H H.Sheikh Sultan Ben Mohammed Al Qasimi
   Ruler of Sharjah
 

Sharjah is the third largest Emirate, having some 2,600 sq km and coasts on
            both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It surpassed Dubai as a
            maritime trading center until a dreadful night half a century ago when a
            terrible storm silted up its creek.

            Sharjah took an early lead in developing tourism. Some tourists use it as a
            base for exploring the other Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman. It is less
            crowded and the hotels are significantly less expensive than the competition
            in Dubai. Sharjah is also a popular arrival point for shoppers, with thousands
            (mostly from the former Eastern bloc) entering the UAE via airport on
            one-week visas.

            Sharjah suq is the most amazing building in the entire country. It looks like
            the Taj Mahal but is in fact a long shopping mall. Some praise the grandeur
            of the architecture, others are not convinced. It is a very convenient
            shopping center for short-term visitors as everything is available under one
            roof. Most visitors are interested in the traditional ware, including jewellery,
            carpets, hubble-bubble pipes and so on. The more humble shops near the
            main suq are good places to find more obscure things such as spices from
            the smaller Indian states and cassettes with the latest songs from Africa.

            Sharjah is proud of its reputation as a guardian of the country's cultural and
            intellectual tradition. The Sharjah Expo Center is a sight almost as stunning
            as the suq. It is a vast striped tent, which can get very hot in summer. Many
            exhibitions, including major book fairs, attract visitors throughout the year.
            One the northern side of the city, an imposing Cultural Center has been built;
            its main brief is to promote Arab culture but it also hosts Western events,
            including performances of Shakespeare and exhibitions of photographs by
            both nationals and expatriates.

            The wharf on Sharjah creek has not been spoilt by development. It gives a
            truly exotic feel for the way of life of the traditional seafarers. Hundreds od
            dhows still import and export an array of goods that one can see piled up on
            the quayside. Here, probably more than anywhere else on the UAE coast,
            one has the feeling of stepping back in time. Despite being able to cross the
            Indian Ocean, the dhows are so small and open that one can be fascinated
            by watching all the activity on board. It is interesting to speculate on the
            business of the various wild characters one sees negotiating passionatley with
            the captains, but probably unwise to enquire. The sailors (mostly from the
            Indian subcontinent) live a life that would have been familiar to Lord Jim and
            probably to Sindbad the Sailor.

            Cricket is the activity that puts Sharjah on the map in the sporting world. The
            only cricket stadium in the Arab world hosts one-day matches in the winter
            for the top cricketing teams. It is said that one has not experienced full
            human passion until one has been in the crowd at an India vs. Pakistan
            cricket match.

            Part of the Emirate of Sharjah lies across the Hajar mountains on the east
            coast, fronting the Gulf of Oman. The most northerly town in Dibba, now a
            small fishing village but its site was first occupied at least 3,000 years ago
            and has a long trading history, as do the delightful villages of Kalba and
            Khor Fakkan. Both of them have the remains of fortifications built by the
            Portuguese, who controlled this coast for a short time in the seventeenth
            century. Khor Fakkan has a majestic bay, overlooked by the Oceanic
            Hotel, where one can witness multi-colored sunrises and sunsets.

            One of the delights of this area is that the mountains come down almost to
            the sea (and sometimes right into it), creating an endlessly varied and
            picturesque coastline. The villages are populated almost entirly by nationals,
            which is rare in the UAE. This is the ideal place to come in winter to write
            the novel one never got around to.

                                      Kalba

            South of Fujairah lies the residential town of Kalba, the most southerly
            settlement before the border with Oman. Traditionally a fishing village, the
            town has been modernized and has a pleasant coastline with nice beaches,
            where you are sure to see the fishermen hauling in their nets. The old house
            of Sheikh Saeed AI Qassimi, overlooking the sea is under restoration by the
            Heritage Department and is worth a visit. Kalba's Al Hisn (fort) Museum is
            on the opposite side of the road. Open from 8 am to 1 pm and 4.30 pm to
            7.30 pm daily. Friday, afternoons only. Admission is free, 09 -777 689. The
            hospital in Kalba has 90 beds and services the surrounding area, 09 -777
            011. The nearest women's club based in the Siji Hotel (09 - 232 000) offers
            keep fit, educational facilities and a children's play area. The main hotel in
            Kalba is the Marine, 09 - 778 877. Look for the 'Pizza on the Beach' just
            after the fishing harbor, not tested but it looks interesting. Further south lies
            Khor Kalba, the site of the oldest mangrove forest of Arabia and an
            important conservation site for endangered animals.