faisal
01-17-2009, 03:47 AM
This is off Wikipedia
"Al Satwa is a community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates comprising high-density retail outlets and private residential dwellings. It is located southwest of Bur Dubai and adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road. Originally, its residents were mainly of the Bloushi tribe. Notable features include the Iranian Hospital and the Al Satwa bus terminal. Al Satwa is known for its large South Asian community. E 11 (Sheikh Zayed Road) forms the southern boundary of Al Satwa."
And this is my version...
This place mostly consisted of old villas either occupied or leased out by the original owners and small one-three story buildings with a main area (main road) filled with shops on the ground floor making it something like a bazaar(market).
I remember Satwa as the place I bought my first bicycle from when I was 12. I remember it as the place we spend hours looking for bargains on general household things while munching on delicious Shawarmas (a local sandwich delicacy which I'm crazy about). I remember it as the place where you would find children running around barefoot in the front of their houses while old men looked on, a very village feel to it.
It served as a housing facility for low income people like drivers, helpers, doormen etc. Being cheaper to live in, many people were also able to call their families from their respective home countries.
Slowly with rising costs, Satwa had turned into something of a sharing room bachelor haven. With the density of the population increasing in the area, the place started getting dirtier.
Parallel to it was the famous Sheikh Zayed Road lined by huge glittering skyscrapers. Since Dubai is up to attracting rich/well off foreigners, some people felt Dubai couldn't afford to have a old part of the city right under the noses of these people. But no one seemed to have had an issue for about 10years where both these sides were able to survive next to each other without much trouble.
There is also a part of this place that is just beautiful. Beautiful houses, with trees that are easily 25+ years old (that's long for UAE standards). A few schools, a hospital, a university, a prison....all in well kept perfect condition.
And than some pipsqueak realizes that Satwa and its surrounding area is a property gold field. So a huge project is announced called the 'Jumeirah Garden City' where the whole area will be redeveloped into a Venice inspired city where you'd need boats to get around or something like that.
Best part is that neither have the poor been offered a alternative housing option nor have the rich locals offered adequate compensation and reason for this redevelopment is because the area was an eye sore though many of us know that this area wasn't all dirty and old and is so culturally rich that nothing can replace it.....It's like their wiping clean their own history...Capitalism strikes again...
But there is some hope...even though quite a few houses have been demolished and many more vacated...the bulk of the houses are still occupied cause with recession here, the project has been delayed by a year atleast!!!
Sorry about the really long post....
And now it's time for few pictures....
1) A shack with the skyscrapers in the background...If this is still standing than I'm guessing some people are just refusing to leave. Quite possible that the occupants might be poor local s refusing the meager compensation provided to them....
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/IMG_5477.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
2) A two shot panorama of the area where a small old villa used to exist similar to the ones around that are still standing....though not for long IMO!!
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/Satwa_Panorama2.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
3) A three shot panorama....Dunno what happened here....the house is partially demolished...
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/Satwa_Panorama3.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
More pictures later...need to edit them!!!
"Al Satwa is a community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates comprising high-density retail outlets and private residential dwellings. It is located southwest of Bur Dubai and adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road. Originally, its residents were mainly of the Bloushi tribe. Notable features include the Iranian Hospital and the Al Satwa bus terminal. Al Satwa is known for its large South Asian community. E 11 (Sheikh Zayed Road) forms the southern boundary of Al Satwa."
And this is my version...
This place mostly consisted of old villas either occupied or leased out by the original owners and small one-three story buildings with a main area (main road) filled with shops on the ground floor making it something like a bazaar(market).
I remember Satwa as the place I bought my first bicycle from when I was 12. I remember it as the place we spend hours looking for bargains on general household things while munching on delicious Shawarmas (a local sandwich delicacy which I'm crazy about). I remember it as the place where you would find children running around barefoot in the front of their houses while old men looked on, a very village feel to it.
It served as a housing facility for low income people like drivers, helpers, doormen etc. Being cheaper to live in, many people were also able to call their families from their respective home countries.
Slowly with rising costs, Satwa had turned into something of a sharing room bachelor haven. With the density of the population increasing in the area, the place started getting dirtier.
Parallel to it was the famous Sheikh Zayed Road lined by huge glittering skyscrapers. Since Dubai is up to attracting rich/well off foreigners, some people felt Dubai couldn't afford to have a old part of the city right under the noses of these people. But no one seemed to have had an issue for about 10years where both these sides were able to survive next to each other without much trouble.
There is also a part of this place that is just beautiful. Beautiful houses, with trees that are easily 25+ years old (that's long for UAE standards). A few schools, a hospital, a university, a prison....all in well kept perfect condition.
And than some pipsqueak realizes that Satwa and its surrounding area is a property gold field. So a huge project is announced called the 'Jumeirah Garden City' where the whole area will be redeveloped into a Venice inspired city where you'd need boats to get around or something like that.
Best part is that neither have the poor been offered a alternative housing option nor have the rich locals offered adequate compensation and reason for this redevelopment is because the area was an eye sore though many of us know that this area wasn't all dirty and old and is so culturally rich that nothing can replace it.....It's like their wiping clean their own history...Capitalism strikes again...
But there is some hope...even though quite a few houses have been demolished and many more vacated...the bulk of the houses are still occupied cause with recession here, the project has been delayed by a year atleast!!!
Sorry about the really long post....
And now it's time for few pictures....
1) A shack with the skyscrapers in the background...If this is still standing than I'm guessing some people are just refusing to leave. Quite possible that the occupants might be poor local s refusing the meager compensation provided to them....
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/IMG_5477.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
2) A two shot panorama of the area where a small old villa used to exist similar to the ones around that are still standing....though not for long IMO!!
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/Satwa_Panorama2.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
3) A three shot panorama....Dunno what happened here....the house is partially demolished...
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q121/faisal7/400D/Satwa_Panorama3.jpg
18mm, 1/30, f6.3, ISO 100
More pictures later...need to edit them!!!