Sharjah prides itself on being the steady-as-she-goes emirate, but don’t let that dissuade you. It is confident, worldly, multi-dimensional, interesting, and definitely less noisy than its cousin down the road a little west from here. Join me on a wander down shaded laneways and in and out of old houses and new spaces, as together we will explore what remains of an old part of town. There are houses and mosques, museums and galleries, palm trees and pearl merchants, all waiting for you. There are also plenty of places to stop on the way, if you want to find yourself a comfy cushion, order an Arabic coffee or a cool lime and mint juice. After all, it’s your time off, so enjoy. You'll enjoy these sights along the way: • peeking inside traditional houses • contemporary design inspired by Sharjah's craft heritage • souqs for shopping, and • hidden little alleyways. And there are fun stories about: • coral farming • what you can do with your leftover goat hooves • who has a PhD in piracy studies, and • palm trees on Mars (honest).