Just when we were mulling over a last mango sitting prettily in our fruits bowl, my phone rang to a bug’s story tune. I was chatting to a friend and suddenly amidst all the discussions for a weekend plan, our conversation took a different course – “a place in Dubai that will sell the best mangoes, that are also cheaper than regular supermarket prices?”. Another friend had brought for us mangoes last year from a market which we had just occassionally heard of here and there. Right then hubby and I decided to head over to Fruits and Vegetables market located in Al Aweer instead of making a trip down to a supermarket which was close to our house for a box full of this incredible fruit. Since the time I came to Dubai, 3 years back, I have always missed the pleasure of shopping for my regular grocery in a real market; like that in India. Supermarkets are boring and time consuming! Though I may get everything that is on my buying list for the week, it still somehow make me feel tired and exhausted.Joy, as usual, is only a feeling in words.
Al Aweer Fruit & vegetable market is situated in an important trade zone of Dubai in Ras al Khor area. All the sign boards on Emirates road make it an easily accessible destination. Of all the reading that we did for the directions and the market’s foundation, we got to know that it is deemed as the biggest in the Gulf with an area of 6,110 hectares. When we got there, it really seem to hold true though we couldn’t roam around the whole place. The market on fridays is abuzz with vendors pulling over the carts (for onions, melons, garlic, avocados, herbs) near the shops and other men unloading imported goods from a truck on the other side of the parking lot; that is the scene you will get to see all around. The layout of the market is pretty much well organised with fruits in one location and vegetables in the other; and within each section you have specific areas for potatoes, onions, melons, garlic etc from different parts of the world. There are two sections – one for the wholesale which sell in bulk and other for the retail shops which sell everyday grocery in kilograms. The star in the whole market region was undoubtedly mangoes – in all sizes and colors of red, green and yellow. It isn’t called a ‘king of fruits’ just like that! After all the bargaining, testing the fruit by smelling for its fragrance and looking for desired size from different shops and heap of boxes that were on display, we finally managed to strike a good deal! 2 boxes for 26 Dhs with each box containing 15 big juicy mangoes; only a sucker for this amazing fruit will go for it. Husband is a great buyer (also very possessive about his mangoes) so I preferred to stay quiet and just happily clicked along whatever soothed my eye, when I was not running after Little A.
Though it cannot be labelled as a toursit sight seeing spot, it is fascinating to watch raw fruits and vegetables of all shapes, sizes and color from all over the world unload at one place. Instill that title of ‘taleneted bargainer’ if you are to visit Al Aweer market for your regular shopping trips. In all probabilities I will be visiting again for my next grocery shopping where I may get to buy okras from Oman, Egypt and Jordan, melons from Holland, apple from USA, strawberries from Australia, bunch of bananas and mangoes from India.