Conquering heroes and royalty have journeyed to Siwa for millennia. Now it’s your turn Words and photography _Emma Levine
If Alexander the Great had been able to take the eight- hour bus journey from his newly founded eponymous city to Siwa, he would have been thrilled – his actual journey in 331BC took eight days. He’d just invaded Egypt and conquered the Persian Empire, so it’s a wonder he found the energy to venture to this remote oasis town in the Western Desert.
History is littered with visitors passing through this isolated settlement. These days, the only transport link from Alexandria to Siwa is a road through a barren desert landscape – there are no rail links or direct commercial flights. This is why Siwa is so special; there are few places this beautiful, and this quiet.
Alexander came to Siwa to consult the famous Temple of the Oracle of Amun, as political and spiritual leaders had done for centuries. After sailing from Alexandria to Marsa Matruh he travelled south through the northern Sahara desert, a mammoth trip during which his team faced rainstorms, sandstorms, hunger and dehydration. Upon arrival, their eyes were drawn to a lush, fertile oasis. They headed to the rocky outcrop of the Temple of Amun, where Alexander asked the Oracle if he was the son of Zeus and therefore a legitimate ruler of Egypt. Upon receiving his desired answer, the great warrior spent the remaining eight years of his life honouring the temple and its priests.
Not that much about Siwa has changed in the intervening centuries, although today’s visitors aren’t usually seeking spiritual approval. It soon becomes obvious that this oasis town is more North Africa than Egypt, since the main language is Siwi, not Arabic. Its people are Siwi – Berbers who roamed the area between Tunisia and Morocco – rather than Egyptian, and are known for their modesty, reserve and their low-key presence. Local women can only go out in public if they cover their faces and are accompanied by a male family member – a sharp surprise for the outsider travelling straight from Alexandria.
The sleepy town of Siwa is still crowned by the 13th century ruins of the Fortress of Shali, a labyrinth of karshif (mud-brick) huts built to protect the Siwans from desert raiders. Now desolate, it rises to a sculpture-like organic peak with many levels of chambers and passages. Its mosque – still in use – is said to be the last in Egypt from which the muezzin gave his call to prayer from the chimney-like minaret unaided by loudspeakers; its rough karshif exterior still bears the handprints of the original builders. A sunrise walk to explore these now-deserted alleys and dwellings is a sensible choice in the summer months: the heat intensifies by late morning, making walking all but impossible for most of the day. And as this visitor will testify, the need for modest clothing for women doesn’t help.
Any discomfort is quickly forgotten after a meander up the ruins’ peak, however, as you’re rewarded with views of a town encircled by swathes of deep green, the dense date palms. You can see beyond to the glistening blue of distant salt lakes, the towering golden dunes of the Great Sand Sea, and east to the Temple of the Oracle.
To reach this 26th dynasty temple you can either hire a bone- rattling bicycle, or a careta, a donkey taxi. The donkeys gather around the King Fuad mosque near the market square and pull four-seater carts steered by local boys. A recent, and not altogether welcome, arrival on Siwa’s streets is the motorbike taxi, with its noisy revs shattering an otherwise calm.
It’s a slow bumpy ride to the yellow stone temple, dramatic in its desolation, sitting on the ruins of Aghurmi village, the main settlement before Shali was founded after a decline in the population. This was one of the most revered oracles in the ancient Mediterranean, where for millennia rulers sought advice, and others sent armies to conquer and destroy.
For some well-earned respite from the summer heat, head to Fatnis Island. On the salt lake of Birket Siwa, palms encircle a tiled pool of cool water welling up from clefts in the rock some 15m below. In summer, it’s easy to drift through the afternoon sipping mint tea on the lake, its banks blackened by the heavy saline waters. The branches of stubby palm trees almost dip into the waters; the sculpted table-tops of the western horizon and the flat-topped Jebel Beida lie ahead.
It’s tempting to think that Alexander the Great, if he were around today, would have whiled away the afternoon doing the same thing.
The Lebanese capital knows how to party, yet it’s the perfect place to visit for Ramadan
Words_Dalila Mahdawi
With Ramadan in August this year, it’s the ideal opportunity to escape the hot and humid Gulf for the milder climes of Lebanon. Its capital, Beirut, may have a reputation for being the Middle East’s nightlife hotspot, but visitors who are fasting will feel right at home. Beirut has a sizable Muslim population and there’s plenty to do during the day to keep the hunger pangs at bay.
Lebanon is a multicultural country and so not everybody observes Ramadan, but according to Rami Zurayk, a professor in the faculty of agriculture and food sciences at the American University of Beirut, the month has a positive effect on all of society. “It’s a month of conviviality that brings both Muslim and Christian people together,” he says. “It’s a time to celebrate our culture, our food, our social links and our families, especially in an era where individualism has taken over.”
