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A disappearing way of life: inside Abu Dhabi's old Tourist Club

With the demolition of high-rises built in the post-oil boom, abu dhabi's oldest residents cling to community ways.

Zanudin makes bread at Shalqar Bakery. Pawan Singh / The National 

Abu Dhabi tower demolition: calls for more clarity on tenant rights

Hamdallah Ali first set foot in Tourist Club in 1968, a time when takeaway dinners meant going fishing. Mr Ali had come from Cairo, Egypt, to visit his friend and when he suggested they go out for a meal, his friend reached for fishing hooks and a reel.

“We cannot eat out,” Mr Ali’s friend told him. “There is no restaurant, nowhere to eat.”

Mr Ali stayed for two weeks.

“Then I ran,” says Mr Ali. “There was nothing here.”

When Mr Ali moved permanently to Abu Dhabi, 15 years later, the city’s eastern quarter known as Tourist Club was expanding rapidly as the oil-led construction boom transformed the country’s capital.

By the late 1970s, cranes filled the skies. But the side-roads and areas around many of the buildings were still sand.

Tourist Club is now undergoing another major transformation as boom-time buildings reach the end of their lifespan. Last month, the municipality announced it had demolished 220 buildings and earmarked another 272 for removal.

This overhaul was brought to the forefront after the emergency evacuation of a 13-storey building of more than 100 of its residents due to structural damage.

“They say by 2020 there will not be any old buildings here,” Mr Ali says. “All of this side of Abu Dhabi, it will be new.”

Tourist Club was always an informal name, one that puzzled new arrivals to the city because it referred to the long-demolished entertainment centre that once sat beside Le Meridien Hotel.

Today, it’s clear that even this historic neighbourhood has not been immune from modernisation. New hotels and malls have opened. Modern street names were introduced and, in 2014, the area was renamed Al Zahiyah, "the bright" or "colourful". And now, the handful of older buildings that survive from the first wave of construction are either being renovated or replaced.

But flickers of old Tourist Club remain. Stand in the lobby of any of the low-rent tower blocks and all sorts of people pass through to the elevators: a Tamil man carrying his daughter, 3, in from the school bus, a middle-aged Chinese woman in a black abaya, a young Syrian returning home with fresh flat bread from the hole-in-the-wall Shalqar Bakery across the street.

Mr Ali’s building is the typical Tourist Club blend of families and bachelors, the name for working men on low wages supporting their families overseas.

Its watchman, Saeed Mohammed, sits and watches people come and go throughout the day. Between washing the halls and overseeing repairs, he tends a patch of sugar cane he has grown from seeds and sits on the stairs with his relative Ahmed, drinking sweet tea prepared by his son. His day is punctuated by prayers at the local mosque, his forehead marked by a dark spot from hours spent in supplication.

Mr Mohammed spent his first summer in the Emirates working as a bricklayer. "I had to change my shirt three or four times a day," he says.

On its completion, he became the building watchman,  when the neighbourhood was new. "As long as my health is good, this is the most important. It's my fate, my destiny. My fate is here. If the house here is good, why would I leave?"

But eventually, everyone leaves.

Children raised in Tourist Club flats have repatriated, or moved on to flats in newer neighbourhoods, reaping the rewards of their parents’ hard work. The elderly repatriate when they retire, unless they can find sponsorship through adult children who have remained in the country.

Mr Ali has lived in this building for 30 years but no longer knows his neighbours. His adult daughter has moved to Dubai and his sons have returned to Egypt. Now 70, he will soon follow them.

“It’s very difficult for me because I think it will be like a new city, a new me. But this is life. You return home again.”

________________

Read More: 

How Mussaffah is undergoing a quiet transformation

'Every one of us is a little lost': Demolition starts in Umm Al Quwain's decrepit Old Town

Abu Dhabi Institute El Dorado to close its doors after 47 years

Nobody knows how many people live in each high-rise. “There’s 36 flats and maybe, oh, six in a flat,” says Mr Ali.

Mr Mohammed shakes his head. O nce Mr Ali leaves, he says "there's maybe 14 in a flat. It's hard to know, really. They don't know how many live there. It changes by the week."

Families rent flats by the year but bachelors rent bedspaces by the week. For them, city life in a crowded flat is preferred to government-managed labour camps in off-island suburbs, where they can face isolation .

