Perfumes and scents
As soon as you arrive in the Emirates, your nostrils are tickled by the omnipresent scent of oud - a pleasant, dizzying odor that pervades most public places. Presented in the form of shavings, certain essences are worth more than gold. Burned over charcoal in an incense burner. This precious resin is produced when the tree is infected by certain fungi. Nowadays, they are inoculated into trees on estates in Southeast Asia. For a less expensive version, take bakhoor, made from powdered wood shavings and mixed with fragrant oils. It comes in pellet form. In every Emirati home, it is burned to purify clothes, hair and wardrobes, and passed from hand to hand in the majilis. There are numerous oud merchants in shopping malls and souks, and even in supermarkets. It is purchased with an earthen or copper incense burner and carbon pellets that allow the shavings or pellets to burn. Much more upmarket are the essences of the Amouage perfume brand from neighboring Oman. Created at the request of the Sultan of Oman in 1983, this luxury perfumery launched its first fragrance the following year with the collaboration of a French nose. Originally very oriental, the notes have become more international with each collection, to satisfy a wider, lighter-skinned clientele. Several boutiques are located in the Emirates. The scent of shisha is another olfactory souvenir of the Emirates, especially as you approach certain coffee shops or dedicated areas in hotels. Water pipes can be bought in any souk and are a typical souvenir.
Textile
The first thing that comes to mind is the traditional men's garment, the dishdasha or kandura, and the white cotton or red-and-white-checkered veil known as the goutra, which in winter can be made from patterned wool or cashmere and can be a beautiful scarf. The agal is a masculine accessory, a kind of black hoop, which holds the goutra in place. Abayas, the black coats worn by women to go out, come in a variety of colors and materials and are a very aesthetic souvenir when worn, for example, open over jeans. Caftans by designers such as Bamba or Bouguessa are also great gifts to bring home, and are very much in vogue these days. Why not bring back Bedouin weavings in camel hair or goat's wool, known as téli: bookmarks, key-rings, rugs, bracelets, scarves - available directly from museum stores or craft centers such as Qasr al Hosn. From India, pashminas in cashmere, wool or cotton, in a variety of colors and patterns, are on sale in all the country's souks and are often prized by travelers, as are fabrics sold by the meter and all the haberdashery products found in the textile souks of Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Foodstuffs
You can bring back culinary specialties such as dates, which are well-suited to travel. You can sample some of them in many hotel lobbies. In the Middle East, the fruit is not only a foodstuff, but also a symbol of hospitality, and was used to feed the Bedouins during their long journeys across the desert. For Muslims, dates are the fruits of paradise, eaten to break the Ramadan fast and for all celebrations, from weddings to funerals. Dried, they can be bought in supermarkets and souks, as well as in fruit and vegetable markets. In Abu Dhabi, near Mina, an entire aisle is devoted to them. Dates can also be purchased in a more elaborate form, in specialized stores such as Bateel, which can be found in every shopping mall and even at the airport. Delicately filled with dried fruit, they are packaged in boxes. Tasty by-products such as date syrup are also available. Finally, all souks and supermarkets sell oriental and Indian spices such as cardamom, saffron, zaatar and black lemons, as well as dried flowers from Iran for delicious herbal teas. Numerous dried fruits such as pistachios, cashew nuts and sunflower seeds can also be purchased in specialized stores such as Al Rifai, who will be delighted to let you taste their specialties before you make your final choice. Of particular note is the made-in-UAE chocolate made from camel milk, which can be purchased in small pop-up stands in most shopping malls. Mirzam chocolates, with their designer packaging, can be purchased either in the Al Quoz boutique or in Abu Dhabi near Qasr al Hosn. Arabian coffee is a symbol of Emirati hospitality. Brewing blends are available in all supermarkets. In the souk, you can buy dhalas, the long-spouted coffee makers used to brew the coffee served throughout the day. Small, handleless cups called finjal can also be purchased in souks and supermarkets.
Cultural objects
Precious materials such as gold and especially silver are also worked and often sold by weight. Bedouin jewelry (or imitations of it) is a must in the souks, and stands out for its imposing size. The kandjar, a broad-bladed, curved dagger inseparable from Oriental culture, is another item to be found at second-hand shops. To bring back a genuine kandjar, you need to spend some time in the souks, particularly in Sharjah. Camel canes, or aassa, are also on sale, especially in the northern emirates. Small baskets woven from palm branches and other everyday objects called khoos are other authentic local handicrafts and are sold in some museum stores.