“What makes Beirut different to other countries during Ramadan is that it never loses its vitality,” says Rita Saad of Le Gray Hotel (+961 1 971 111). “It’s a place where people can fast during the day and then really enjoy their evenings.”
Over the past 18 months, the city has shrugged off its troubles and undergone a minor renaissance. Numerous new shops, restaurants and galleries have popped up on the city’s streets.
A great way to spend your afternoons is to visit some of Beirut’s many exciting art spaces. Renowned artist Mona Hatoum is resident at the Beirut Art Centre until 9 September – her impenetrable barbed wire cube and disturbing take on a children’s lamp are not to be missed. The Running Horse, The Agial Gallery, Art Circle and the newly opened Beirut Exhibition Centre all exhibit and sell pieces by talented Lebanese artists.
Afterwards, relax with a magazine and scan the shelves at Papercup (+974 1 443 083), a new art bookshop and café in Mar Mikhael.
Hiba al-Hajj, an Egyptian expatriate in Lebanon, says spending Ramadan in Beirut is a “rewarding” experience. “It was hard seeing people eating in cafés and on the streets at first, but it actually helped strengthen my sense of resolve in fasting,” she says. “Plus after Iftar there’s so much to do. I like walking along the Corniche with my family and eating turmus (lupin beans) or corn as a snack.”
When it comes to breaking fasts, Beirut offers a wide variety of options. For a traditional Lebanese Ramadan evening, try Gemmayzeh Café (+961 1 447 319), where you can enjoy a lively oud performance and a long game of backgammon after Iftar prayers. For a similar vibe and with beautiful views of the Mediterranean, try one of the seafront restaurants on Raouche such as Petit Café (+961 1 808 017) or Casablanca (+961 1 369 354).
Those willing to be a bit more adventurous with their cuisine should head to Scallywags (+961 3 046 289) in Monot. The tiny restaurant offers a fabulous and more than filling six-course meal, but there’s a catch: it’s chef Marwan Ghoro who chooses what’s for dinner. Those with special dietary requirements should call ahead.
But ultimately, Ramadan is about prayer and spirituality. There are some beautiful mosques in the downtown district and Hamra. Perhaps the nicest is the Omari Mosque, which has been restored beautifully after suffering damage during Lebanon’s civil war. Another is the Mohammad al-Amin mosque, built by the late former Premier Rafik Hariri, with much of the imposing design inspired by Istanbul’s Blue Mosque.
At the end of your trip, don’t forget to take a bit of Beirut back to your friends to share at Iftar – the Goodies deli in Verdun (+961 1 796 797) stocks an excellent range of delights, as does the Taj Al-Malouk (+961 1 365 797) sweet shop.
When it comes to squash, Egypt dominates. James Zug, senior writer at Squash Magazine, reveals how the country became one of the sport’s key players
In mid-September, the Women’s World Open Squash Championships will come to the Red Sea. The event, staged at the Soho Square resort in Sharm El Sheikh, will have a prize-money fund of US$147,000, the largest in women’s pro squash history.
The superlatives don’t stop there. A number of Egyptian women will have a good shot at winning the title on home soil, especially Omneya Abdel Kawy (currently ranked sixth in the world), Engy Kheirallah (11th) and Raneem El Weleily (14th). These three women formed the squad that won Egypt the world team title for the first time. It couldn’t have been more dramatic: held in Cairo in December 2008 before a roaring crowd, the tournament featured a thrilling final in which the Egyptians squeaked out a 2-1 victory over recurring champions England, with Kheirallah, in the deciding match, surviving a match point against her before winning in a final-game tie-breaker.
World champion is a phrase commonly heard in Egypt. Both Kawy (2003) and El Weleily (2005 and 2007) have held the world junior women’s title, and last year Nour El-Sherbini became the youngest-ever world champion when she claimed the then-biennial title at just 13 years of age.
But don’t think that squash is a female-dominated sport in Egypt – take a look at the male professionals too. Egypt has replaced Pakistan as the world’s dominant nation. Three of the top four ranked players – and 10 of the top 32 – are Egyptian. The Egyptian men, following in the women’s footsteps, snagged the world team title in 2009. Amr Shabana has won four world open titles, while compatriot Ramy Ashour has garnered one. Like the women, the men usually crush everyone else in the world juniors: since 1992, a non-Egyptian male has only twice won the title.
Squash arrived in Egypt just after the turn of the 20th century, when British soldiers and expatriates built stone- floored, open-air courts in Cairo and Alexandria. Native Egyptians proved extremely adept at the game: Abedel Fattah Amr won the British Open – the Wimbledon of squash – six consecutive years in the 1930s. Mahmoud el Karim grabbed it four times after World War II and A. A. AbouTaleb captured it three times in the 1960s.