As the age of a building rises, the income of tenants drop. Space is initially rented by the flat, then the room, then the bedspace. The number of beds per room rises as the building falls into disrepair.

When the 13-storey building was evacuated last month, families were placed in hotels but bachelors took their belongings and left, scattering across the city.

Older buildings remain in demand because of their affordability and community feel. An old two-bedroom flat can rent for as little as Dh30,000 annually, a 10th of the price paid for a hotel-apartment rental on the adjacent Al Maryah Island, which is separated from Tourist Club by a bridge.

When old high-rises are knocked down, middle and low-income families move to mainland suburbs like the industrial district of Mussaffah, which is quickly becoming a residential area .

Independent businesses have been squeezed out of old neighbourhoods due to tighter regulations . The demolition of older buildings will be their death knell.

Naveed Baig runs Al Mujahid Printing Press and Stationary from the base of one of these older buildings. External air-conditioning units cover the outside walls, an old tree stump protrudes beside the front steps, and from a nondescript doorway at the back Mr Baig reveals a hidden world.

Large manually operated machines that can staple books and perforate receipt books sit in one corner. In another are order books, laminating machines and rolls of paper. And over the two cramped but efficient floors, workers man four Heidelberg printing machines, fans whirr, and a strangely sweet aroma of ink hangs in the air.

Mr Baig has been operating from this building since he arrived in the UAE from Lahore, Pakistan, 14 years ago. He’s seen the changes. “Owners renovate some buildings, others are demolished.”

High-rises have sprouted beside it and cars fly past on a new road outside that replaced the simple street that once had a grass verge down the centre.

Mr Baig makes flyers, business cards and menus for restaurants. But business has been tough in recent years.

"There are more charges and no more walk-in customers. At least not many," he says. "This building will be demolished eventually and we will go to Mussaffah. In Mussaffah, if I have business, I'll feel good."

Sooner or later, the old buildings of Tourist Club will be demolished, the people will move on and a way of life will disappear . When this happens, few original residents will be here to mourn its passing.

The extraordinary stories shaping a people and a nation

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Community Insights Powered by DataGuru Tourist Club Area

About tourist club area.

Tourist Club Area, now known as Al Zahiyah, is a bustling community located in Abu Dhabi. It is known for its central location and abundance of amenities and schools. This community is ideal for those looking to rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi, as there are numerous options available in the area. However, it also offers villas that provide more space and privacy if desired.

What makes Tourist Club Area special is the unique atmosphere that can be felt throughout this part of the capital. The area is vibrant with plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants, retail stores and other places to explore - all within walking distance of each other or easily accessible by public transport or taxi.

There are also plenty of facilities such as gyms which offer various classes along with many swimming pools to enjoy during the hot summer months. In addition to these local amenities, there are well-known hotels in the area where visitors can stay when visiting from out-of-town or even residents who want a staycation without having to travel far from home.

Overall, the Tourist Club Area offers something for everyone. Those who want an easy life by renting an apartment close to work and facilities will certainly have no trouble finding what they're looking for.

Meanwhile, families seeking more space and convenient schools can call this place home. As for food lovers, they'll appreciate the variety of eateries available; while fitness fitness fanatics get easy access to the gyms nearby. Visitors get several hotels at their disposal; and shoppers will find both luxurious items and affordable clothing stores. Ultimately, Al Zahiyah has it all!

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Understand [ edit ]

The city history starting in the 16th century, the Cossack fortress called Kalmius was built at the mouth of Kalmius river for the purpose of protecting their hunting grounds, fisheries and salt-works against devastating raids of Crimean Tatars. After the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774), the great influx of orthodox Greeks from Crimea to the area caused the local population growth. In 1782 it was the capital of Uyezd in Azov Governorate of Russian Empire. After construction of the railway line from Yuzovka in 1882 made this city to a local trading centre. At the end of the 19th century, a subsidiary of the Belgian company SA Providence Russe opened a steelworks in Sartana near Mariupol. In 1933 a new steelworks (Azovstal) were built along the Kalmius River.

The city was heavily damaged by Russian bombardment in the spring of 2022.

