Dubai Escorts Travel Guide
Culture, courtyards and kaftans the tiny. Old bastakiya district affords a rare and fascinating glimpse ofthe old dubai with its renovated, but atmospheric wind-tower houses. (most places are closed friday). Start late afrernoon and grab a cab to the al fahidi roundabout to find majlis gallery / al fahidi st / this converted courtyard house is home to an eclectic array of art of varying ability and style, ceramic and jewellery (see advanced shopping/oytun camcigil). Next but one to majlls is basta art café. Open friday /with its laid-back, rustic courtyard and shady tree, perfect for a snack or soothing mint tea. Now, simply head down the alley between majlls and local house until you get to a small square with trees, keep going straight, turn right, then left, and continue on round bearing left, to find on the left, contemporary ostra gallery closed wed. Exit left and just around the next corner you'll espy the delightful, a gem of funky beady bags, shoes and a kaftan-lovers g-spot. Exit left and you can't miss lovely xva gallery. This boutique-y hoteuart gallery/cafe is the perfect retreat from the heat and hurly burly. Browse the art, sip fresh mint lemonade in the courtyard and feast on simple local fare. There's even a sweet little air-con salon and a good loo.
Refreshed? Dawdle back to the main road now and head right, down al fahidi street. Presently you will come across the al fahidi fort. You can whip round this museum in twenty minutes no sweat. When you exit simply head towards the grand mosque (yes, the one with all the domes), and take the little street that runs down the right side.
Go as far as you can towards the river and then turn left into the rabbit warren of narrow alleys (parallel to the creek). These lanes lead to the old souk, a semi open-air market that no doubt once was redolent with arabian magic, now sadly packed mostly with arabian tat. Head half-way down the alley with the creek directly on your right (you'll see the old souk abra station) and you'll find the curly, glinty slipper stall aladdin shoes.
Alrighty, choices ... If it's early evening you could weave through the rest of the souk ending up at the hsbc bank on the creek, from which you can jump on a boat (abra) and shuttle over to the deira side (one way costs 50fils), for the spice and gold souks . Or, easier still, simply grab one from the old souk abra station just on the waterside. Or, you could hire the whole abra (around dhs20) and have them chug you along the creek to the marina at the yacht club for glammy alfresco cocktails at the terrace. Whatever you do, avoid crossing by car to deira at rush hour as the traffic is purgatory. Phew!
Showcase antiques. An odd~ but strangely compelling, villa-based mix of arabian and indian antiques and artefacts, brass and copper, ornate omani jewellery and daggers, european furniture, lamps, 'art', prints, and a stash of antique firearms jumeirah beach rd 9am-9pm / closed fri.
Marina. This one stop shop/warehouse of easternnipped furny and accessories, also has some glorious antique (and repro) doors and frames, and is always worth a gander, but avert your gaze from the more donatella-ish leather bedroom sets and sofas.
Al barsha / umm suqeim rd / off interchange 4/340 1-112/ see also the souk madinat and mall of the emirates itins for smaller outlets
Pride of kashmir. Just five mins around the corner from marina is this warehouse chokka-stocked with a good selection of fine carpets and pashminas plus a whole bunch of inoffensive furniture and faff. Interchange 4 behind traffic dept.
Flamant. An homage to classic european style, everything, from the overstuffed sofas to the limed wood furniture, reeks of refinement. Expect cashmere-coated catfights fro-m the ladies who lunch. Taupetastic! S705 / 2/f mall of the emirates .
Hire a car and driver and skadaddle to the neighbouring emirate of sharjah which is only 30 mins from dubai (avoid the dreadful traffic in the peak hours of 8-1 dam and 4-7pm). Apart from its cultural heritage sharjah has a couple of knockout stores which are worth the schlep, but be aware that it also has the strictest decency laws in the uae, so no bare shoulders or macrame unikinis.
Indian jackpot pinky / lucky's. Two huge warehouses stacked to the rafters with indian furniture, chests, tables, doors, cupboards and whatnot, they can arrange shipping, but they're both a sod to find so call ahead for a faxed map. Pinky lucky's sharjah industrial estate / daily 9.30am-8.30pm / both close 1-4.30pm sat-thu & 12-4.30pm fri
Magic carpets the blue souq (central market). The upper storey of the most famous of sharjah's souks houses the best selection of carpet shops in the country, selling silk and wool woven works of art from india, pakistan and iran. While prices are rising here, it's still cheaper than dubai~ but bargain hard. There~s also a wide selection of silver jewellery to keep you happy.
Al majaz / close to sharjah creek/ 9am-1 pm and 4-11 pm sat-thu
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