pay tribute to the key role the sea has played
in the emirate’s heritage.
5 Eating
s dafa p reSian $$
(%06-569 3344; al-Mina rd; mains Dh30-45;
hlunch & dinner) Popular with Emirati
families, who dine in private booths, Sadaf
serves excellent authentic Persian cuisine.
The spicy, moist kebabs are particularly
good, and the ‘Zereshk Polo Meat’ (rice with
Iranian red barberries and chicken or meat)
is another star pick. Located opposite the
Radisson Blu Hotel. Reservations are rec-
ommended for dinner.
s ababeeh K l bane e Se $$
(%06-554 0444; al-qasba; mezze Dh12-18, mains
Dh40-60; hnoon-midnight Sat-Wed, to 1am Thu
& Fri) With its deep-purple walls, black fur-
niture and Arabic design flourishes, this
upmarket Lebanese restaurant channels
Dubai trendiness but without the attitude –
or the alcohol. Portions are not huge but
flavours are delicately paired and enhanced
by chef Ezzat Zubian’s ‘secret spices’. Reser-
vations are recommended.
sT fano’se iT lian a $$
( -alqasba; mains Dh46-50; hlunch & dinner) It
may not be quite as mama makes, but this
friendly Italian restaurant does a reasona-
ble job on the familiar mainstays, including
pizza, lasagne, ravioli, gnocchi and plenty
of other pasta and saucy choices.
7 Shopping
c ne Tral souq MarkeT
(h9am-1pm & 4-11pm Sat-Thu, 9am-noon &
4-11pm Fri) Also called the Blue Souq, the
Central Souq is a beautiful two-part build-
ing designed in ornate Arabic style. The
ground floor is primarily a gold souq, while
the small stores upstairs sell pashminas,
rugs and curios from such far-flung places
as Afghanistan and Rajasthan. If possible,
come in the evenings – only tourists shop
here during the day.Fs uq al-o arsa MarkeT
(h9am-1pm & 4-9pm Sat-Thu, 4-9pm Fri) The at-
mospheric Souq al-Arsa is the oldest souq in
the UAE. Head for the central courtyard for
the best stores, which sell everything from
Indian pashminas to Yemeni daggers and
at bargain prices – especially compared to
Dubai. Seek out the traditional coffeehouse,
a great stop for a reviving mint tea and
plate of dates.s eepinl G in sharJahMarbella resort (%06-574 1111; www
.marbellaresort.com; buheirah Corniche;
1-/2-bed ste Dh600/1000, villas Dh1500;
is) Looking like a village transplant-
ed from southern Spain, this oldie but
goodie has 50 private villas set in lush
tropical gardens, making it perfect for
families� Facilities include two pools,
a gym and tennis and squash courts
to get you off that lounge chair, and a
free daily shuttle to Dubai�The fraGile deserTAn unfortunate consequence of the rapid growth of Dubai’s tourism industry is dam-
age to the desert� It is an extremely fragile ecosystem and home to hundreds of spe-
cies, but in the parts of the desert where topsoil has been damaged by 4WDs, very little
lives or grows� The Bedouin people have always had a huge amount of respect for the
environment, but the desert is becoming more scarce as the development of Dubai
continues apace� The biggest problem is pollution� Hundreds of camels die every year
due to eating plastic bags carelessly dumped in the desert; the lumps of calcified plas-
tic frequently found in the stomachs of dead camels can weigh up to 60kg�
By supporting the d bai u desert conservation reserve (see the boxed text, p128)
and limiting the area in which desert safari companies can operate to the environs of
Al-Awir, the government is taking important steps to protect the environment� To do
your bit, stick to tracks wherever possible when driving off-road and avoid damaging
vegetation� Don’t drive in wadis: these are important sources of drinking water and can
be polluted by oil and grease from cars� Finally, take your rubbish home with you�d
ay TriP
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