Abra Across the Creek and Women’s Museum

I’d been wanting to travel across the Dubai Creek in an abra and visiting the Women’s Museum on the other side was a perfect opportunity.

There’s no set schedule. You simply go to the wharf, wait for one to dock, follow people down the gangway and board the boat. Seats are a large platform and are arranged around the middle.

Once the abra was full, off it went across the creek. It took about 10 minutes to cross and was so much fun to be out on the water. When I got off, I headed for Deira, a very large area with many souks. It was packed with tourists buying everything. I wondered why tourists would choose this area as the other side has souks which are much less crowded.

I had Google up on my phone, but I still had a very hard time finding the Women’s Museum. I traveled through numerous narrow alleyways chockfull of shops. Finally, I saw a sign with an arrow. The museum was founded by Professor Rafia Obaid Ghubash, an epidemiological psychiatrist who actually grew up on the shores of Deira. She wanted a house to honor the women of her culture. It is the only one of its kind in the Arab region.

Below is an exhibit of poetry. I thought the display was beautiful.