After AbouTaleb’s flourish, not a lot was heard from Egypt until 1996, when it suddenly exploded with a single image flashed around the world: an all-glass squash court perched at night like a diamond in front of the floodlit Great Pyramid of Giza. It was the Al-Ahram International, a men’s pro event sponsored by a Cairo newspaper and attended by 5,000 rapturous spectators (the largest squash audience in the world). By the time
Cairo’s Ahmed Barada had won the 1998 Al-Ahram tournament, a revolution was underway. Although the pyramids provided the iconic backdrop just six times before the tournament folded, it was the catalyst for today’s Egyptian dynasty.
“I went and watched all the matches,” remembers, top Egyptian female player Engy Kheirallah. “It was so unreal, as if I was watching a movie, with that incredible view, setting and history. That’s what got people interested in the sport.” Amr Wagih, who played in the Al-Ahram series and reached 16 in the world, agrees. “After Al-Ahram, squash was now a special sport in Egypt,” says Wagih, who is now the national men’s coach. “It was our breakthrough moment.”
You can see it in the women’s pro tour rankings. In 1996, just two Egyptian women were ranked on the pro tour; today there are 23. After football, squash is now Egypt’s most popular sport.
That said, squash is still a relatively exclusive game. The Egyptian Squash Federation helps the elite players, and there is a fabulous squash complex at Cairo’s national stadium. Moreover, it doesn’t hurt that President Hosni Mubarak
The Al-Ahram squash championships, with its extraordinary backdrop of the pyramids, helped build Egypt’s love of the sport is a big fan. He was a serious squash player – he used to play weekly at the Ministry of Defence’s courts. “I saw him play there,” says Wael El-Hindi, one of today’s top- ranked Egyptians. “He hit the ball well.” Mubarak attended, amid much fanfare, the Al-Ahram event each year.
There are 1,500 courts in the country (only seven countries in the world have more), most of which are at the enormous members- only clubs in Cairo and Alexandria. A dozen clubs in Cairo (including the Gezira, Heliopolis, Wadi Degla and Maadi clubs) and two in Alexandria (Sporting and Smouha) provide the backbone of the game. These are massive cities within cities, owned by the state but funded primarily through their members (Gezira’s initiation fee is US$23,000). They boast restaurants, golf courses, horse-racing tracks, Olympic-sized swimming pools, cricket and polo pitches, tennis and squash courts. The clubs, competitive with each other, offer memberships to promising youngsters, wealthy or working class, and provide top-notch coaching and send them to tournaments, all of which brings back good media attention when the junior succeeds.
The legendary Al-Ahram tournaments turned squash into front-page news. Today the top players make, with sponsorships, exhibitions, appearance fees and prize money, high annual earnings.
Even Egypt’s higher education structure facilitates squash development. Most of the Egyptian professional players attend university, where they are given the flexibility to work around their training and tournament schedules.
They can also end up marrying each other. Two of the power squash couples in Egypt are made up of top-20 players: Karim Darwish and Engy Kheirallah, and Omar Elborolossy and Salma Shabana (Amr’s sister).
Much like the Al-Ahram event did in the 1990s, the Soho Square tournament hopes to inspire a second wave of the squash revolution. “Many families saw the Al-Ahram tournament and wanted to see their children playing there,” says Ahmed Said, director of the World Open tournament. “With such a fabulous location on the Red Sea, this will happen again. But you must have more than the facilities, the coaches and the interest: you must have results.
And we hope we will here.” The Soho Square Women’s World Open Squash Championships run from 15-22 September. www.soho-sharm.com
If you’ve a head for heights, Dinner in the Sky has the best views in Beirut. Words_ Josh Wood
At street level, Beirut is not always regarded as a pretty city. But strapped into a seat and suspended 50m above the ground, it’s a different story. The green hills of the Lebanon Mountains merge into the city’s skyline, which creeps towards the sea and dissolves into the Mediterranean.
Dinner in the Sky, a dining table and chairs suspended by a crane, operates in over 30 countries and has just reached Beirut. But such a unique culinary experience comes at a price. For around US$15,000, 22 guests can share the table for an evening of world-class food and incredible views.
While Dinner in the Sky is currently located on reclaimed land near downtown, giving it commanding views of the city’s peninsula, the project’s mobile concept means it can be moved anywhere in the country, from Baalbek’s Roman ruins to Byblos’ picturesque harbour.
Despite the name, it’s not only about food. “We can offer different kinds of experiences: we can have a marriage in the sky or even golf in the sky,” enthuses David Ghysels, one of two Belgian entrepreneurs who came up with the lofty scheme. The duo teamed up with Lebanese businessman Alfred Asseily, owner of Ashrafieh’s French restaurant La Table D’Alfred, to bring the project to Beirut. Asseily set up a PR company, Alf Events, through which clients can hire out the table.
