The World in a City

The ultramodern metropolis of Dubai lives with the incredible sentiment of outshining the world with wealth, notes SANDIP HOR.

When the courteous hotel concierge asked, “What’s your plan for today sir, a visit to the ski resort for some snowy dives or a leisurely camel ride through the sandy desert?”, I was momentarily baffled. But I soon realized that I was in Dubai where anything is possible, from skiing inside a shopping mall to golfing under floodlights.

My mission in this hot desert city often referred to as the jewel of the United Arab Emirates, was to get a first-hand impression of how filthy rich, apparently, a state could be. And “simply intriguing” is the best expression to describe my feelings. First time visitors, like me, are sure to be incredibly stunned by its galaxy of skyscrapers and ultramodern lifestyle facilities, many of which are stringed with superlatives such as tallest, largest, first, only and so on.

That discovery made me quickly infer that the metropolis has grown and still lives with a thirst to beat the world everyday in everything, and my niece Rupa who lives there totally agreed with me. “It is indeed their motivation,” she said. “Here big is only a stepping stone towards bigger.”

For example, the impressive Tower of Emirates building till recently drew the attention of visitors as the tallest structure, but passed over the crown to the imposing 828m high, Burj Dubai, now the tallest freestanding edifice in the world. Decorated internally by Georgio Armani, its 160 floors house several luxurious private apartments, office blocks and shops, a large swimming pool, a mosque and the first Armani Hotel.

Linked to it is the world’s largest shopping complex – the Dubai Mall, whose total area amounts to almost 50 soccer fields. In addition to its 1200+ retail outlets, there is a huge size aquarium where over 33,000 aquatic animals, including large sharks and stingrays are watched by hundreds, through the largest viewing panel on earth.

Dubai doesn’t even hesitate to outshine the rest of the world comprehensively, by showing of its wealthy might. For instance when five stars are accepted as a global standard for luxury accommodation, Dubai moved a step ahead to introduce the Burj Al Arab, the world’s first seven star hotel. A symbol of extreme opulence, it is very exclusive. Unless you are a guest of the hotel or have a confirmed booking at one of their several restaurants, going past security is simply impossible. So like many, I viewed the icon, built on an artificial island mimicking a billowing sail, from a distance. The exterior is visually resplendent particularly at night with choreographed light effects, as hordes of visitors come along to glimpse the spectacular change of colors from the adjacent Jumeirah beach.

Though sports like horse racing and golf are not among the most favourite leisure activities of the Arabs, Dubai didn’t mind throwing a bit of money at those by hosting the Dubai Cup, the world’s richest horse race. The Dubai Desert Classic is a PGA golf tournament whose prize money lures top golfers of the world, including the legend Tiger Woods. Where greenery is a thought in dream, the city boasts of several world class golf greens, and the 18-hole, Scottish style, Nad Al Sheba course is the only one in the Middle East where play is under floodlights.

For a skiing experience, you are no longer required to go to Europe or New Zealand. Just visit Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort inside the Mall of Emirates that offers an amazing snow setting to enjoy skiing and sledging, or simply a play in the snow. “It’s a great option for dads to take their kids on a few hours’ of snow experience while Mum’s off for a retail therapy session in peace,” said Rupa.

Unlike outdoor ski resorts, this one is open throughout the year and you don’t need to come prepared with appropriate clothing and accessories, as the ticket price includes supply of all these items. “With 5 runs, the longest being 400 meters with a fall of over 60 meters, the experience is no different to sliding down the slopes of the Alps or the Rocky range,” remarked Aussie blonde, Elisa.

Unfortunately the extraordinary retail fling of Dubai, often referred to as the City of Shopping Malls, hijacks visitors from its other delights which showcase traditional Arabic and Bedouin culture. I took time off from the world of high rises and air-conditioned shopping arenas to visit the Dubai Museum, located in the 1787-built Al Fahidi Fort. From various photographs I discovered how laid back this beacon of the Middle East was, a mere forty years ago before oil surfaced in the region. I cruised the Dubai Creek, the city’s life line, and got a taste of the trading practices on water since the early days. I explored on foot the various souks and was fascinated by their bustling energy, particularly at the world famous gold souk, where a dazzling variety and display of pure gold jewellery, intricately crafted by jewelers from India, proved to me that if gold is a measure of wealth, then this place is wealthy beyond imagination.

It’s a common saying in Dubai that the emirate is owned by the Sheikhs, but served by expats, as it is considered a dream destination by many for business or employment. Dubai is a melting pot, where all religions and races are welcome, politics is unheard of and the central theme for its people is to make money.

Indians constitute almost 50% of that total expat population, many holding top professional positions or owning businesses and stamped as wealthy. However on the other end, there are a large number of compatriots, as well as Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans, working as cooks, waiters at small eateries, shop assistants, taxi drivers, construction and municipal workers, or as maids in the houses of the rich. Conversing with some of them, I picked up some of the darker aspects of this illuminated city. Their income, compared to Dubai standards, is low and not enough to live a decent life. Housing is very expensive, so most with their families back home, cram themselves in cheap, impoverished accommodation, work almost ceaselessly without leisure or social activities, and drag through a life which, perhaps, they hate. So, all that glitters in Dubai is not gold.

This raise the question about the city’s huge debt which has prompted some to comment that Dubai has been punching above its weight and will soon reverse back to where it came from – a coastal fishing village. Well, time will only be able to answer that, but from what I witnessed, I believe the amount of investment made will not disappear. Strategically located between th financial powers of Europe and the Far East, Dubai will still remain as the biggest deep water port in the region. Ships will continue to dock, people will continue to come and do business, currency will change hands and someone, behind the scenes, perhaps have already started planning something taller than Burj Dubai.

 

TRAVEL NOTEBOOK

Getting There – If a 14 hour haul doesn’t bother you, fly Emirates Airlines (www.emirates.com) directly from Australia to Dubai. An alternative is to fly Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) with a stopover and aircraft change at Singapore.

Getting Around – Taxis are easily available and the recently opened Dubai Metro (www.dubaimetro.eu) is another convenient way of meandering around.

Accommodation – For an experience of a lifetime, you may wish to splurge at the opulent Burj Al Arab Hotel (www.burj-al-arab.com). Otherwise, a range of quality accommodation is available to suit your budget. Check www.expedia.co.in for the best deal

Local Sightseeing – See the main sights of Dubai from a open top Double Decker bus that allows hop on, hop off service at all sights (www.bigbustours.com)

Excursions – No visit to Dubai is complete without experiencing its surrounding deserts and getting a taste of the true heartland of Arabia. Popular things to in the sand are camel riding, dune driving, sunset watching  and finishing the day with  a typical Arabian dinner under the stars, while enjoying music, belly dancing and sheesha smoking.

Currency – Dirham is the local currency, with 1US dollar = 3.67 Dirham

Visa – Australian Nationals do not require visa to enter Dubai, but for other nationalities, check with the United Arab Embassy in Canberra