The Emiratis: Dubai

DUBAI - the city that will not settle for anything less than first place.

Dubai Airport

The Dubai airport welcomes you with a magnanimous Duty free. Walking through the airport to the immigration, and then to the luggage carousel gives you a feel of the things to come. Everything here is larger than life.

Traditionally, in the days of yore, ranging from a labourer to the executive, all would target this city for an employment offer. Those who found it hard to make both ends meet in their home country would find solace in this Emirates city. Trade and tourism thus started to flourish and over a period of time this desert city saw the mushrooming of skyscrapers and went on to become an international shopping hub thanks to the Dubai Shopping Festival. It did earn some ill repute because of its human rights violations concerning the South Asian workforce and also by allowing the underworld to thrive. Then came the era of recession in 2007-8 which threatened to blow away all the good work done hitherto.

Dubai however, fought its way out of the pits and now boasts of one of the best airlines - the Emirates - voted as No.1 in 2013, and the tallest building- The Burj Khalifa.  

Of the 2 million people residing in Dubai, more than 50% are Indians. A meager 15% of them are the local Emiratis.

Miracle Garden

The spirit of this city is symbolized by the Miracle Garden.

Miracle Garden

In the midst of a desert, in the sweltering summer heat, lies this astonishingly beautiful and largest natural flower garden in the world.

Miracle Garden

The cuisines on offer in Dubai would titillate the taste buds of one and all. Arabic, Chinese, Continental, Pakistani foods to name a few. Shawarma, Kebbah, Manakish are the favs. Beef and camel meat would keep you longing for more and more.

Also known as the 'Vegas of the Middle East' or 'Disney Land of the Middle East'.

Liquor is not sold freely in the country. Even though Dubai is a liberal city, it would be hard to find alcohol except in Hotels. A special mention has to be made of the Barracuda store

Barracuda store

in Umm Al Quwain which houses a huge variety of alcohol. The premix cocktails and tequila shots are a novelty. And all priced cheap and above all, relatively safe to transport to Dubai. It's a heaven for the tipplers.

Dubai has become synonymous with the Burjs - Al Khalifa

Burj Khalifa

is the tallest man made structure in the world and the Al Arab

Burj Arab

is one of the finest 7 star Hotels. The fountain show at the Burj Khalifa is not to be missed, so also the fireworks show on the New Year's night at the same place.

It would be impossible not to visit the Atlantis, The Palm, 

Atlantis

a Dubai hotel resort located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah. 
 

The Dubai Mall

Dubai Mall

is the world's largest shopping mall based on total area and fourteenth largest by gross leasable area. It houses the Burj Khalifa and an Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Shopping here though could severely dent your pockets.

A drive to Abu Dhabi along Sheikh Zayed Road, flanked by the Dubai skyline which, dotted by skyscrapers of various forms and sizes.

Transportation in the city is chiefly via the Metro Rail. This could be as crowded as any Mumbai suburban train during its peak hours. The Tram

Tram

and Monorail is available only on select routes.

This is not all. Dubai has much more to offer. Maybe I would be able to explore more of this city when I am back with my kids.

One of the main characteristics that differentiates Dubai from other commercial centres is its openness to innovation and the freedom it grants people and institutions to operate.

"I want Dubai to be a place where everybody from all over the world meets each other, don't think of fighting or hate, just love it, enjoy their sport, and that's it."-Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

I end this post by thanking my dear friends Hatim and Irfan, without whom this journey would not have been possible. Till we meet again...…