“More than the location, we are looking for partners who will operate it in a safe and exclusive way,” Ghysels says. While already open to the public in other cities, in Beirut Alf Events says it will reserve the table for corporate events for its first year in Lebanon, making it open to the general public thereafter.
Dinner in the Sky is also offering up the bottom of its airborne table and its seat backs to advertisers, providing companies with eye-catching branding opportunities. “On top of the fact that we like to see [from up high], people like to be seen. With this concept you have both,” says Ghysels. As ‘being seen’ is a large part of Beiruti culture, Dinner in the Sky – and the host of other aerial events the company offers in Lebanon – should prove to be a hit.
Tristan Rutherford offers a guide to independent shopping in Istanbul Photography_Serkan Taycan
The standard Istanbul shopping experience is a trip to the Grand Bazaar – well worth doing, but more for the ambience and architecture than any serious purchasing. Instead, for high fashion, unique accessories, jewellery, houseware and other items by local Turkish designers and manufacturers, head north of the Golden Horn to Beyoglu (and its micro-districts of Tünel, Galata, Galatasaray, Çukurcuma and Cihangir), as well as neighbouring Nisantasi and Akaretler. These are the areas where you’ll find everything from glass-roofed arcades of antique stores to sleek emporia of sartorial cool. Just don’t come crying to us when your credit card bill arrives.
Second Chance
Owner Ahu Yagtu sources predominately European labels from the 1960s to 1980s. Vintage Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Kenzo, Dior, Valentino and Özlem Süer are lapped up by Istanbul’s model, actress and artist communities alike. Racks of evening gowns run from US$50 to $300. Boxes of bags, pins, collars, hats, belts and shoes start at $15. Bereketzade Mahallesi, Camekan Sokak 1, Galata, +212 252 6836
Naturel Müzik
Hasmet Aslan, Naturel Müzik’s proprietor, talks customers through Turkish folk music, while purveying a superb range of time-honoured instruments including the ney (flute), davul (drum), saz (Turkish lute) and kemençe (Byzantine lyre), all of which are hand-made in the city. Musical scores and CDs are also available. Müeyyetzade Mahallesi, Galipdede Caddesi 103, Galata, +212 252 3166, www.naturelmuzik.com
Inci
In Istiklal Caddesi’s sea of international brand names (Mango and Nike sit across the street), indomitable Inci, a five-decade-old maître pâtissier, has maintained its independence. Hand-made chocolates lie under a glass counter; their takeaway giftboxes – each covered in floral fabric – on display in the cabinet behind. Inci is particularly famed for its profiteroles. Istiklal Caddesi 124, Beyoglu, +212 293 9224
Hall
The eponymous showroom of New Zealand- born furniture designer and collector Christopher Hall exhibits lampstands to bureau, side tables to consoles, all blending Arabesque hints with a playfully light use of steel, iron and marble. Objets d’art on sale include bedsteads from Vienna, wooden hilals and revolutionary Russian art, each with its own unique tale. Hall ships to clients across the Middle East. Faik Pasa Caddesi 6, Çukurcuma, +212 292 9590, www.hallistanbul.com
Beymen Blender
Blender’s brand-heavy sister store – Beymen – trades Stella McCartney and Helmut Lang on nearby Abdi Ipekçi Caddesi, while this offshoot sells original designs on a boutique-filled side street around the corner. The five floors (two men’s, three women’s) mix offbeat brands with Beymen Originals, this funky store’s own label. Its achingly hip Brasserie is a micro- cosm of Nisantası high society. Abdi Ipekçi Caddesi, Atiye Sokak 6, Nisantası, +212 261 9081, www.blender.com.tr
Umit Unal
This nine-year-old store is ably managed by Umit’s sister Sevtop. Both siblings learnt their trade from their parents, owners of a classic tailor further along Istiklal Caddesi. His flowing creations dress pop stars, performers and artists across the city. Asmalımescit Mahallesi, Ensiz Sokak 1B, Tünel, +212 245 7886, umitunal.com
Haremlique
Haremlique’s luxury hamman-bedroom- bathroom collection ranges from linens to cashmere throws. Homeware includes high- linen count Franco-Turkish fabrics, plump cushions and bespoke cotton bed sheets. Bathroom goodies are light and practical, and the products are intoxicating (fig, red tea and lemongrass soaps). Sair Nedim Bey Caddesi 11, Akaretler, +212 236 3843, www.haremlique.com
Irfan Yavru
Irfan Yavru is the artist behind several series of Istanbul-inspired canvas collages. Portraits mix bright brush strokes with cutouts of the city’s most memorable icons, including trams, sea ferries, fish markets and twinkling minarets. Also on display are parchment-thin Ottoman-era miniatures from €100 upwards. Turnacibasi Sokak 36, Çukurcuma, +212 292 6503
Sakarya Tatlicısi
Sakarya’s sweet offerings hail from both the Black Sea and Turkey’s border with Syria. Walnut and pistachio kadayif, or pine nut and semolina irmik helvasi, can be giftwrapped for the plane home. Come autumn, boxes of ayva tatlisi quince pudding hit the shelves, best served with Anatolian clotted cream. Dudu Odalari Sokak 3, Galatasaray, +212 249 2469