Orientation [ edit ]

Mariupol is divided into four neighborhoods or 'raions'. There are:

• Ilyichivsky Raion is the northern part of the city, the largest and most industrialized neighborhood in the city. Commonly known as: Zavod (“Factory”) of Ilyich.
• Ordzhonikidzivsky Raion (after Sergo Ordzhonikidze) is at the east part of the city, on the left coast of Kalmius river. Common name: the Left Coast.
• Prymorsky Raion is in the south of the city, on the coast of the Azov Sea. The everyday name of the central part this neighbourhood is simply "Port".
• Zhovtnevy Raion (Russian: Oktyabrsky – after the Great October Revolution, 1917) is the central city raion. The everyday name of the raion is simply "the Centre", or "the City".

Climate [ edit ]

Mariupol has a humid continental climate. December-March is the humid period, about 15 rainy days per month. The highest temperature is 38 °C, in August. The temperature of the water in summer (Jun-Aug) is 22–24 °C.

Get in [ edit ]

Get around [ edit ]

Public transportation [ edit ]

Include: bus transportation, trolley-buses (14 routes), trams (12 routes) & fixed-route taxis. Install the App "City Bus Mariupol" which shows all buses and minibuses in real time. (10/2019)

Events [ edit ]

• Metallurgist Day (3rd Sunday of July) - a professional holiday for many residents.
• City Day (next Sunday after September 10).
• Mega Yurts - the annual festival of Greek culture, held in early September in Mariupol, or in one of the nearby villages.

Drink [ edit ]

Sleep [ edit ].

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Top Things to Do in Mariupol

Things to do in mariupol.

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1. Sultan Suleiman Mosque

2. Mariupol Art Museum Named After Arkhip Kuindzhi

3. Mariupol City Garden

4. PortCity

5. City Theater Square

6. extreme park.

7. Mariupol Zoo

8. ROOMS Playstation Club

9. Fly Kids

10. Museum of the Mariinsky Women's Gymnasium

11. mariupol museum of local lore, 12. museum of history and ethnography of azov greeks, 13. museum of mariupol commercial sea port, 14. church of the intercession of the mother of god, 15. museum of the history of the ilyich plant, 16. azov sea museum named after v. a. pavlia, 17. museum of the main directorate of the national police in the donetsk region, 18. jewish community of mariupol, 19. narodnoho pobutu museum, 20. computer club virus.

21. 1880 Cocktail Bar

22. XRoom Reality Quest

24. quest project izolyatsiya, 25. bowling club bombay, what travelers are saying.

• Sultan Suleiman Mosque
• Mariupol Art Museum Named After Arkhip Kuindzhi
• Mariupol City Garden
• Mariupol Zoo
• City Theater Square

Donetsk and Luhansk: What you should know about the ‘republics’

Who has followed Russia in recognising the controversial, Moscow-backed statelets in Ukraine? And what is life like there?

Kyiv, Ukraine – Moscow-backed separatists have controlled the southeastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, known collectively as Donbas, for almost eight years.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised them only on Monday, paving the way for the official presence of Russian troops in the rebel-controlled areas that occupy about a third of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Keep reading

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So far, only Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Syria have joined Putin in recognising Donetsk and Luhansk – along with breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. They all did so also on Monday.

The central question is whether Russia would recognise them in their current borders. Should it decide to help the rebels “restore” their statelets to the original borders, it may spell a large-scale war between Moscow and Kyiv.

At the moment, Russia will recognise “the borders, where the leadership of the DNR and the LNR are executing their authority,” Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told the Interfax News Agency on Tuesday.

But the foreign ministry also said on Tuesday that the issue of the borders is yet to be resolved.

While Ukraine and the West try to avoid war, other questions loom.

What are the roots of the region’s separatism? What has kept these areas alive since 2014? And what is their future?

Neo-Stalinism

A 13.5 metre-tall statue of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin still dominates the main square in Donetsk, the capital of the eponymous breakaway region in southeastern Ukraine.

And the constitution adopted by Lenin’s successor, Josef Stalin, has been restored by the Moscow-backed separatist leaders of Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk after they broke away from the central government in 2014.

This constitution prescribes the death penalty for a number of crimes, making the separatist “People’s Republics” – and authoritarian Belarus nearby – Europe’s only homes to capital punishment.

After almost eight years of existence, the “republics” are understood to have evolved into totalitarian, North Korea-like statelets.

It is near impossible for foreigners to enter the areas. Ukrainians can only visit if they have relatives in Donetsk and Luhansk, and would have to cross into Russia first, which takes about 30 hours and costs $100 – a journey that also involves bribing officials at times. Residents need a Soviet-era residency registration.

In the statelets, secret police and “loyal” residents monitor every word, phone call and text message.

