Stepping into Al Fahidi’s sleepy, maze-like alleyways, you’d never guess you were in Dubai. There are no skyscrapers, no cars, no shopping malls here: this old neighbourhood is built from coral, gypsum and palm wood, unadorned save for a few curvaceous archways and hand-carved teak doors. In its courtyards, clouds of pink bougainvillaea provide welcome shade from the sun, while elegant wind towers – no taller than two storeys – funnel a lazy breeze into the homes, a design that predates modern air-con by centuries.
It’s an enchanting scene, a…
