Dubai

Living in Japan, my first thoughts about Dubai were ‘wow! Everyone speaks english!’. I love this city… it’s international, cultural and exciting. A tad overpriced and at times it feels like your at Disneyland because everything is so new, but it’s the perfect city to be an ex-pat. Definitely thinking of moving here.

I loved dubai (:
The weather is always hot there.
I visited the burj Al arab
The soukes
The malls
And Other places (:
Was a good holiday.
People were friendly and things were cheap.
(:

I was serving on board the USS Spartanburg Cty LST-1192 in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Dubai is an American friendly oasis in the middle east. The food is delicious – lamb kabobs on freshly baked bread.

The country is owned by the natural citizens, everything else at the time was rented. Unfortunately, the country is so wealthy that it has to ship in workers from other countries, so there isn’t really a ‘middle’ class there.

Take walks down the gold districts of town, with fantastic mosques and beautiful clothing. I do hope to go back some day. What an ornate country.

I don’t just want to visit Dubai, I want to live there! I heard they have an American University there, so I want to finish college there and buy a house there. I have questions though, what’s it like for single woman there, and if you have property there, can you get a permanent resident visa? Also, what kinda jobs are available there?

Budget:

From March 14 – March 18

Air Tickets for two

$1991.00

(lastminutetravel.com)

Other expenses:

$300

Things to do:

Helicopter ride over the city
walk or water taxi on the creek
Sand dunes
spice/textile/gold markets

a beautiful place.

One of my girlfriends lives over here with her sister. I plan to go see her for maybe 2 weeks sometime next year. Hopefully!! She says its awesome, just avoid summer b/c it’s unbelievably hot!

The oceans and deserts are clean, the beachfronts are beautiful, the resorts are awesome, the architecture, the “Manhattan” area, the Irish Village, the Mall of the Emirates, dune bashing, belly dancers, snow skiing, culture … everything Dubai has to offer makes it worth the trip!! Dubai was awesome and we hope to go back again!

I was impressed with the construction of a city out of the desert in such a short time. However, there is so much “newness” that there is practically nothing authentic of the culture that bore it, except for the dress of the locals in traditional gowns, but juxtaposed with baseball caps and designer clothes underneath.

Dubai: it is a place like no other. The fact that they are building the world out on the ocean is incredible. Where else can you can go skiing at the mall in the desert? The shopping, hotels and fine dining are also to be lauded but even during my taxi ride to the hotel I couldn’t help but be surprised by the number of private compounds (read: subdivisions of mansions owned by non-locals.) I wish I could share the opinion of most people, who love the state and or relocate for economic advance, but I found the amount of foreign wealth quite disturbing.

As a big part of Dubai is still under construction- it was reminiscent of one big ground zero with gated pits and dinosaur-like cranes looming over the main road. In 10 years time (perhaps even within 5 years) this will change and the city skyline will be one to revel in. The zouks reminded me of Canal Street shopping in NYC- though to be fair my experience at the spice zouk was quite unique and worth a visit.

It’s a popular vacation destination and I met people from across the globe during my stay, which was great. And while it is probably the most westernized city/state in the UAE- I thought that the constant disregard for local custom was appalling. (By this I mean women leaving the hotel grounds inappropriately dressed.) I am certainly not old fashion but I do believe that if you are visiting a Muslim country your mid-drift should not be bare, your clothes should not be see-through, and your shorts if you must wear them (I know it is HOT) should not be hot pants.

I tried to find out about local life (mainly through conversations with taxi drivers) but that information was limited and all of the hotel workers that I befriended were foreign themselves. I found this separation bizarre- but I guess necessary. For most of the workers this was a means to an end but I couldn’t help but wonder what the local gain was. (Perhaps all locals were wealthy to begin with, perhaps local life is being enhanced due to foreign investments…)

This is of course a generalization of what I experienced and I hope not to offend. I did come back with great music and some wonderful memories. If you can afford it (or go on the company tab as I did) it is worth the visit. Dubai is definitely cosmopolitan with plenty to offer but I won’t be going back.