Although it is the 3rd largest of the 7 Emirates, Sharjah is often thought of as a suburb of Dubai. Only 20 minutes away by car, Sharjah has become a popular choice for expats looking for a more relaxed and affordable living situation than they would get in neighbouring Emirate, Dubai.
Eager to learn more about Sharjah, Beth with fellow former QP staffer turned UAE-resident, Michele, headed over to the Emirate to explore.
Sharjah is considered a real leader and innovator in the embrace and promotion of arts and education. It constantly hosts literary and other festivals and has art galleries scattered all over the Emirate. So, we decided to check out as much of the culture as we could fit it.
We started with a visit to the Heritage Area near the sprawling Corniche. The area has restored a number of traditional Sharjah houses and has a charming market and numerous quaint museums, including the Museum of Calligraphy. The area currently spans a few city blocks but there are plans to expand the historic area substantially over the coming years.
After a stroll down the Corniche and a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant, we headed over to Al Qasna for a quick peak before hustling out of town to beat the sometimes intense rush hour traffic. Al Qasna has become one of the hot spots in Sharjah, hosting a beautiful canal lined with restaurants, shops, art galleries and, of course, the Eye of the Emirates ferris wheel. Even in mid-afternoon, the canal was bustling with people out enjoying the gorgeous weather and attractive promenade.
We were thrilled that the anticipated traffic jams did not really touch us on our way back and we made it back to Dubai in record time, leaving us the rest of the afternoon to get some serious work done.
Many thanks again to Michele, who has embraced UAE life to the fullest and was an excellent tour guide!
Many thanks again to Michele, who has embraced UAE life to the fullest and was an excellent tour guide!
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