to acquaint tourists with the region’s tradi-
tional arts, customs and architecture. This
is where you can nibble on piping-hot dosas
(paper-thin lentil-flour pancakes) made by
burka-clad women, pose with a falconer,
hop on a camel or browse around touristy
stalls. The villages are usually pretty quiet
year round, except during Eid celebrations
and the Dubai Shopping Festival (p20),
when unusual traditional activities such
as rifle-throwing competitions bring in the
curious.
c eer Kside parK p rka
Map p214 (off riyadh St; admission Dh5; h8am-
11pm Sat-Wed, to 11.30pm Thu, Fri & public holi-
days; c) Located between Al-Garhoud and
Al-Maktoum Bridges, the large and lovely
Creekside Park has playgrounds for kids to
romp around, gardens for relaxing, kiosks,
restaurants and barbecue pits. It’s hugely
popular, especially on weekends. A 2.5km
cable-car ride (adult/child Dh25/15) delivers
fabulous vistas of the park and waterfront
from 30m in the air.
c ildren’s h ciTy i ranTe CTiVe MuSeuM
Map p214 (Creekside park; http://www.childrencity.ae;
adult/child Dh15/10; h9am-8pm Sat-Thu, 3-9pm
Fri; c) At the southern end of Creekside Park,
you’ll stumble across two places for enter-
taining the kiddies. Enter through Gate 1 for
Children’s City, a learning centre compris-
ing colourful Lego-style buildings that are
jam-packed with more than 50 interactive
exhibits. These exhibits, geared for children
between the ages of two and 15 years, play-
fully explain scientific concepts, the human
body, space exploration and natural won-
ders. One of the most popular exhibits is a
simulator where you try flying on a magic
carpet or riding a camel. Computer luddites
(of any age) may like to try their hand sending
a message from the giant computer, while
under-fives can retreat to a special play area.
d bai u dolphinariuM Dolphin ShoW
Map p214 (www.dubaidolphinarium.ae; adult/child
Dh100/50; hshows 11am & 5pm Mon-Thu, 11am,
3pm & 6pm Fri & Sat; c) Since the Dolphin-
arium opened in 2008, the dolphins here
have delighted audiences with their tricks
and stunts. Private swimming sessions
with Flipper’s cousins are also available
(Dh2100 for up to three people). Although
now quite popular, the facility’s opening
generated criticism from animal-rights ac-
tivists contending that dolphins should not
be held in captivity.Za’abeel parK p rka
Map p214 (cnr Sheikh khalifa bin Zayed & al-
qataiyat rds; admission Dh5; h8am-11pm Sun-
Wed, to 11.30pm Thu-Sat; c) This park has
gorgeous lakes, ponds, a jogging track, a
skateboard park, a BMX track and retail
and food facilities – not to mention fabulous
views of the Sheikh Zayed Rd skyline. It is
also home to Stargate theme park (p76).5 Eating
This is possibly dubai’s most eclectic
eating area: restaurants run the gamut
from dirt-cheap curry joints to white-
tablecloth restaurants worthy of a
Michelin star�p ppercrabe aS an i $$$
Map p214 (%04-317 2222; Grand hyatt Dubai,
al-qataiyat rd; mains Dh120-220; h7-11.30pm
Sat-Wed, to 1am Thu & Fri) If you’ve never had
Singaporean food, Peppercrab is perfect
for surrendering your culinary virginity.
Prepare your palate with plump wonton
and crunchy baby squid, then don an aprono en p doors, open MindsSuch is the enlightened motto of
the s eikh Mohammed h centre
for cultural understanding (Map
p210; %04-353 6666; http://www.culture.ae;
near al-Seef roundabout, bastakia), a
unique institution founded by Sheikh
Mohammed in 1995 to build bridges
between cultures and to help visitors
and expats understand the traditions
and customs of the united Arab Emir-
ates (uAE)� In addition to conducting
guided tours of the Bastakia Quarter
and Jumeirah Mosque (p93), the
centre also hosts a hugely popular
c ltural u breakfast (per person Dh50;
h10am Mon) and c ltural u lunch (per
person Dh60; h1pm Sun), where you
get a chance to meet, ask questions
of and exchange ideas with nationals
while tasting delicious homemade
Emirati food� Make reservations as
early as possible�b
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