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Relishing a slice of good old Abu Dhabi in Al Mina

Steeped in history and golden traditions, Al Mina is a place like no other in the country

Al Mina, nestled in one corner of the Abu Dhabi mainland, preserves the good old traditional practices of the UAE.
The Mina Zayed port, the fish market, fruit and vegetable shops, dates and carpet stores, a flower market and more give a quick peek into where everything started, what Abu Dhabi was few decades back.
The Capital is now transformed into a world-class city through the remarkable vision of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The area continues to be blessed with the royal patronage and love. Earlier this year, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, paid a visit to the carpet market. Sheikh Mohamed went to meet an Afghani carpet merchant who refused to sell the image of Sheikh Zayed and his video went viral on social media.
The video and the carpet itself brought pride to Al Safa Carpet Shop. Musa Khan, the merchant who was present during the Crown Prince's visit, was on a trip to Afghanistan but his brother Shah Mohammad said the royal visit has emboldened them to work even harder.
"Sheikh Mohamed came to meet my brother Musa. His words of encouragement still resonate in everyone's ears here. This place has a long history. We are here for years now. Local residents and tourists come here to buy the best carpets," Shah and his brother Khawriarea said while arranging carpets outside the shop.
Al Mina is a slice of what remains of the good old Abu Dhabi.
On an early morning drive to the famed Mina Fish Market and surrounding areas, visitors can see scores of fishermen returning with their catch. It is, after all, an important occupation and deeply embedded tradition of the UAE and the region at large. And the fish market, unlike the modern-day supermarket, allows one to engage in bargaining, too.
The fishermen say with great pride that the facility in Al Mina is one of the oldest and largest fish markets in the UAE.
"You see people of all kinds, classes and nationalities here to buy fish. We, at Mina Market, are all happily serving the large Abu Dhabi community for years. Fishing has always been a source of income and livelihood for the local and expat population of this country. Things have changed now, but fishing sector remains as an important one. Do you think anyone can pass a day without savouring a fish meal?" asked fish-seller Abdul Nasar.
Al Mina features an array of dates shops. And shopkeepers recollect the age-old street market culture that was very much part of old Abu Dhabi's ethos.
"This area is among the oldest in the country. We used to sell dates outdoors but now the open market system doesn't exist. Still, the old charm of this place remains intact. However, we don't know for how long. We have the best quality and the freshest dates but business has fallen and, unlike old times, people are visiting hypermarkets now," Al Zamami Dates Shop's Farook TK said while showing the spots where they used to set up tents and sell products outdoors.
Al Mina still continues to lure in tourists and many return to the place after their first visit, traders said.
"There is no other place in Abu Dhabi and arguably in the UAE where you can find so many aspects like a port and fish market, traditional carpet souq, dates, Iranian market, flower, fruit and vegetable, and all in one place of walking distance," they said.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com