No.39
This shoe store extraordinaire is located in upmarket Nisantasi (one mile north of Taksim Square; nearest metro stop: Osmanbey), tucked among the edgy boutiques. No.39’s hand-made creations are shockingly colourful. Its 2010 collection is open-toed and summery, topped with spangles, straps and tassels. Just a few examples of each design are produced, making each pair of heels and flats a near original. Prices are around US$100-200, but there’s a 50% off sales room to the rear. Süleyman Nazif Sokak 39, Nisantasi, +212 241 40 59, www.nr39.com
Sevan Biçakçi
Now dotted with the likes of Marc Jacobs and Marni, the ritzy neighbourhood of Akaretler has come a long way since its humble beginnings as the nearby Dolmabahçe Palace’s stables. This shoppers’ paradise is anchored by the W Hotel, which sits above Sevan Biçakçi’s jewellery showroom, sister store to his outlet in Dubai’s Wafi Mall. Crystal-globe topped rings are ornate – each miniature world houses an Istanbul-inspired scene: the Haghia Sophia, Ottoman Tulips and Üsküdar’s Yeni Valide mosque among them. Sair Nedim Bey Caddesi 3, Akaretler, +212 236 9199, www.sevanbicakci.com
Gönül Paksoy
The clothing by this Adana-born designer could be described as Ottoman Nouveau, inspired in turn by Sufi dervishes and Turkey’s ochre earth. Dresses and tops are both classic and sumptuous, yet with little ornamentation. Petite hammam shoes and slippers are comfy and playful, while the jewellery selection – ancient glass beads, stones, beaten gold – seems inspired by the Istanbul Archeology Museum. Tesvikiye Caddesi, Atiye Sokak 6, Nisantasi, +212 261 9081
Gon
Lovers of çizgi roman – cartoons in Turkish – flock to Gon in droves. It stocks international comicbooks from European bande dessinée classics to US Marvel mainstays (Iron Man and Wolverine, among others). Turkish comics include popular works of Ersin Yilmaz Karabulut, classic Tarkan titles, modern Rodeo Trip and the exclusive Istanbul Zombi 2066, an independent Turkish-Spanish comic with a strictly limited print-run. Yeni Çarsi Caddesi 34, Galatasaray, +212 245 9820, www.gonkit.com
Asri Tursucu
Asri Tursucu has been pickling peppers at this location since 1938 and, judging from the portrait behind the long wooden counter, little has changed since then. Rows of photogenic jars line the shop window, including carrots, artichoke hearts, eggs, lemons and – our personal favourite – a huge melon pickled inside a tight-necked jar (how they got it in there is anyone’s guess). Agahamam Caddesi 9, Cihangir, +212 244 4724, www.asritursucu.com
By Retro
This temple of retro would be tricky to find were it not for the shop’s unique marketing tactic: a model, alternatively dressed as a sultan, Elvis or a 1950s pin-up, stands on the main street and points the way. The store encompasses six decades of cool, from 1930s militaria to 1980s sneakers, a vast collection replenished every 15 days by owner-DJ Hakan Vardar and Spanish designer Jose Miguel. Pick of the bargains are shoes (from €20), plus trunks brimming with hats, glasses and belts (from €10). Istiklal Caddesi 166, Suriye Pasaji, Tünel, +212 245 6420, www.byretro.com
Where I shop
Bedri Baykam, Piramid Gallery owner
Bedri’s favourite shopping districts are Beyoglu and Nisantasi. Just off Taksim Square, he visits Ozen Kirtasiye (Sıra Selviler Caddesi 24) for art supplies and Inci (see p32) for pastries. Nisantası’s contemporary art scene delights Bedri: “I rate Mac Art (Kemal Öke Caddesi, www.macartgallery.com) and the international exhibitions at Dirimart (Abdi Ipekçi Caddesi ٧, www.dirimart.org).” Piramid Gallery, Feridiye Caddesi 23, +212 297 31 20, www.piramidsanat.com
Ugur Alparslan, head chef at Tugra Ugur eschews regular cookbooks, preferring to source traditional Ottoman recipes from the archives of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace and Çiragan Palace. He purchases his meats at Dükkan, supplier to the city’s best restaurants. Pickles, olives and honey he gets from Namli Pastirmaci (Hasircılar Caddesi 14) in Eminönü, and specialty cheeses from Antre Gourmet in Cihangir (Akarsu Caddesi
40). Ugur recommends Pasabahçe (Istiklal Caddesi 150) for glass, and Porland (in Sisli’s Cevahir mall) for ceramics. Tugra, Çıragan Palace Kempinski, Caddesi 32, +212 258 3377, www.kempinski.com
Michelle Kadioglu, co-owner of spice shop Kral
The pasajı (covered passages) around Istiklal are best for one-offs, says Michelle (27). She also rates Mavi (Istiklal Caddesi 195), Turkey’s answer to H&M or Zara, for jeans and casuals. Nearby, Robinson Crusoe (Istiklal Caddesi 195) is a favourite for books on Ottoman costumes, cooking, spices, Turkish cinema and novels by Orhan Pamuk. For wedding and party outfits, she hunts in Nisantasi: Beyaz Butik (Valikonagi Caddesi 28) being the best. Well-priced frocks, and skirts at Mudo (Tesvikiye Caddesi 149) are also recommended. Kral, Hasircilar Caddesi 6, Eminönü, +212 513 8893
Mozk
Mozk is a haven of unadulterated vintage.
