Dubai:
A Jewel In The Middle East
A Modern City On The
Persian Gulf ~ By Maura Madigan
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| “Ayyyy-uhhh.
Ohhhmmm-ahhhhh. Ayyyy-uhhh….”
“What the hell?”
My husband turned to me in the darkness, voicing my sentiments exactly.
I looked at
the clock. 5:23 am.
“Call-to-prayer,”
I said as the chant rattled on and on and on. This, followed twenty
minutes later by the Imam reading from the Quran for half an hour.
All at top volume.
When we were
shown the apartment overlooking the beautiful mosque, we weren’t warned
about the 5:00 am wake-up call. We’d never lived near a mosque before,
so we hardly noticed the loudspeaker-studded minaret twenty feet from our
bedroom window. That is, of course, until the morning after we moved
in. Only later did we realize that there’s a mosque on every corner
in Deira, which is at the center of Dubai.
The United
Arab Emirates, where we live, is a Muslim country. And Dubai, for
all its Western appearances, follows the Sharia (Islamic law). During
Ramadan no one, Muslim or not, is allowed to eat, drink or smoke in public
during daylight hours. People who break this law can be fined or
even jailed, although this rarely happens. Most shops and restaurants
have limited daytime hours during Ramadan, but extended hours in the evening
when the city comes alive at iftar (breaking of the fast). Ramadan
ends with Eid Al Fitr, a three-day holiday. Another religious holiday,
Eid Al Adha, usually falls in February.
Religion may
dictate the country’s holidays, but family customs dictate dress.
Muslim women, Emiratis included, interpret the Quranic instruction “to
cover” in a variety of ways. Some women wear Western clothing, others
simply wear a black abaya (robe) over their clothing, while the most conservative
wear black abayas, shailas (head scarves), veils, and even gloves.
Most Emirati men wear the dishdasha (long robe, usually white) and ghutra
(head covering) with an agal (black rope holding the ghutra in place.)
There are virtually no restrictions on dress for foreigners: miniskirts,
tube tops, thong bikinis on the beach, you’ll see it all here. |
| Jumeirah
Mosque in Dubai is a beautiful example of modern islamic architecture. |
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This is a
good example of Dubai’s acceptance of all things Western. Every modern
convenience is available here, with shopping malls full of American and
European shops and products. They have supermarkets, fast food joints,
cable TV and American movies. The movies in theaters are censored,
as are magazines (breasts,
butts, and
genitalia are blacked out by magic marker), and a few controversial books
(Salman Rushdie) and CDs never make it here. You learn to live with
this, buying books while on vacation or ordering from Amazon (Customs officials
may look through a shipment, while you watch, but they will rarely confiscate
anything).
Dubai is extremely
cosmopolitan with expats from almost every country living here. Emiratis
only make up 20% of the population. The rest are predominately unskilled
workers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Afghanistan,
Indonesia and other poor nations. A smaller number of expats
come from America, Canada, Europe (mostly Britain), Australia, New Zealand,
South Africa, Japan, South Korea and China. Since the population
is so varied, English is the common language. All signs and menus
are in English. Even Arabs speak English at restaurants and in shops.
Some Americans who’ve lived in other countries say they feel like they’re
living in the U.S. This might be a drawback, however, if you’re looking
for a true “foreign” experience..
Of course,
Dubai has its charm. You can still have an “Arabic” experience by
shopping in the souks (outdoor markets), eating in Arabic restaurants,
or visiting some of the cultural sites. The Heritage and Diving Village
and The Dubai Museum depict life in the U.A.E. before oil, before prosperity.
When camels were still the primary mode of transportation, the people were
pearl divers, fisherman, camel herders and date farmers. The Heritage
Village is on the Creek, a great place to sit at a café, watch the
abras (small water taxis) go by and enjoy a shisha. Shishas—tall
glass pipes that use water and flavored tobacco—are extremely popular in
Dubai. The Heritage Village has camel and horse rides in the evening
and special shows during Ramadan and the Shopping Festival. The Heritage
Village is not just a tourist attraction; locals and expats both frequent
the cafés.
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| Oriental
rugs were probably first made out of necessity: to sleep on in the desert,
to carry supplies and possessions in and to wrap oneself in when the desert
air turned cold at night. |
| The designs
that were first weaved into the rugs were symbols of events, emotions,
thoughts. When life took people beyond hard necessity the rugs became decorative. |
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There’s
a mingling of nationalities here, but not much genuine interaction between
Emiratis and foreigners. The locals tend to keep to themselves.
This is another drawback. Many people leave Dubai without ever getting
to know the Emiratis. Judgments are often based on assumptions and
generalizations. The U.A.E. is a young nation, federated in 1971,
and a wealthy one. Many Emiratis don’t have to work (they receive
oil profits). Many drive luxury cars, live in huge houses, and shop
at Tiffany and Chanel. People see this and wrongly assume that all
Emiratis are wealthy, but they’re not.
There is a
lot of money in Dubai, apparent in the beautifully landscaped public areas
(everything’s green year-round), the constant new construction and the
extraordinary number of luxury cars on the road. Expats also reap
the benefits with packages unheard of elsewhere (high salaries tax-free,
annual plane tickets home, free housing in villas or luxury apartments,
furniture allowance). Dubai is the Middle East’s best-kept secret.
Many Americans have never even heard of Dubai. When we have visitors
they’re usually surprised. All the preconceptions and misconceptions
about the Middle East disappear when they see just how modern, liberal
and progressive Dubai is.
It offers an
easy lifestyle, especially for people with children. Dubai is a child-friendly
city with numerous parks and play places (indoor fun centers great during
the hot months), excellent schools, carnivals, and year-round water sports.
The people here love children and are extremely tolerant of them.
