Arabs call Dubai the city of the 21st century. This is a city with skyscrapers in the midst of a vast desert. Petrodollars are reflected in its rapid urbanization. This is the modern face of the Middle East.
Some see it as a city created by combining Arab culture and European style; some view it as the Venice of the Middle East. Dubai is a modern and clean city. You would even think you were taking a stroll in a European or American city if there were no billboards in Arabic. The most luxurious SUVs in the world are on the streets of Dubai. Its residents drive different cars for day and night.
Seven emirates decided to merge in 1958 when a process of dramatic change started because of oil exploration. These emirates founded the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971; Abu Dhabi was picked as the political capital of the country, while Dubai emerged as the commercial capital. Dubai, which was an endless desert 30 years ago, is now a symbol of money and wealth. The whole city is green despite the fact that it normally receives rain just two times in a year. The city has only one season: summer. However, it is divided into three phases: hot summer, regular summer and mild summer. The city hosts a number of parks, although you usually have to pay 5 dirhams for admission.
Only 20 percent of the city is Arab; there are a number of Filipino, Pakistani, Indian and Thai workers there. Most of these workers do not have their families with them. They want to make money and go back to their native lands. A foreign worker earns 800-2,000 dirhams per month. The workers are expected to speak English. Because rent in the city is generally quite expensive, workers usually have to share their rooms with others. A cab driver makes about $555 each month.
Because the city hosts people from diverse backgrounds, English has become the common language. Arab residents are fluent in this language because of the city's great emphasis on tourism and trade.
Dubai Creek has always occupied a central place in the city; it has played an important role in daily life; now it serves to host key commercial and tourism activities. Boats, called abra, are available for those who want to cross the creek. The abras can carry 30 persons each trip, and the fee is 50 fils (half a dirham).
It would be no exaggeration if we called Dubai a city of hotels. You will encounter a number of 5-star hotels in downtown Dubai. But Burj al-Arab, a 7-star hotel, is the symbol of Dubai and is the only 7-star hotel in the world. Burj al-Arab stands on a small island in the sea and is made of glass and steel; it looks like a sailboat. Before its construction was started, a manmade island was built in the middle of the sea. This took three years, while construction of the hotel lasted for two. The people of Dubai are so proud of this building that even the license plates here include a small picture of it.
Weekends in Dubai fall on Thursday and Friday. The week starts on Saturday. Working hours are also rather different: There is work between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., then a two-and-a-half hour break followed by another working period between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Local Arabs are encouraged to marry other local Arabs. When such a marriage happens, the couples are given a large villa and $20,000. If the groom does not have a job, the government arranges employment for him. If necessary, the couples may also be entitled to loans from a bank. However, these incentives do not apply to marriages involving a non-Arab. If a Dubai resident female marries a foreign man, she loses her citizenship. If a man living in Dubai marries a foreign woman, she can be naturalized five years later.
While no trace of the desert is left in downtown Dubai, it is possible to have fun on desert safaris in the rural parts of the emirate. Arranging safari tours is part of the local culture; the tours attract a great deal of attention from foreign tourists. The tours usually start before sunset.
People are excited about experiencing the sunset in the desert, and many hurry to catch a still image of this moment with their cameras, trying to maximize the pleasure of the moment.
Dubai is also famous for its regularly held camel races. These camels are bred in exclusive farms owned by the royal family. The camel races sponsored by the sheikhs are pretty prestigious for them. The camels are trained for two hours every day.
Dubai is an attractive center of shopping and commerce. It tries to appeal to shoppers from all over the world by holding festivals and special events throughout the entire year. Numerous malls have been built all around the city. Some shopping centers, such as Mercato, have a historical appearance. This is a deliberate choice to attract visitors, as they were actually erected just a few years ago.
The emirate of Dubai has made visible accomplishments and completed attractive projects. Manmade islands in the shape of a palm tree have been constructed in the middle of the sea to host tourist facilities. The houses and facilities on the islands have already been sold out. In another project, a group of small islands in the shape of a map of the world is being constructed in the sea. Each island represents one country in the world; the prices of the islands vary, but the rates start at $7.5 million. The most expensive one is $30 million. Foreigners can also invest in these projects. Dubai residents say the palm-tree islands and the world-map project are amongst the few man-made structures visible from outer space. Dubai hopes to host 15 million tourists a year by 2010. For this reason, they are always developing new projects.
Dubai has nice, calm beaches. It is possible to swim any time in the year because there is no winter there. People are always flowing into the city because of attractive events including exhibitions, meetings and conferences. But this is also a city where sandstorms are a part of daily life. You may hear the sounds of hawks used in hunting amidst the modern skyscrapers that cast their silhouettes on the desert. Vast areas of desert have been turned into golf courses. The whole area has become a place that appeals to the wealthy tourists of the world. Modernity and desert life exist side by side in the emirate. East and the West meet here as Dubai takes your breath away.
TRAVEL TIPS
Visa: The UAE requires a visa for Turkish citizens. Although visitors from the US, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore and EU countries are also required to get visas, they can obtain them upon arrival at the airport. The visa fee is 100 dirhams. However, British citizens are exempted from this fee.
How to go: Both Turkish Airlines (THY) and Emirates have direct flights to Dubai.
Accommodation: There are many nice hotels, but prices are generally quite high.
What to eat: You should try the delicious Arab food in the city. There are plenty of nice restaurants.
Best times to travel: The best time to visit Dubai is the period between November and April. December, January and February are particularly suitable for a visit. The city is very hot at other times. There is also high humidity.
QUICK FACTS
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Official language: Arabic
Government: Federation, powers split between UAE federal government and emirates
President: Khalifa bin Zayid Al-Nuhayyan (chief of state)
Prime Minister: Muhammad bin Rashid Al-Maktum (head of government)
Area: 83,600 square kilometers
Population: 4,621,399*
GDP (PPP): $164.4 billion**
Religions: Muslim 96% (Shiite 16%), Other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%
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