Dissidents or businessmen who refuse to “donate” their assets to the “needs of the People’s Republic” have been thrown in “cellars”, or dozens of makeshift concentration camps, without trial.

“It looks like the 1930s in the Soviet Union, a classic gulag,” Stanislav Aseyev, a publicist who was kidnapped in 2017 in Donetsk and was sentenced by a separatist “court” to 15 years in jail for “espionage”, told Al Jazeera.

For almost two years, he was incarcerated and tortured in these “cellars” until separatists swapped him and dozens of other prisoners in 2017.

Thousands of others were tortured and abused in the “cellars”, according to rights groups and witnesses. The grave human rights abuses make Donetsk and Luhansk far worse than today’s Russia, an international human rights advocate said.

“The cellars where prisoners are held in Donetsk, and the widespread use of torture, are among the most obvious human rights issues,” said Ivar Dale, a senior policy adviser with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, a human rights watchdog group.

But there are much wider problems such as civil and political rights, he said.

“You could say that the political repression in Russia is doubly felt in Donetsk and Luhansk and other areas effectively under control of the Putin regime,” Dale told Al Jazeera.

Rust-belt ruins

These tendencies have gone hand in hand with economic degradation.

The living standards are “many times, if not dozens of times worse than in pre-war 2013”, said Aseyev, 32, who now lives in Kyiv and has published a novel about the events in Donetsk.

This regress looks even more staggering considering Donetsk’s and Luhansk’s not-so-ancient history. The cities were founded by two Brits.

Englishman Charles Gascoigne built a metal factory in what is now Luhansk in 1795, shortly after czarist Russia annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine from the Crimean Khanate, a mostly-Muslim vassal of Ottoman Turkey.

Decades later, in 1869, Welshman John Hughes started a steel plant and a coal mine in what is now Donetsk, and the city was named after him – Hughesovka or Yuzovka – until the Soviet era.

The birth and rapid growth of both cities followed the czarist government’s drive to develop the immense coal and iron ore deposits of what is now eastern Ukraine.

Communist Moscow further spurred the region’s development, and tens of thousands of ethnic Russians settled there, making urban areas almost exclusively Russian-speaking.

Coal and mines grew deeper next to hillocks made of spent ore, and foundries, chemical and power plants dotted the region.

The political heyday of Donetsk began in 2010, when its native Viktor Yanukovych became Ukraine’s president – and brought cohorts of his cronies to Kyiv.

They tried to wrestle control of Ukraine’s politics and economy – but triggered months-long protests that began in November 2013 and ended in February 2014, when the Ukrainian parliament voted to remove Yanukovych from office.

The protests are known in Ukraine as the Revolution of Dignity – but Russian President Vladimir Putin still calls them a “coup”.

‘Russian spring’

In the czarist era, the region was known as Novorossiya – or New Russia – and the Kremlin would use the name in 2014 as it proclaimed the “Russian Spring” or “liberation” of Russian-speaking regions in eastern and southern Ukraine.

But pro-Russian rallies and uprisings in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and Odesa, its largest seaport on the Black Sea, failed.

However, thousands of Russian volunteers flocked to Donetsk and Luhansk to aid separatist militias – while many locals were ecstatic about the “Russian Spring”.

“Putin will come and restore order here,” one of their supporters, a rotund minibus driver named Valerii, told this reporter in April 2014 in Donetsk.

But four months later, after the separatists tried to confiscate his minibus, he locked his apartment, loaded the bus with his most valuable belongings, and left for Kyiv.

‘Price tag’

Even though Ukraine barred any economic ties to the separatist regions, they still exist – and even involve top politicians.

Pro-Western President Petro Poroshenko, who came to power after the Revolution of Dignity, admitted that he channeled government funds worth tens of millions of dollars in exchange for Donetsk coal in the winter of 2014-2015 because otherwise “half of Ukraine could have frozen”.

But Russia still had to bankroll the separatist provinces spending billions of dollars a year.

So, what are Moscow’s economic goals in Donbas?

“Very simple – to lower the price tag of maintaining the occupied territories,” Aleksey Kusch, a Kyiv-based analyst, told Al Jazeera.

To achieve that, Russia may want to remove the middlemen who pocketed the lion’s share of profits from the export of coal and steel and the delivery of humanitarian aid that was immediately resold on the black market.

“They kept up to 70 percent of the profits,” Kushch said.