This is a recap of my trip to Dubai in early February

Dubai is perhaps the most multicultural place I have visited. Along with the Gulf Arabs are foreign Arabs, Africans, South Asians, East Asians and Europeans. This variety of people and the associated cultures and foods were great changes from Mersin.

The cosmopolitaness may make Dubai sound soulful and full of character. However, this is not the case. From my observations, the city’s vast distances, lack of history, choking traffic, business focus and nationality/class discrimination combine to remove most of the city’s character.

The area with the most character I visited was the streets surrounding the gold souk where the mainly South Asians had their shops. In fact, whilst walking along a few back streets I was asked by 3 or 4 different pimps if I would like any ‘small ladies’. I politely declined each time.

Dubai is a unique place and definitely worth the visit for anyone into modern architecture, shopping and grandiose projects. It is a kind of gambling-free Las Vegas where the massive hotel-casinos are replaced by massive hotels and shopping centres. Las Vegas’ wealthy developers, desert location, fast cars, imported labour and quest to build larger and more fancier structures are all there in Dubai.

Nermeen, a very good friend of mine, drove me around Dubai. I first met Nermeen in Turkey when she was on her traineeship and then again in her home town of Alexandria, Egypt.

In Dubai I stayed at the Youth Hostel. The new wing was very clean and it was perhaps the cleanest hostel I have stayed in. I shared a twin room with another Egyptian. In true Dubai style, the room’s air conditioning remained continuously operating even though the weather was not hot and I would have preferred fresh air.

Highlights of Dubai:

* Having nargile with Nermeen and her cousin. The fresh mango juice was scrumptious.
* The variety of food. I bet Carrefour hypermarket in Deira City Centre had more styles of rice than the whole of Turkey.
* Everybody understanding English. Although Arabic is the official language of Dubai, English is more widely spoken. The English spoken, though, is a non-native version as attested by the ‘parking at rear’ sign below

* The ferry rides across the Creek

* Drinking a ‘Blue Frog’ cocktail in the British pub in Madinat Jumeirah. The drink contained 4 shots of spirits and was recommended by Nermeen, a lady who has never ever drunk alcohol.

* Travelling up to the 40th-odd floor of both Emirates Towers skyscrapers

* The amount of gold on display at the gold souk.

Burj al Arab

The Burj al Arab is the most recognisable symbol of Dubai. I visited the vicinity of the seven star Hotel but did not go inside. The hotel normally is lit up in many colours at night but as Dubai was still mourning the passing of its former Emir the building only reflected white lights. Next time I’m in Dubai I’ll visit the hotel area during the day and perhaps even go inside for a meal (providing I have money to burn).

Hi from the warm, multicultural, English-speaking, desert city of Dubai!

Here are a few ironies and coincidences surrounding the Emirates flight from Istanbul to Dubai:

a) The chicken (as opposed to the lamb) dinner was very popular on the plane. Popular enough for Emirates to run out of it. In Turkey, the flight origin country, people hardly touch chicken due to bird flu paranoia.

b) The plane flew over Adana, the city I originally flew from to catch this flight.

c) A saw the Australian film Moulin Rouge for the first time ever. This journey will eventually take me to Australia.

d) In Istanbul Airport duty free I bought Danish vodka. I did not make the Danish cartoon controversy connection until I read about the burning of the Danish Embassy in Beirut on the in-flight television.