Eclectic Soul: Oasis come to life

Dubai was not a place that I wanted to visit. All the pictures and travel stories I heard made it seem like a mirage in the desert, and I had no interest in visiting a fake city. However, Dubai was randomly selected for a 2018 girls’ trip (that never happened), and so I included it as a destination on my list in anticipation of that trip. I have to admit it was a good place for me to transition from Asia to Africa, and when I saw an inexpensive flight to Dubai from Mumbai, I said, “Why not?”. As the plane began to descend over the city, I saw darkness with a few random lights in the sand dunes, and then the whole ground lit up with lights of different colors. Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, was so much better than I expected. I also toured the capital city, Abu Dhabi, for a day. It was an interesting experience that I will always remember.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a combination of 7 emirates that created a federation on December 2, 1971. The country hit the lottery when oil (black gold, Texas T) was discovered the late 50s and early 60s. Just like a lottery winner, the emirates changed their appearance immediately and bought all the things they always wanted and couldn’t afford. The old villages, nomadic Bedouin lifestyle, and pearl fisheries were replaced by sparkling new buildings and infrastructure. In some cases where they demolished old areas, they later went back and rebuilt those same places as tourist attractions to show the old way of life. The country is so rich that citizens of the UAE, Emiratis, are given free houses and free education. The UAE citizens are rich and highly educated. You definitely won’t find those people working cash registers in shops and cooking food in restaurants. Who does those jobs? Immigrants. There is a large population of Africans (from Cairo to Cape Town), Indians, and Filipinos, and people from all over the world who come to make a living in the UAE and send remittances back home. It is a salad bowl (not a melting pot), where everyone seems to retain their own culture without assimilating. For example, there was the widespread acknowledgement of the Indian festival of Diwali with stores and attractions sharing festive messages and hosting sales for the Festival of Lights, and apartment balconies were decorated with lanterns and colorful string lights when I arrived days after Diwali ended. I also saw Christmas trees and decorations at some of the stores at the mall. Immigrants can apply for citizenship after living 20 years in the UAE, and they must speak fluent Arabic.

Dubai is much bigger than I thought it would be, and it can cater to any taste. It reminds me of New York City, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, and Singapore all rolled into one. Dubai is like NYC, because you can find people and cultures there from all over the world, it’s the financial capital of the country, and it is fairly liberal and tolerant (of tourists) even though the UAE is a conservative Muslim country.

Dubai is like Vegas, because everything is a spectacle in the middle of the desert. There is so much to take in when it comes to the architecture, attractions, food, etc. because it is so different from anywhere else. The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, is attached to the equally large Dubai Mall, which would probably take days to explore. Dubai creates its own islands (see the Al-Burj Hotel and Palm Jumeirah). Also, Dubai is like Vegas because there were “girls, girls, girls” cards strewn on the sidewalks in some areas of the city.

Dubai is like Miami Beach, because the city sits on the Persian Gulf, and the water is a big attraction. The beachfront homes and flashy vehicles remind me of the opulence of Miami Beach. Most of the homes I saw were shades of white to reflect the sun. I was expecting Crockett and Tubbs to show up at any moment. The city seemed to come to life at night after sunset and the sidewalks were filled with people walking and dining at outdoor restaurants.

Dubai is like Singapore, because Big Brother is always watching you and will fine you for anything you do that is out of line. I did not see the police or military the whole time I was in Dubai, but if something happened, I have no doubt they would be there in 2 minutes. There were cameras everywhere watching every move. I still haven’t grown accustomed to the unsettling sight of police and military guards with assault rifles in public spaces like airports, malls, and parks, which I saw in all the other countries I visited on this journey. I don’t know which is worse though, seeing them out in full force, or knowing that they are watching even when I don’t see them.

I can’t deny that the mirage charmed me. From the tour of Abu Dhabi to the Museum of Illusions, from the Burj Khalifa to the abra (boat) along the creek, from Jumeirah beach to Jumeirah Palm, and everything in between, I was mesmerized. If you don't mind constantly being monitored and recorded, and giving up the right to disagree with the government, then Dubai could be the place for you.