center is much like the Boys and Girls Club in the United States, a place for children to go when they are not in school. It offers the opportunity for the children to interact through games and other activities, as well as providing further educational activities relating to nature and science. Children participate in art projects based on the Solar System, and then can head off to the sand boxes or swimming pools to relieve the pain of the summer heat. Children’s City is in operation year round.
Close to Children’s City is the district of Bastakia. This is the only historic area of Dubai that survived the wrecking balls during the 1980′s, when Dubai’s construction began to create the monstrous skyscrapers that fill the skies today. In this neighborhood one can experience the city as it was, before the glamour and the glitz. Instead of high end shopping malls, there are many markets set in the old mansions of the district, with galleries, and cultural societies such as theaters, and shops where local owners offer the traditional art and spices and perfumes of this city. Most of this neighborhood is best experienced when the sun goes down, as the galleries, attractions and shops are generally closed during the hot part of the afternoon. In general, if one traveling to Dubai wishes to experience the original and traditional, this South Bank has what one is looking for.
