It is a mall that seriously feels like it is the size of a small country!! And so it was on March 5th we ventured forth to attempt not getting lost in this one mile long dragon-shaped shopping center.
This is the best shot I could get of the enormous building. But it just doesn't do the enormity of it all justice.
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| This is the best view I could get as we were coming down the parking ramp. |
I looked up some aerial views to give you a good idea of the enormity of the place.
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| One mile long and 1,614,586 square feet retail complex which is divided into 7 different zones. |
Founded in 2004 by a Dubai government-owned developer, it houses some 4,000 mostly Chinese-owned shops making it the largest Chinese trading hub outside of mainland China as it houses the largest number of Chinese traders. It just might be one of the most curious corners of global capitalism in the world.
The challenge is not to get lost among the thousands of shops that make up Dubai's most bewildering and yet oddly delightful mall. It is sure to become the stuff of urban shopping legend. As it is no ordinary mall, I found a helpful little map.
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| If you were a parent and lost your 4 year-old child in this vast place, there would be a slim chance you may be reunited by the time the kid turned 18. |
The shops go on forever and ever, you don't even know where to start shopping as on both sides there are small stalls, all in very long rows. It is a maze of all mazes. It is a collection of miscellaneous (mostly Chinese) madness housed in "shops" (or units made out of MDF and plywood). Dragon Mart makes Ikea look like a two-bit corner shop where you'll find everything you've never wanted.
It is an endurance test of both physical and mental strength to navigate your way through Dragon Mart. From the weird to the wonderful (but I'll be honest, mostly weird) you can find absolutely everything made in China. Here is a sampling of some of the things I found.
A lot of the shops seem to carry the same things but you will find something different in each shop. We were so worn out after our previous night's adventures that we didn't have the energy to do a lot of exploring, plus we were too worried about getting lost and never being found again.
If you can't find something, you can almost guarantee that a trip to Dragon Mart will enable you to check everything off of your shopping list.
So, if you need a couple of cinema seats, a chainsaw, scratchy taffeta dresses, giant gaudy ornaments that would make your eyes bleed, freaky six-foot tall porcelain dolls, pink astroturf, butt-less pants (yes, you read that right), large rearing horse ornaments nonchalantly standing next to a giant bed that resembles a pearl, dazzling arrays of manufactured goods, machinery, barber polls (real barber polls, "just like the one's in America), diesel generators, heavy piping, fluorescent blue cotton candy, a wide selection of clothes, food, furniture, gadgets, shoes, toys, office equipment, building materials, and lots and lots of glittery and sparkly stuff (a magpie's heaven).
Now you'd think that with all of this you could find a dragon somewhere.......I looked and looked but Dragon Mart failed me.
And if Dragon Mart itself isn't enough for you, there is a Dragon Mart 2.....
Dragon Mart 2 features one million square feet of retail space, 1,000 shops, restaurants, and entertainment outlets, a 100,000 square foot giant hypermarket, a 12 screen cinema, as well as 251 room Ibis style hotel that is directly connected to the mall.
One of the main attractions are the fountains and dragon statues.
Oh, and there are further plans to expand Dragon Mart.....as if Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2 weren't enough!!
Building on Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2's phenomenal success, combined with Dubai's growing number of Chinese traders, residents, and tourists, Dragon City will be a mixed-use community that will pave the way for yet more opportunities for business, leisure, tourism, and living. This spectacular new-mixed use complex will cover an area of over 247 acres. In addition to retail expansion projects, which will add a further 3,498,270 square feet to the existing Dragon Mart and Dragon Mart 2 complexes and will include additional malls, and a show-room style complex. Offering convenient accommodation options in close proximity to the mall, two residential towers, housing 1,120 apartments linked directly to Dragon Mart by a covered walk-way, and a new 3 star, 318 room hotel. If that just doesn't beat all!!
That evening grandpa, grandma, and I took the niece/granddaughter over to the park to play in the sand. We began a construction project of our own. We didn't have any of the neighbor kids visit us this time, however, the following evening we had pretty much the entire neighborhood at the park wanting grandpa and I to dig holes. You'd think living in the desert, they would know how to dig in the sand, but they seemed quite amazed when we dug down into the sand where the damp sand was. We taught them how to dig tunnels, and build sand castles. One little girl adopted my dad as her grandpa. Several of the kids asked us to come back and play the next day. It was highly entertaining.
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| We had to end our excavations to go have dinner. But we were able to dig quite the hole. |
I just love playing in the sand.
