UAE | Heritage and Culture

Heritage Village refreshingly different

Either shopping malls or parks or else the beaches - these seemed to be the only "entertainment options" here.

  • By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:07 October 2, 2008
  • Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: Either shopping malls or parks or else the beaches - these seemed to be the only "entertainment options" here. However, for Eid Al Fitr, Heritage Village has offered an extra option and a different one at that - with its touch of traditional fare - said Abu Dhabi residents and tourists on the first day of Eid on Tuesday.

"It is nice that a celebration takes you to the old ages of the country," said Dan Manalo, 30, a Filipino civil engineer who attended the Eid Activities organised by Emirates Heritage Club at Heritage Village here.

"Some shopping malls also display antiques to give a traditional touch, but most of them are imitations," he said.

"The Arabian coffee and sweets served free from the traditional tents made of palm leaves made our Eid sweeter," added Manalo, who visited the village with his wife Kathleen and three-year-old daughter, Eve.

As the pitch of the traditional Arabic songs grew higher, the Filipino expatriates said: "We cannot understand the meaning of the songs, but we do enjoy the beat."

Encouraging response

Almost all the visitors gathered around the music troupe from Oman led by Ali Nasser Al Raisi, who said the 30-member group was excited by the encouraging response from visitors of different nationalities.

"We all feel deeply involved when people give that much support", Al Raisi said.

Faisal Habib, a visitor from England, was attracted by the handicrafts exhibited at the village. "My children enjoyed stroking a donkey, which they had never seen in England",said Habib.

Ursula Pupik, a German operations manager, was moved by the people's response to the festive environment at the village. "I find only smiling faces."

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