A Road Trip
A desert trip in hopes of finding an archaeological site was indeed a historical site as a professional team went there at some point.
I was carefully scanning the area for finds, and noticed the discoloration in the sand in some parts. So I took a closer look. While in my zone in between two dunes, a group of dirt-bikes bashed through looking back at me with their helmets tightly fastened. I could tell that they were curious but surprised. Perhaps they were also relieved for not running me over.
That moment resonated with me. It signified two different mindsets: one pauses and reflects on the past and the other is present and rushing towards the future. In a way it made me realize many aspects of who I am today. Whether it is my interests or my personality traits, I am one to pause and ponder.
As social distancing continued and the streets were calmer than usual, I thought it would be an opportunity for a road trip, jumping into the car to head to Ed-Dur. Located in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain, the site has remains of a 2,000-year-old temple from the pre-Islamic era.
I first heard of this site at Louvre Abu Dhabi. There was a sculpture of an eagle displayed in the Roads of Arabia exhibition. That headless eagle was from a temple built with four walls, a well and a stand for sacrifice (probably for animals). It had two doors, one pointing at sunrise and the other at sunset. This temple was dedicated to the ancient God named Shamash from a Mesopotamian religion.
The road trip took an unexpected turn. I was in Khor Fakkan passing by the famous mosque with the white minaret you see on the 5 AED printed bill. There were arish houses (made of date palm tree leaves), baqalas (grocery stores), small coffee shops, and ruins of this beautiful mosque. I saw a few elderly men wearing the traditional Emirati dress sitting on plastic white chairs sipping tea or coffee right there on the paved walkway. It felt like the 90s and reminded me of our family roads trips.
One of my favorite mosques is Al Bidya located in Fujairah. It used to be known as the oldest mosque in the UAE until the recent discovery of the one in Al Ain. Al Bidya dates back to 1446 and has such a unique architecture. Domes that ripple downwards and made of earthy tones. It sits at the bottom of a mountainous backdrop. Driving past it so fast, it took me by surprise. Turning the car around, parked, and admired it as the sun was setting behind Fujairah’s landscape.
Passing through Dibba, then Ras Al Khaimah onto Dubai on a fully lit highway that took a few hours. I cannot imagine how it was 50 years ago, and so I asked my father.
He told me the story of his journey from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi in the late 60s, which would take a whole day. They took off after Fajr prayer only to reach Al Mafraq right before sunset. They rested there next to a supply of drinking water and camped.
They headed to Qasr Al Hosn the next morning crossing Al Maqtaa. There were trees known as Ghuwaif where people rested underneath and enjoyed Arabic coffee, water and dates.
In a single Land Rover, they were about 10 to 12 individuals including children. Their main goal for the trip was to receive the annual hiba or sharha given to each Emirati male member. During that time in the late 1960s, an adult received an equivalent of 100 or 200 AED and a child got 50 or 100 AED. This continued until 2004 and was an initiative by the Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may his soul rest in peace).
My father mentioned a book with records of those travels. He pulled out a dusty brown briefcase, which would hardly unlock after numerous attempts. We managed to open it and indeed found a white booklet with the UAE’s falcon emblem and Arabic text printed on the front cover. Once opened, there were tables with dates, amounts and stamps or signatures.
I recorded his story for you all to listen to as it’s perhaps far more entertaining than reading.