So, my great adventure to the middle east is officially underway and I admit, the first thing I had to do when I arrived was look at a map to see where Dubai was actually located in the UAE. Until it became my actual destination, I hadn’t really given much thought to exactly where it was – I just kept hearing it was the “New York of the Middle East”, which doesn’t really give a good description of location.
I now know that Dubai is one of 7 emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates. The others are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Dubai is definitely the most westernized, with a very high percentage of ex-pats compared to the other emirates, I think as high as 75-80%. Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate and also the most powerful, since it is the capital of the UAE as well.
I’ve officially been here for 5 weeks now, just enough to start forming an initial impression, but not nearly long enough to know if there is any substance beneath that, which will be my mission to try to figure out in the year to come.
For western visitors, I think the UAE is a good choice if you are uncertain or worried at all about this part of the world. It is safe, with very little crime, all the comforts of home (and then some), and is also quite exotic. Dubai itself, which gets the lion’s share of press, is first and foremost a shopping mecca – rather than having a mosque every kilometre (yes, we are back to metric here), they have a mall, which is spiritual in its own way to some! The glitz factor is high, with hundreds of designer boutiques, swanky top-chef restaurants and high-end hotels. It is amazing how all the Emiratee women, although they are completely covered, are adorned head to toe with designer goodies - handbags, sunglasses, shoes, jewellry - anything visible and not covered by their black abaya is generally sparkling and expensive.
However, I was relieved to see that it is still possible to practice my limited bartering skills at some of the local souks (markets), haggle over the price of a pashmina, or head out to the desert sands for a camel ride under the starry skies. I think in general though I will have to venture to the other emirates if I want to experience a little more of the cultural aspect of this region. For example, the emirate just to the north of Dubai, Sharjah, is one of the most conservative emirates – unlike Dubai, where you can drink and buy alcohol, in Sharjah it is completely banned, even for expats.
Apparently this is the best time to be in Dubai as well, from a weather perspective. Coming from the depths of winter in North America, it seems like perma-vacation to me right now, with warm temps and sunny skies every day. However, everyone keeps warning me not to get too comfortable because the coming months will bring blistering temperatures, as high as 140F and above 50C. I guess this shouldn’t be unexpected given it IS a desert, however, the problem is that Dubai is right on the Arabian Gulf, so it is also extremely humid. I can’t quite imagine what it is like to be in heat that intense, but I’m sure I'll be telling everyone very soon. Apparently it is against the law to work if it gets above 50C, so despite what the thermometer on your car dashboard might say, the official government temperature never goes above 49!
I now know that Dubai is one of 7 emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates. The others are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Dubai is definitely the most westernized, with a very high percentage of ex-pats compared to the other emirates, I think as high as 75-80%. Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate and also the most powerful, since it is the capital of the UAE as well.
I’ve officially been here for 5 weeks now, just enough to start forming an initial impression, but not nearly long enough to know if there is any substance beneath that, which will be my mission to try to figure out in the year to come.
For western visitors, I think the UAE is a good choice if you are uncertain or worried at all about this part of the world. It is safe, with very little crime, all the comforts of home (and then some), and is also quite exotic. Dubai itself, which gets the lion’s share of press, is first and foremost a shopping mecca – rather than having a mosque every kilometre (yes, we are back to metric here), they have a mall, which is spiritual in its own way to some! The glitz factor is high, with hundreds of designer boutiques, swanky top-chef restaurants and high-end hotels. It is amazing how all the Emiratee women, although they are completely covered, are adorned head to toe with designer goodies - handbags, sunglasses, shoes, jewellry - anything visible and not covered by their black abaya is generally sparkling and expensive.
However, I was relieved to see that it is still possible to practice my limited bartering skills at some of the local souks (markets), haggle over the price of a pashmina, or head out to the desert sands for a camel ride under the starry skies. I think in general though I will have to venture to the other emirates if I want to experience a little more of the cultural aspect of this region. For example, the emirate just to the north of Dubai, Sharjah, is one of the most conservative emirates – unlike Dubai, where you can drink and buy alcohol, in Sharjah it is completely banned, even for expats.
Apparently this is the best time to be in Dubai as well, from a weather perspective. Coming from the depths of winter in North America, it seems like perma-vacation to me right now, with warm temps and sunny skies every day. However, everyone keeps warning me not to get too comfortable because the coming months will bring blistering temperatures, as high as 140F and above 50C. I guess this shouldn’t be unexpected given it IS a desert, however, the problem is that Dubai is right on the Arabian Gulf, so it is also extremely humid. I can’t quite imagine what it is like to be in heat that intense, but I’m sure I'll be telling everyone very soon. Apparently it is against the law to work if it gets above 50C, so despite what the thermometer on your car dashboard might say, the official government temperature never goes above 49!
2 comments:
You should be able to practice your sand Wedge shots
I see you've reactivated your blog again! Awesome!
Dood, I should've made a side trip to Dubai on my way home, but dammit, I'm so beat! I shouldn't be complaining, but being in the wild all this time sure drains this lowly lens slinging Canuck!
But hey, I like the 45+ weather, so I hope to get there soon...the hotter, the better!
You must be sportin' a nice tan by now, eh?
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