Al Satwa

        One of the more bustling areas of Dubai, Satwa has plenty of tow storey apartment blocks with small shops on the ground floor. In Arabic, Satwa means `hold up' referring to its more adventurous past.

The focal point of Satwa is Al Diyafah Street where residents can dodge the traffic and wander up the broad palm lined street checking out the shops, inexpensive restaurants and cafes.

At the western end of AI Diyafah Street, nearest the sea, is the Dar Al Ittehad (Union House) building. This is where the treaty to create the Arab world's first federation of states, the United Arab Emirates, was signed on 2 December 1971. It is also the site of the UAE's largest flag (4o x 20 metres) on top of a 12o metre reinforced column.This is floodlit at night and is noticeable from quite a distance.

At the other end of Al Diyafah Street (near the Rydges Plaza Hotel) is the permanently busy At Satwa Road. Along here are numerous small shops selling mainly textiles, inexpensive clothes and general household items. There are tailors here who have a good reputation for copying designs very inexpensively. You will also find a small area full of car repair shops. If you need a tyre change, new battery, etc, and your car is more than five years old or no longer on the dealer's warranty, this place is worth a visit - they can fix just about anything and everything, and bargaining on price is expected.

Between Al Satwa Road and Al Wasl Road is a street known as `Plant Street', with wide pavements and shops selling plants and flowers You can buy fir trees in December, unusual, artificial trees all year round and all sorts of fresflowers. It also has numerous pet shops, selling exotic birds, fish and animals. Near this mini 'jungle' are art shops selling original painting drawings and prints. Many offer framing facilities at very reasonable rates.

On Al Was( Road is the beautiful and intricate Iranian Mosque, with distinctive blue tiles, arches and pillars mirroring the similarly patterned Iranian Hospital opposite