Puffy wedding dresses and Americana florals from the 1950s and 1970s predominate, with a few 1920s cigarette cases and 1980s power-shoulders for good measure. The huge table by the entrance mixes piles of big shades, showy brooches, pearls, wigs, misshapen Panama hats and Al Capone fedoras. Altıpatlar Sokak 10, Kuloglu Mahallesi, Cihangir, +212 252 3499, www.mozk.co.uk
It seems Dubai’s younger generation is no longer allowed simply to “play” – now they have to learn while they’re doing it. But is it fun? Kate Douglas investigates
Photos_Efraim Evidor
Walking down a lamp-lit street I see into a radio station studio through an open window. Inside, a small boy sits on the floor, leaning against the wall, head bowed. When I walk back 10 minutes later, he’s in the same limp position. Concerned, I ask if he’s okay. “I’m fine!” he shouts back. “I’m just waiting for the ambulance!”
On cue, an ambulance whizzes around the corner, as crowd-control police solemnly order me to move. Instead of panicking, I chuckle to myself. I’m in KidZania, the new “children’s city” located inside Dubai Mall, where children take on “jobs”, use their own currency (KidZos, with their own HSBC-branded ATMs) and, evidently, take their roles wonderfully seriously. “KidZania was created to encourage children to participate in role play,” explains William Edwards, one of the founders of the “edutainment” epicentre. “It allows them to indulge the natural urge to imitate adults.” Initially introduced in Santa Fe in Mexico, the ingenious concept was refined and then duplicated in Monterrey, Tokyo, Jakarta, Nishinomiya and Lisbon, and now it’s landed in Dubai.
“Everything inside the city is based on something real: from the petrol stations to the hospital to the TV studio, everything’s scaled down and simplified for kids,” says William. “Adults are only let in as guests of the children. We’re trying to encourage independent thought.”
Fortunately, I manage to sneak my way in with Seema Shetty, Dubai KidZania’s PR and advertising manager, who gives me a tour of the 70 or so businesses and outlets all looking for (fun! legal!) child labour. Beginning at the airport, we collect a branded boarding pass and 50 KidZos pocket money before entering the labyrinthine, two-floored 2,000m² space.
There are children everywhere – running the local newspaper (reporting on city events then typing them up on a front page to keep), in the restaurant kitchens (making pizza), and in the fire station (a very popular vocation due to the flashing fire engine that roams the streets).
Every detail has been considered, from the fact that the ceiling is painted dusk to suggest the time when kids normally have to go to bed and lose all their freedom to the special language in which all “s”s are replaced with “z”s (zupervizor, kidz, univerzity).
But the best part of it all? The children are being educated: about vocations, teamwork, responsibility and even the value of currency and education (all salaries are doubled if the worker attends Kidz Univerzity).
Do the children even realise they’re being duped into learning? “I love the driving school!” shouts six-year-old Luke from Ireland. “I want to look after the babies in the hospital!” shouts his four-year-old brother John-Paul. It appears not.
On the other side of town, more edutainment is being introduced at the new Cité des Enfants in Mirdif City Centre mall, though on a smaller scale and for smaller children.
“We aim at two to seven year olds,” says Samantha Eadle, the group marketing manager. “The area includes five different sections, named I Can Do (games and experiments to foster cognitive skills), I Experiment (an introduction to science via water, air and light), I Locate Myself (spatial awareness), I Discover Myself (mental, physical and social identities), and All Together (social skills).”
