Dubai has an approximate population of 20 million people, 16 million of which are not from the United Arab Emirates (or Emirate as the populace is called). It has the World’s largest shopping mall, the World’s tallest building (the Burj Khalifa), and with a summer average temperature of 108 degrees – it is also the most climate controlled city in the World. The diversity of the city necessitates a variety of lodging, food, and entertainment. One night can be spent on the 70th floor of a hotel – watching the electric skyline and enjoying classic cocktails. The next, sitting along a man-made lake watching the World’s largest water show, eating Thai food, and seeing the buildings illuminate in red, white and blue in honor of the Philippine independence. Still another in an authentic Mexican restaurant complete with full mariachi band, imported seafood, and a dinner party fluent in Spanish. It is absolutely amazing that in a conservative desert country just about every culture or food can be experienced. I was in Dubai for one week, and I am sorry to say that I did not actually experience the United Arab Emirates in any real way. The staff in all the hotels were lovely, but the bellhop was Indian and the valet from Kenya. Breakfast and lunch buffets catered to the guests – with Asian noodles, Texan steak, and European charcuterie boards. On the last day we ventured out to the Suks (local markets) and thought we would have the chance to experience the spices and textiles from UAE; but still the salesmen were Afghani, Indian, and Iraqi; and they were peddling textiles from Mumbai or spices from Pakistan. The market was the closest I got the the Arab world and the most authentic hour of my entire trip (picture the scene in Aladdin where Jasmine steals the apple), but still I do not think I met an Emirate the entire time I was there. Which is sad to say, but also extremely interesting. Everywhere I have gone I enjoy experiencing and reflecting the nuances of the local culture, but in Dubai the local culture is pushed to edges by the upper class intricacies and hard for the average visitor to see within the city. If there is one thing that Dubai is synonymous with, that is wealth. Today, there are rumblings what the wealth is not what it once was… but still you can’t help but be overcome by the sheer size of the money moving around the city. Every building is unique, unlike most cities where whole blocks get lost into the monotony of towering replica buildings. You cannot get lost in Dubai (maybe stuck going on a one-way street in the wrong direction as most streets appear to be going only one-way), because you can use the Museum of the Future (shaped like a hollowed out egg and covered in Sanskrit), the one that looks like the fictional Tony Stark building (complete with helipad), or the Frame (amply named as it looks like a giant golden frame) to get your bearings and figure out where you need to go. In Dubai there is no restraint on how much money should be spent to construct the new tallest hotel in the world (we stayed in the second tallest which was recently surpassed by another hotel just down the block) and elaborate steel work or curved window edging which would be considered frivolous in other places – appears to be encouraged in Dubai. In addition to the thrill of viewing the city’s splendor – Dubai is also meant to be experienced. First, if you hope to travel to Dubai, do not go in the summer. The heat and humidity make the city impossible to fully experience outside of the winter months (of which I am told it still doesn’t dip much lower than 60-70 degrees). In the summer the city looks abandoned since people cannot be outside for more than a few minutes, and the tourism activities shut-down as only the most ill-informed person would choose to visit in 115 degree heat (and 65% humidity). So, in the summer everything moves in-doors and to the evening hours. Most people choose to meet after the sun starts setting (still the lows at night hovered around 90 degrees) or in one of the countless in-door restaurants/bars/clubs. So, at first I thought that the city did not have many people in it, but once I moved indoors it was apparent that the city was still very much alive and eager to explore. At the Dubai Mall you can purchase just about any high end gift you would like (Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, Hermes ...), visit the aquarium, an underwater petting zoo (separate from the aquarium and complete with otters and penguins), eat from any american fast food place you can imagine (Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's, Panda Express, Baskin Robbins...), or go ice skating in their full size rink. The hotel we were staying in is apparently one of the hot spots for nightlife. The 2 am lobby menagerie of people moving in and out of the hotel; such as the juxtaposition of a young Asian women in a mini skirt stumbling up to the hotel bar next to a woman in a full burka heading out of the hotel for a late night flight (most flights appear to be at night due to the heat on the tarmac during the day) is just the beginning of what can be seen in the after hours of Dubai. In all I would say that Dubai is certainly a place to be seen (just not in July) and a place where the world can be experienced. Of course you are getting the most cliche versions of all the cultures, and most likely seeing how the lavish live rather than the average Joe. Still, it takes a step outside of the everyday and goes into a cinematic world of grandiose proportions.
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Bonnie HarveyCurrently working in northern Malawi as Programs and Evaluations Coordinator for Temwa Archives
June 2019
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