Foodies and photographers have been taking part in the three-hour Unseen Trails walks in Bur Dubai since 2015 and this Ramadan is no different. Participants meet before sunset to tour the streets of busy Al Ghubaiba as it grinds to a halt and falls silent with hundreds of residents gathered at the mosque in anticipation of adhan – the call to prayer – and an iftar of dates, laban, fruit, mutton and biryani.
Sitting side by side with worshippers is described as a humbling experience that magnifies the spirit of Ramadan. After the meal, the tour continues as shopkeepers reopen their doors and shoppers bargain for deals on the colourful array of wares available.
Food and culture experts from Frying Pan Adventures give insight to the area, including history and culinary gems, while photography experts from Gulf Photo Plus offer tips for DSLR photography as well as smartphone snaps, from camera settings to the composition of street photography so trail-goers can practice on the go.
Tourists, residents, popular food bloggers and professional photographers regularly take part in the trails series, which run other times of the year, including Diwali, and share their images on social media under the hashtag #unseentrails.
Tours take place on Monday, June 4; Tuesday, June 5; Wednesday, June 6; and Monday, June 11. The price is from Dh395 and participants meet at 5.40pm at Dubai Museum, Al Fahidi Fort, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Dubai. Register at www.gulfphotoplus.com
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Read more:
Eight of Dubai's most unique iftars to try this Ramadan
A look at Dragon Mart 2 Arabian-bazaar themed Ramadan Market - in pictures
Your definitive list of things to do in Dubai
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Afro%20salons
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
