Shopping in Dubai: real pleasure

Shopping at the oldest area: 
Markets and the Creek:

Rumor has it that Dubai was born in the Creek. It is a natural sea entrance, that was the old port of the city and the place where the pearl trade reached its golden era more than 100 years ago.
Today is the most scenic waterway in the city, with open taxi boats that connect locals and visitors from one bank to another and from one market to another of the old town. The oldest neighborhoods in the city, Deira and Burj Dubai are at each side.
The Creek offers at sunset a very different evening: it is possible to have dinner aboard traditional boats, called dhows. Usually, a tour of this kind provides transfer from the hotel to the pier, buffet dinner at the boat plus drinks and transfer back. The price is around 45 euros. The ride lasts a couple of hours and is sailing quietly as you can see the most historic areas of the city by night.
Another unforgettable visit by day, on the banks of the Creek Deira neighborhood, is taking a walk around the oldest souks or markets of the city.

Closest to Creek, is the Spice Souk. This ancient market has a few blocks long, but deep into it, you can say that it is possible to be back in time. If you like taking pictures of the colors of spices and to experience traditional smells, this is the place. It is perfect to buy not so common spices that are very expensive elsewhere.
You can also buy any type of tea leaves and there are many shops selling clothes, pashminas and traditional dresses.

Just a couple of blocks away from this souk, in the opposite direction of the Creek, is the Gold Souk, named for the high concentration of jewelers dedicated to the beautiful jewels made with gold.
With over 300 stores, this market has given to Dubai many times the nickname of City of Gold
It is amazing to see the sense of security that this place radiates, not for the presence of the police, there is in fact little, but because there is not a cage for windows and it is amazing to see gold jewels that local women show over their traditional black robes at street.
Anyway, to buy something, I recommend as always, discretion and if you buy somenthing, keep the shop bag in a large handbag.

Tips for the souks:

* At the Spice souk, you have to negotiate the price for everything. There is no other way and in fact, this is a part of the show and the experience of visiting it. The hardest salesmen to make you a discount are the one selling pashminas. I suggest not to close the deal with the first shop you visit.

Very often, the good you are interested in, it is easily find in another shop, because the items are repeated.

* In Gold Souk is ideal for touring at noon, when it's the sun of Dubai hits the city. The streets of this souk are roofed, and you can have a nice walk with the golden frame of the windows and sit a while on their benches to rest and analyze business.

* Although the gold price per ounce is not a bargain, it is considerably cheaper than in another country. In Dubai you can find different karat gold: 18, 22, 24. Personally I always lean towards gold 18 as the most lasting in purity and not turn black in the future.

* There is no rule or recommendation to visit a gold shop or another. I find it convenient always have a look first at the way the shop present jewels in the window and the sense of cleaning and presence of the salesmen. The rest depends on each pocket and what you like...

Shopping at the newest area: 

Dubai Malls

There are few places in Dubai that express the richness and opulence of this Emirate and that is the case of Dubai shoppings.
We know the city landmarks, the famous buildings, the impossible architecture, but the malls exude marbles, crystals , fountains and real engineering, all to flatter the eye and the infinite pleasure of shopping.
They worth a ride and reserve part of your time to walk them:

Dubai Mall:
We talked about it, when referring to the Burj Khalifa .
The largest Emirates shopping currently extends to the foot of the tower The four plants contain over 1,200 shops in the center of the city.
Literally, best designers and most exclusive in the world are represented here (Argentina is also presented with an excellent local of La Martina).
You can find exclusive areas of restaurants, french cafés and pasticcerie at all levels and with a touch of style.
The shopping most famous atraction is a giant aquarium in one of the arcades. It is stunning and I recommend to see it . There are also ice rink for kids to entertain like crazy and in the main courtyard , a great place to have a coffee or a drink while the sun falls on the city , it is easy there to locate the Dubai Fountain .
Visiting hours are:
From Sunday to Wednesday from 10:00 to 22:00 hours. Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 24:00 .

Mall of the Emirates:
It is another star in the shopping system of Dubai.
Just a little smaller than Dubai Mall, which is located on Sheikh Zayed Avenue, (the largest avenue in the city), very near to the famous Palm Jumeirah.
More french in style, has a beautiful dome made of iron and glass, you can find also fountains at galleries' centers, and it is well known for having a Snow resort called Ski Dubai.
It is truly a park for locals and visitors that gives the idea of being in one of the ski centers worldwide. You may get a ticket to enter, to rent appropriate clothing to skiing or sledding by artificial slopes. You can also see all this activity from the viewpoints of shopping.

Souk Madinat Jumeirah:
It is located just a few steps away from the most famous hotel in Dubai, the Burj Al Arab.
Very different from the big malls, this souk is attractive because of its galleries, a truly modern representation of an old traditional souq , with a very pointed Moroccan air.
Prices are not so expensive. Bijoux or traditional hanging lamps with colored glasses are one of the best souvenirs. There are carpets shops and a large range of items to decorate home.
From the cafes terraces you can enjoy a magnificent view of the iconic Dubai hotel. The mall has over 70 stores and is particularly nice in the evenings because of the fine lighting that the shops have.

Tips on transfers:
The Mall of Emirates is strategically connected to a metro station, which is very easy for going and coming for example from the center to the mall.

Metro station

Both Dubai Mall and Mall of Emirates, offer free services or private shuttle bus from the main hotels in the city, so take advantage of that and have another nice trip around the city.
The subway is not free, but it is still very cheap. At least, make time for a short visit. The subway is actually a monorail that spans almost parallel to the main avenue of the city over enormous colonnades.
Subway stations are also look like a spaceship, inside each one, you could see a different design. Wagons are spacious, clean, bright, and allow a different view of the city, you can almost say "from the air".
Stations can also be used to cross the main avenue. Dubai is not easy to walk specially at downtown by the large amount of traffic, its huge avenues and narrow city sidewalks. That is why is always better to take subway or shuttle services from the hotels.

Currency:
Dirham is used in the United Arab Emirates. In April 2012, the conversion was around this: 1 dollar = 3.67 dirham.
Both dollars and euros are accepted in exchange offices.

Where to Stay:
I have the fortune to stay at the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel, a couple of blocks away from Burj Khalifa tower. I included my review at Advirsor Trip page.

Data trip to Dubai:
Dubai travel agency: Alpha Tours
http://www.alphatoursdubai.com/alphatours.html