The different zones are like art exhibitions, each with a definite surrealist twist. One task involves matching yourself up to different-sized raincoats and is vaguely reminiscent of Magritte’s Son of Man; another invites you to blow into a microphone and watch how many seeds of a computerised dandelion blow away as a result. Benches are dotted about for parents, though these seats aren’t comfortable. Unlike at KidZania, adults here are encouraged to interact alongside their kids.
Where has this education-meets-entertainment trend emerged from? And why is it becoming so popular in Dubai? “People are time poor here and want to ensure that the time they do have with their kids is spent doing something worthwhile, something which might give them a bit of an advantage early in life,” explains Samantha.
But Seema believes they are a backlash to computer games and other passive pastimes. “Everything at KidZania is designed to get kids active,” she explains.
But are these centres as fun as a session on PlayStation? There’s only one way to find out. “Of course!” says the previously injured, now considerably chirpier, radio DJ we met earlier. “This time I get to be in the game!”
The patients may have feathers and the hospital food may be an acquired taste, but visitors flock to the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, one of the most unusual tourist attractions in the UAE. Words_Mike MacEacheran
Photos_Alamy
The Accident and Emergency room is silent and the doctors are on edge. The patient lying on the table has been hit by a car and needs urgent care. But this is not an everyday case of ER – the patient is covered in feathers.
She’s a peregrine falcon, the world’s largest bird of prey, and every few minutes her breathless squawks shatter the silence.
Placing a miniature gas mask over the bird’s curved beak, Dr Margit Muller surveys the patient and looks at her watch. “It only takes a few seconds for the anaesthetic to kick in,” she whispers. Within a matter of hours following its motorway collision, the six-year-old falcon has been rushed to Abu Dhabi for urgent wing-saving surgery.
Turning the bird over with delicately poised rubber gloves, the white-coated German veterinary director inspects the damage and breathes a deep sigh of relief. “Thankfully, it’s a standard operation,” she says. “We see many birds with similar injuries.” Pulling out a surgical drawer beneath the operating table, Margit pauses to select her scalpel and tools. There are hundreds of screws, pins, scissors, bandages and bamboo sticks. Like a mechanic’s toolbox, it contains the perfect components for fixing the falcon’s broken anatomy.
Established as the world’s first public falcon hospital in October 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH) is not the average tourist experience. Located on the outskirts of the UAE capital, ADFH has become one of the region’s most unusual tourist attractions, yet its priority remains the rehabilitation of falcons. “From 1,000 falcons in the first years we are now treating 5,000 falcons a year,” beams Margit. “We’ve emerged as the largest falcon hospital and have become the world’s leading centre for falcon medicine.”
The bird’s wing is stretched out across the operating table and surgery begins. In a matter of minutes, the broken wing has been rebuilt from a number of carefully sized bamboo sticks and super-strength glue. The surgeon has pieced back together both its damaged feathers and the hearts and minds of its owners.
“We conduct many kinds of operations ranging from orthopaedic surgeries to soft tissue surgeries, and are specialised in falcon eye treatments,” chirps Margit, as a veterinary assistant prepares to takes over. She passes him the bird as if it were a newborn baby. “We treat 40 to 70 falcon patients every day, including normal examinations as well as endoscopies – it’s a busy little place.”
Margit’s passion for falcons has single-handedly turned ADFH into an unprecedented success. Having won six international awards for its education initiatives, the hospital’s guided tours have become insatiably popular.
Additionally, the veterinary director’s hard work has increased regional awareness about falcon diseases and allowed research and husbandry to flourish. “I can never get enough of doing this,” she laughs. “The falcons really need us.” Margit hasn’t had a holiday in years. Since opening, ADFH has established a loyal and wide patient base across the Gulf. It acts as a regional facility for issuing falcon passports and travel documents – for exhibition birds rather than for holidaying parrots or burnt-out seagulls – as well as in-house boarding and moulting facilities for falcons. And with a patient influx of more than 35,000 birds since its opening, it is clear that the regional owners have got the message.
During a tour, visitors are given a behind-the-scenes look at the emergency room, the outpatient surgery, the Falconry Museum and the free-flight aviary rehabilitation centre: a luxury ornithology outpost. “Our surgeries are usually in the afternoon after the outpatient clinic has closed,” adds Margit. “In the evening we go for another round through the wards, but tourism has become one of the main pillars of what we do at the hospital.”
As I look back into the falcon recovery room, I see a slightly dazed bird perched on a wooden stand. It shakes its head, ruffles its feathers and stretches its wings, which slowly beat to life like the wind-up engine of a prop-plane. Bewildered and bemused, it has survived to fly another day and – without as much as a squawk or even a bird flu sneeze – looks rather pleased about it.
