Fishing boats moored at the harbour overlooking the Old Town area of Umm Al Quwain.
Fishing boats moored at the harbour overlooking the Old Town area of Umm Al Quwain.
Fishing boats moored at the harbour overlooking the Old Town area of Umm Al Quwain.
Fishing boats moored at the harbour overlooking the Old Town area of Umm Al Quwain.

In UAQ Old Town, past and present collide


  • English
  • Arabic

UMM AL QUWAIN // It is not hard to find the oldest neighbourhood in Umm Al Quwain - its name gives it away. Al Madeena Al Qadeema - the Old Town - stands at the very edge of this northern emirate in an area shaped like a teardrop, surrounded by sea and creek.
Overlooking an old harbour that features a dhow-building yard and fishing boats surrounded by piles of nets, the Old Town is a collection of small, coral-stone houses that have, for the most part, been turned into shops.
Showcasing traditional architecture such as barajeel (wind towers) and intricately designed draft windows in the shapes of stars and moons, most of the buildings have benefited from at least minor renovations. And yet, some of the wind towers have begun to crumble, giving in to the merciless onslaught of time.
"This area is better known as Al Souq or market village, as it is all shops and services and not residential anymore," says Abdul Jaber, from India. He opened a khatat, or printing business, called New City about six years ago in one of the old houses.
The area features several such companies. The Arabic word khatat traditionally means to write calligraphy, but in today's world such businesses tend to provide printing services and signage for roads, police stations and private homes.
"Emiratis have long moved out of here - late 1970s and 1980s - into newer villas in other areas, and we moved in and are running different businesses that they and expat residents need," says Mr Jaber, adding that most Old Town residents now come from India, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia.
Some of the buildings in the area are thought to be more than 150 years old, with the best maintained structure that of the Umm Al Quwain Museum.
Standing at the entrance of the old town, the museum is housed inside a fort built in 1768 that once provided a home for the emirate's ruling family. A watchtower that stood guard over the town remains to this day, overlooking the sea on one side and the creek on the other.
The fort was used as a police station for a time before it opened as a museum in 2000. A wall that once surrounded the Old Town and includes a handful of watch- towers has also been renovated and opened as part of a public park in 2006.
Originally, the people of Umm Al Quwain lived on Al Sinniyah Island - a 10-minute boat trip away - before moving to the mainland more than 200 years ago when the island's drinking water ran out. First they built the fort and then the Old Town.
The museum houses a collection of weapons used throughout the emirate's history, as well as artefacts found at archaeological sites on nearby islands such as Ed-Dur.
The National Council of Tourism and Antiquities has submitted the Ed-Dur site for inclusion on Unesco's world heritage list. According the submission, Ed-Dur is the only known site between Qatar and the Strait of Hormuz with a first-century temple dedicated to the worship of a "sun god".
Elsewhere in the Old Town, in the midst of chaotic and somewhat uncreative signs on old buildings in dire need of painting and renovation, stands a spotlessly white modern building that was once a home but now houses Al Souq Emirates Post.
Unlike many post offices, the popularity of which has waned in the modern age, this one still receives plenty of visitors - though many come simply to chat.
"People come here to pay bills and buy phone cards more than to send letters or buy stamps," says Abdullah Attar, who was a mailman in India before moving to Umm Al Quwain in 1998 and taking a job at the post office.
"There is one Indian man who lives in the Old Town who is a dedicated letter writer and sends a letter back home almost each month."
With modern utilities, clean floors and newly painted walls, the post office stands out in the Old Town.
"A post office must maintain its image and its dignity, regardless of where it is located," says Mr Attar.
Other buildings, particularly the rundown and abandoned ones, receive far fewer visitors, at least of the human kind.
"They are haunted by jinn, so we don't go near them," says Ahmed, an Emirati in his 20s shopping at a grocery store, as he looks towards one such house.
The store owner nods his head in agreement. "Old towns always have one or two haunted houses," he says. "It is part of their charm."
rghazal@thenational.ae
 
For more in this series, click here.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

Profile

Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari

Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.

Number of employees: Over 50

Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised

Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital 

Sector of operation: Transport

Try out the test yourself

Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer

Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer

Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer

The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).

BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

Pakistan v New Zealand Test series

Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza

New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner

Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)

Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am

The biog

Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates

Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.

Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.

Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.

Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile 

Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran

Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep

57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

3/5

(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)

The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

Price, base: Dh1.2 million

Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm

Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined:  12.3L / 100km (estimate)

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

While you're here

'Peninsula'

Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra

Director: ​Yeon Sang-ho

Rating: 2/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets