Shopping in Dubai – Traditional Souks

That night when we arrived to Dubai, the hotel was extremely full. I was surprised to see so many people in the middle of the summer, in a city that was one of those you wanted to escape from in summer months.
There was so much humidity in the area, my uniform was literally soaked. I phoned my good friend there, as I usually did from the reception desk, each time I arrived. It was an overnight flight, but I did not feel like sleeping. I took a quick shower and we went to the local market, known as Souk among the locals. There are ten such markets in Dubai, with Gold Souk being the most popular by tourists. The one that I liked was the Textile Souk. I fell in love with the handmade shoes that were so comfortable and great to wear at spare time when I was not working. Those went well with jeans and any casual summer dress. But, what I liked the most was a happy face of the hard working salesman, who was usually the person that made the shoes, when I tried and picked several pairs. To honor the tradition, I negotiated the price. I would usually get over 50% discounts and at the end; I would pay the asking price by my own choice. The excitement that followed would always make me smile.