Armed with a hammer, Reinhard Bibaric, a businessman from Vienna, gingerly places a silver coin into position in a cylindrical machine.

Then he smacks the machine's head. Afterwards, an assistant at the shop, Egyptian Abdul Rahman Hussain, uses a smaller hammer to take the silver coin out.

This ritual is repeated night after night at the Austrian pavilion in Global Village, for people who want to bring home commemorative coins from this year's Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

The silver coin, brought by Art of Vienna, costs Dh80 while those made of copper and brass cost between Dh20 to Dh25.

They bear the insignia of Global Village 2005 on one side. On the other is a rendition of Schoenbrunn Castle in Vienna, a tourist site and formerly the summer residence of the Hapsburgs.

The commemorative coins are just some of the items visitors can get at the pavilion.

The biggest shop is the Davidoff Café. Barbara Steindl, who works behind the café counter with her husband Guenther Hirner, is the daughter of Paul Steindl, owner of the famed Sunny Activ-Hotel in Tyrol, Austria. It is the same family that owns an airline offering European holiday packages.

"I saw the Dubai Shopping Festival and Global Village for the first time last year," says Brigitte Erlebach, director of Global Trade Agency, which organised the Austrian pavilion.

"A friend who was working for Festival City asked if there was any possibility of organising an Austrian pavilion. That's how we started," said Erlebach.

More Europeans have joined the Global Village this year, including the Italians, Germans, British, Russians and Czechs.

Mania, which has introduced a new concept in franchising leather products, has two stalls. "Our idea was to introduce shoes of good quality but at reasonable prices," said Reinhard Bibaric.

The Austrian pavilion would not be complete without its famed porcelain.

Two stalls taken by Dream Crystal have fashionable garments and shawls, accented by crystals designed by Swarovski. Augarten, Austria's oldest porcelain manufacturer, also brought its wares.

SHI-Change also sells garments and natural cosmetics in five different flavours apple, peach, lemon, grapes, peach.

It hasn't been a completely difficulty-free festival for organisers and exhibitors in the pavilion, said Erlebach.

She gave some of her empty shops to carpet vendors from Afghanistan, a perfume store from Bahrain, and South Asian jewellers.

Rasp, a company that manufactures bouquets, pot-pourri and bunches made of spices and artificial flowers, left Dubai disappointed because people had little regard for its hand-made products.

Pago, known for its first-class fruit juices, gave up even before it overcame difficulties with a business partner.

"The company who financed the construction of the pavilion naturally wanted to rent all shops," said Erleback.

"We tried to recreate Naschmarkt in Vienna, which is a unique mixture of Austrian traditions and oriental influences," she said.

The market is an institution in Vienna.

"Naschmarkt is where Viennese shrewdness meets bazaar culture.

"It is a great place to shop for goodies, spices and traditional garments and jewellery from different parts of the world. We've tried to create it on a small scale, here at the Global Village," she said.