A journey into Dubai’s past could well begin through the door of a quaint tea house in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, once known as Al Bastakiya. As you step into the Arabian Tea House (although old-timers like me would still like to call it the Basta Art Café), you stumble upon a secret garden with turquoise benches, white rattan chairs, lace curtains and beautiful flowers. Here traffic fades to a quiet hum, and the languid air swoons around you, dreamlike, as if it were always afternoon. You sit here savouring your cup of gahwa (meaning coffee in Arabic, but also used to…