Stressed? Sleepless? Knots in your back? It’s time to book a wellness break in Sharm El-Sheikh Words_Heidi Fuller-Love
Spa holidays in Sharm El-Sheikh aren’t a new phenomenon.
It’s believed people visited spas when Menes ruled Egypt 5,000 years ago. Adventurous Europeans first discovered Sharm’s spa delights in the 19th century, when, inspired by an era of archaeological discovery and the inception of Thomas Cook’s luxurious steam ships, they flocked to relax at the sulphurous hot springs and mineral-rich waters of the Red Sea.
Over the past decade, there’s been a spa renaissance in Sharm El-Sheikh, with centres popping up all over the Sinai Peninsula. Increasingly, rejuvenating spa treatments are being seen as a necessity rather than a luxury, as people become better informed about their personal health and wellbeing. Now Sharm El-Sheikh has become a wellness destination in its own right. Here are J Magazine’s top five Sharm spas:
Sheraton Sharm Thalasso Spa
This is the first place in Egypt to specialise in thalassotherapy, which uses the medicinal properties of seawater to benefit the skin. The Thalasso spa covers the space of two football pitches with its 16 treatment rooms, colonnaded hydro-massage pool fed with mineral-rich Red Sea water, and gourmet restaurant specialising in healthy food. The must-have treatment here is Nefertiti’s Secret, a three-day programme of nurturing, nourishing and revitalising the body using seaweed wraps, massages and fragrant skin treatments.
At this stunning spa, set in landscaped grounds overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba, you can enjoy a pampering inspired by ancient Egyptian wellness rites. For a detox with a local flavour, try the Arabian coffee ritual, a vigorous rub using freshly ground coffee beans and Red Sea minerals. For a more languorous kneading, lap up a sensual milk-and-honey Cleopatra massage.
Replete with gleaming Moorish ceramics, the small-but-beautiful spa offers a sunken Jacuzzi, five massage rooms and a eucalyptus-scented steam room. For maximum luxuriating, ask for the Egyptian herbal massage, an ancient therapy using camomile, mint and essential oils to tone the body, improve circulation and ease the mind.
This new spa set in dense palm groves at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula boasts a state-of-the-art fitness centre, an open-air Jacuzzi and 10 therapy rooms. For sheer indulgence, splash out on the Double Mud Detox Extravaganza, an olive body scrub, mud bath and scalp massage served with chocolate and a drink of your choice.
An hour’s drive from Sharm El-Sheikh, this sulphur-rich spring surrounded by palm trees is famed for its steaming water, which is said to cure everything from skin diseases to digestive disorders and high blood pressure. It’s named after the prophet Moses, who is believed to have visited the site.
Walking down a lamp-lit street I see into a radio station studio through an open window. Inside, a small boy sits on the floor, leaning against the wall, head bowed. When I walk back 10 minutes later, he’s in the same limp position. Concerned, I ask if he’s okay. “I’m fine!” he shouts back. “I’m just waiting for the ambulance!”
Fortunately, I manage to sneak my way in with Seema Shetty, Dubai KidZania’s PR and advertising manager, who gives me a tour of the 70 or so businesses and outlets all looking for (fun! legal!) child labour. Beginning at the airport, we collect a branded boarding pass and 50 KidZos pocket money before entering the labyrinthine, two-floored 2,000m² space.
“We aim at two to seven year olds,” says Samantha Eadle, the group marketing manager. “The area includes five different sections, named I Can Do (games and experiments to foster cognitive skills), I Experiment (an introduction to science via water, air and light), I Locate Myself (spatial awareness), I Discover Myself (mental, physical and social identities), and All Together (social skills).”
But are these centres as fun as a session on PlayStation? There’s only one way to find out. “Of course!” says the previously injured, now considerably chirpier, radio DJ we met earlier. “This time I get to be in the game!”
The Accident and Emergency room is silent and the doctors are on edge. The patient lying on the table has been hit by a car and needs urgent care. But this is not an everyday case of ER – the patient is covered in feathers. 
Established as the world’s first public falcon hospital in October 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH) is not the average tourist experience. Located on the outskirts of the UAE capital, ADFH has become one of the region’s most unusual tourist attractions, yet its priority remains the rehabilitation of falcons. “From 1,000 falcons in the first years we are now treating 5,000 falcons a year,” beams Margit. “We’ve emerged as the largest falcon hospital and have become the world’s leading centre for falcon medicine.”
Margit’s passion for falcons has single-handedly turned ADFH into an unprecedented success. Having won six international awards for its education initiatives, the hospital’s guided tours have become insatiably popular.
Sheraton Sharm Thalasso Spa
Four Seasons Beauty and Wellness Spa
Club Olympus Fitness Centre & Spa
Grand Rotana Resort & Spa
Moses Bath natural springs