Again, weekday activities are usually not mentioned……normally so tired that we don’t do anything new and try to chill out, but…………No chilling this week. More visitors…..I have been looking forward to these ones since crimbo!!!!
Mum and Steve arrived Sunday morning to blue skies and sunshine….a big change from UK weather!!! Straight away I treated them to a journey on Dubai roads, across Maktoum Bridge, dumped them at the apartment and went back to work. We returned later that evening to find them both like lobsters!!! They were reading on the balcony and napping!!! Hahahahaha Told them to cream up!! Thankfully no pain and it is brown now!! And in the evening we showed them the Mall Downstairs.
They had a day wandering around Dubai on Monday and we did the obligatory Burj al Arab Drive by and Mercato Mall etc in the evening. Sorted the big bus tour Tuesday and in the evening hit the Dubai Gold souk!
Mum was looking for a memento from the UAE and really wanted a ring…….Well, she certainly had lots to choose from…in the end it was a decider between two! I took her to where I got my ring and the guy did a fab deal, we picked it up the next night and wandered to a part of the Souks that was new to me!!!!!!!
THE SPICE SOUK! Not sure where it is?????? FOLLOW YOUR NOSE! The books all say that you cant miss the aroma, and it is soooo true! A small ally towards the creek with Hessian sacks full to the brim with all sorts of spices…..they all tell you “come in my shop, come in my shop”. I think it was daunting for mum at first, but you go with the flow, all they want to do is show you their wears.
The first shop on the corner was like stepping back in time in the UK. Little boxes of herbs and spices, and open boxes of treats……nuts etc. He gave us things to try.
The first was a few stone like things…..i looked at him funny, “what the hell are these” I thought. It turns out they were sweets! Sugar coated chocolate made with honey….VERY NICE, have a bag of those! He gave mum a vanilla pod hahahahah not really sure why! and I bought some Saffron and sandle wood for burning over candles. The guy was very informative but seemed some what half cut!? Not sure what he had been on?? Was very entertaining. I joked with him I would buy my spices from him if he let me take a photo of his shop, he was more than willing to oblige!
I will experiment with my spices (my cooking is improving) and perhaps stock up before returning to the UK.