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Nostalgic in Dubai: Karama, Lego and an old toy shop

On the momentous occasion of the UAE's 46th National Day, I can't help but reminisce about the Dubai that I used to know and love, the Dubai that saw me through my childhood and teenage years in the 80s and 90s. The city has grown and flourished since then, for sure, but old Dubai will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm sure many expats who have resided in this home away from home for decades will share the same sentiment.
There are certain places in the city that constantly evoke a sense of nostalgia. For example, Karama, in spite of the fact that it is undergoing a bit of a makeover at the moment. New buildings have replaced age-old ones that housed the same tenants for decades, unfamiliar shops greet me with their bright lights as I wistfully traverse paths I've known since I first arrived here in 1981.
While I miss some of the sights and experiences that are no more, I realise change in life is inevitable and while attachments may endure, their physical objects may not. Still, the fact that the building I stayed in for almost 30 years is still standing, always puts a smile on my face. Even though I don't live there anymore and I have no idea who does, I'd like to think those ancient childhood stickers we put up, including Spider-Man and the Hulk and Sindbad the Sailor, among others, still adorn our cupboards, carefully watching over sacrosanct memories of idyllic and happy times.
One of my earliest memories of Karama is visiting a toy shop called 'King of Toys' in the Karama Shopping Centre. I can still feel the excitement that gripped me and my sibling whenever my parents announced that we'd be dropping in there. While my brother eyed action figures, cars, trucks, battery-operated robots and other 'manly' toys, I would go dreamy-eyed over the dolls and their furniture, clothes and houses, and bead sets that you could spend hours making your own 'jewellery' with.
But both me and my brother had similar choices as far as a particular area of the shop was concerned, and that was the Lego section. These building blocks that built and shaped our childhood imagination, were what attracted us the most on any visit to the shop. Of course, we didn't always get what we set our sights on in King of Toys (Lego wasn't exactly cheap). But we'd jump for joy if Christmas or birthday gifts turned out to be Lego sets - and traditional gender roles would often be reversed here - I'd be happily assembling a spaceship while my brother watered plants and fed animals in a garden and pretended to cook up a storm. I sometimes regret not writing down the stories that we made up with Lego - it was a world where we could be anything we wanted, from a villainous cowboy or a good-natured farm worker to an adventurous spaceman or a handsome sailor. We even participated in a Lego competition once - and the creations we witnessed were mind-boggling. Today, when I visit a toy store and see the Lego section almost deserted I can't help feeling disappointed - kids, you seriously don't know what you're missing!
I could go on and on about my memories of old Dubai but I'll save the next set of stories for another time; I wish you all a very Happy National Day.
enid@khaleejtimes.com