Mecca for Shopaholics
MAGIC CARPETS
Dubai is a fantastic place to buy handmade carpets, as traders from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan converge on this shopping haven, selling their wares for anything from a few hundred up to thousands of dirhams. Outside of Iran this is the best place to buy Persian carpets; some of them are so exquisite it’s almost unthinkable to have them on the floor.
With a wide variety of carpets available it can be difficult to determine the quality and price. The quality is judged by whether it is machine or hand made; the type of dyes used, the number of knots and the size as well as the family name of the makers of the carpet.
The price of each carpet is calculated from the amount of knots that it has per square inch and silk carpets are considered more valuable than others. Although there is generally a carpet shop in every mall, for a real experience you can venture out of Dubai to the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah, 30 minutes away by taxi, to the Blue Souk which offers the widest range of carpets at the best prices.
ART SPHERE
In recent years Dubai has become a hub for arts from all over the Middle East. Whether you want to have a look or perhaps start your contemporary Middle Eastern art collection, these are some galleries worth checking out.
Art Space Middle East: www.artspace-dubai.com
The Third Line: www.thethirdline.com
B21: www.b21gallery.com
GETTING AROUND
There are 6,000 retail outlets and 40 shopping malls participating in the festival. The time it takes between malls can be anything from 10 to 20 minutes in a taxi depending on the time of the day. If you can help it, avoid rush-hour, when traffic comes to a complete stand still.
A metro line opened in Dubai last autumn, but it’s mainly for travelling cross town, rather than getting between shopping malls, and this is not a city with sidewalks made for walking! Taxi rides start at AED 3 (RMB 6) during the day, are metered and a ride from the east to the west of the city with normal traffic should come to about AED 70 (RMB 130).
TOP TIPS
Currency: AED 1 = RMB 1.9 (approximately)
Weather: Warm enough to swim and tan by day, but in the evenings or the intensely air-conditioned malls you may need a pashmina around your shoulders.
What to pack: Lots of cash or credit cards; stylish threads and comfortable shoes, but don’t worry if you forget something – it can all be picked up after you land.
What to buy: Carpets, swords and khanjars (Arabic curved daggers), prayer beads, marble goblets, silver Bedouin jewellery, cotton dhurries (oblong floor coverings) and inlaid rosewood and walnut furniture, gold, ‘oud’ Arabic perfume, all the designer labels.
Cultural etiquette: While a high percentage of Dubai’s population is made up of expats, it’s still worth being aware of the region’s modest dress as well as the local laws.
Opening hours: Malls open daily 9am-midnight; night souks open daily 6pm-2am
Web: www.eidindubai.ae
