Global Village: A Must-Visit Each Year!

From hosting 18 country pavilions in 1997, Global Village has expanded over the years to now include 31 pavilions representing more than 70 countries, with over 12,000 cultural and entertainment shows, culinary attractions from across the world and fun fair rides.

Global Village is like our baby and we’re so proud of it. Can’t believe it’s 19 years old already! It has become a local tradition here in the UAE to visit the Global Village at least once, and it’s also a favorite place for us to take visiting family members and friends.

Let me tell you some interesting facts about Turkish ice cream. You see, while I’m not crazy about this ice cream (is it weird that I don’t like ice creams in general?) there’s a reason why I hesitate to eat Turkish ice cream in particular.

Traditional Turkish ice cream is chewy, thick and has an elastic texture. This result stems from two of the main ingredients that are a thickening agent called salep and a resin called mastic. It’s quite popular because this type of ice cream has a marvelous resistance to melting and on hot summer days, it is consumed slowly without a fear of it dribbling down the cone.

But here’s the thing, salep is a type of flour produced from the tubers of dried, wild orchids growing in the mountains of south-eastern Turkey. Now, these rare orchids are under very serious threat. For example, for one kilogram of dried Salep, around 1,000 orchids are needed. I hope Turkish ice cream manufacturers find a good, environmentally friendly alternative soon.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …

Yep, one can opt to have roasted chestnuts instead of ice cream. Chestnuts (unlike other nuts and seeds) are relatively low in calories, contain less fat but are rich in minerals, and vitamins. Oh, and they are exceptionally rich in vitamin C and folic acid. Plus, they’re gluten free!

Definitely skip the ice cream.

This is how much color, glitter and sparkle we desi ladies wear to our wedding parties. My sister is getting married early next year, insha’Allah, and I have yet to pick a dress. I’m thinking navy blue or deep violet.

Some people here wear these type of clothes whilst grocery shopping. Strange but true.

There are more than 3,500 shopping outlets and 150 kiosks showcasing various authentic products and handicrafts in Global Village! I did not count; just read this information off their pamphlet. The Global Village is so large and besides, how can one possibly visit all those shops in one day? We spent 6 hours and still missed out on a lot of shops.

What I love about the things sold in Global Village is that almost all of them are made in their countries of origin. I mean, aren’t we all tired of stuffs that are made in China?

These oriental mosaic lamps, for example, are handcrafted in Turkey and Morocco. I love these lamps and have one in my living room. They don’t come cheap but are extremely beautiful and give a warm glow to a room.

Look at these lovely furniture pieces! If you think these are Moroccan, you’re wrong. We often hear about Moroccan design. We love it for its bright colors and bold patterns. However, there is a similar type of African decor that gets overlooked – Tunisian decor.

The Tunisian style is bold but tends to be slightly subtler than its Moroccan counterpart, making it easier to incorporate the style into a modern home.

Tunisia’s pavilion is my favorite stop at the Global Village. I always buy chopping boards from here every year. These wooden products are hand-carved from very old olive trees. When new, you can actually detect the faint smell of olives. I love olive wood for its distinctive swirling patterns, which create beautifully intricate designs.

In Tunisia the olive trees are protected by government regulation. This means that only trees that no longer bear fruit can be cut down and harvested trees must be replaced. Besides being eco-friendly and fair trade compliant, these olive wood pieces are non-porous and do not retain germs, odors, or stains. How awesome is that!

No fair is complete without rides and Global Village have a lot of exciting rides to choose from. There had been a very unfortunate and tragic accident in January last year after which another company was hired. The current rides are operated and managed by the British Organization “Mellors Group”, who have more than 100 years of experience in the field.

In Dubai? Don’t miss the Global Village!

Global Village is open until 11th April 2015.

The parking area at Global Village is designed to host more than 17,000 cars with additional overflow parking areas used during peak times.

With the exception of public holidays, Monday is a family day. Saturday to Wednesday: 4pm to 12am. Thursday, Friday and Public Holidays: 4pm until 1am.

Entry ticket per person is AED 15.

Entry is FREE for: children below the age of 3, guests with special needs and their companion, as well as the elderly aged 65 plus.