Domestic help is ridiculously cheap by U.S. standards, so a great many
families employ live-in or part-time maids and nannies. |
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Dubai is also
a very safe place. Crime is low. You never hear about muggings
or random violent crimes. The U.A.E. seems to be a fairly neutral
place politically. It manages to be pro-Palestinian and pro-Arab
without being anti-American. Demonstrations are rare. Even
after 9/11, and with the current situation in Iraq, there’s little anti-American
sentiment here. Regardless of what’s happening around the world,
Dubai seems to follow its own course. I feel safe here, safer
than I would in the U.S.
These perks,
the international population, and the location (close to Europe, the Far
East and Africa: perfect for travel) make Dubai a great place to live.
We’re just finishing our contract here—my husband teaches for an Emirati
university—and have signed another. We agree that we like Dubai,
but not forever. My oldest daughter will start school in the fall,
so we’re committed to staying at least one more year. After that,
who knows? The world’s a big place and we have so much more to explore.
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| Tourist
Info:
When to
Visit:
November through
April is best with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. The rest of the
year temperatures rarely drop below 100 during the day. The summer
months are unbearably hot and humid.
Where to
Stay:
If you like
the beach and can afford it, The Burj Al Arab—the world’s only 7-star
hotel where every room is a duplex suite with private butler—is beyond
comparison. Its partner, The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, is almost as posh
but not quite as pricey. There are a string of hotels on the
beach in Mina Al Seyahi, farther from the center of things, but this
means a more expensive taxi ride and more time in transit.
The hotels on the creek in Deira—The Intercontinental, Hilton Dubai
Creek, Sheraton, Hyatt—are also nice. These have the advantage
of
being closer
to the souks and in a livelier part of the city. Most have
free shuttle service to the beach, which is about twenty minutes
away.
Where to
Eat:
For the most
part, only restaurants in hotels serve alcohol. A non-Muslim
resident can get a liquor license to purchase alcohol for home use.
Among restaurants, there’s so much variety, that it’ll be hard to
choose. Some of my favorites include:
La Parilla:
Argentinean, atop The Jumeirah Beach Hotel; great steaks and nightly
dance/music show.
Focaccia:
Italian/Mediterranean, at the Hyatt in Deira.
The Noodle
House: Pan-Asian in The Emirates Towers (Boulevard tower).
The 51st
Floor: Bar atop The Emirates Towers (hotel tower); superb cocktails,
bar snacks and view.
Mazazeek:
Arabic,
atop The Dubai World Trade Centre; shisha, alcohol, traditional music,
and an incredible view.
Kitchen:
Indian, in Satwa behind Hardees on Al Dhiyafa St.; great cheap food, don’t
be fooled by the lack of customers.
Fatafeet:
Egyptian, in Bur Dubai on the Creek; shisha but no alcohol.
Keep in mind
that there are innumerable good, inexpensive Arabic and Indian restaurants
throughout the city. |
| The Burg
al-Arab hotel in Dubai is the tallest hotel in the world. The hotel has
been given a 7-star rating and all rooms come with a personel butler and
all rooms are suites. |
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What to
Do/See:
Jumeirah
Mosque: Tours on Sun. and Thurs. at 10:00 am.
Jumeirah
Beach: Across from the mosque, a block from Starbucks.
Dubai Museum:
Housed in an old fort; exhibits and information on Dubai.
Wild Wadi:
Elaborate water park next to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
Children’s
City: Hands-on learning center.
Dubai Zoo:
Small and gritty, in Jumeirah, one of the few places that hasn’t been gentrified
(yet).
Gold Souk:
Area in Deira with stores and covered jewelry shops. There are other
souks as well (textile, fruit/vegetable, spice, etc.). Remember to
bargain.
The Blue
Souk: Covered souk in Sharjah (the Emirate to the north); great
place to buy carpets
Desert Safari:
Several tour operators run these trips into the desert that include dune-bashing
in SUV’s, visit to a camel farm, Bedouin-style dinner, shisha, belly dancing,
and henna for women.
Dhow Cruise:
These large wooden traditional boats offer lunch and dinner cruises up
the Creek; cheaper and maybe more fun to hire an abra for half an hour
Sports:
Nearly every warm-weather sport or activity is available here from snorkeling
and parasailing to archery and quad biking.
Spas:
Too numerous to count; these are everywhere, offering every conceivable
way to pamper yourself; Cleopatra’s at Wafi is the most famous and luxurious
How to Get
Here:
Malaysian Airlines
has direct flights from Newark. Emirates Airlines is supposed to
start direct service to the U.S. and Canada in 2003. Most European
carriers fly here. British Airways seems to have the shortest layover,
although it’s one of the more expensive carriers.
Visit visas
can be obtained on arrival at the airport. Residence visas are arranged
through your employer.
How to Get
Around:
Taxis are plentiful,
fairly inexpensive, and reliable. The tan Dubai Transport taxis are
clean and they have seatbelts. Renting a car isn’t really worth the hassle
and public transportation, although it exists, isn’t widespread or easy.
Events:
Dubai World
Cup Horse Race: The world’s largest purse, but no betting.
Dubai Desert
Classic Golf Tournament
Dubai Shopping
Festival: Annual event with major sales, shows, and prizes.
Carnival rides are set up in various parts of the city. The Global
Village—open only during Shopping Festival—draws vendors from around
the world.
Dubai Rugby
7s Tournament: This weekend event draws teams from around the world
along with serious rugby fans.
Literature:
The Dubai
Explorer: Guidebook for tourists and residents that’s available through
Amazon. It includes “settling in” information as well as restaurant
reviews and local maps.
Time Out:
Monthly magazine that offers unbiased restaurant reviews and lists upcoming
specials, concerts, etc.
Gulf News
& Khaleej Times: English-language newspapers
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