Dubai : A city of dichotomies

I would like to pledge in the beginning itself that I am new in Dubai. I consider that as an advantage since I carry no baggage and perhaps I could be dispassionate. Oh by the way, you will be quite disappointed if you are looking for a structured analysis vis-a-vis the Title. But as I said earlier, this is my blog and I could do anything with it.



The first thing when I landed in Dubai was to call home and I remember saying that looks like I have landed in Cochin or Trivandrum, except that everything was polished. Not the behavior, but the real estate, the roads, the vehicles, the amenities, etc, etc. In fact its quite amazing the way a desert has been transferred into a concrete jungle. The planners of course are creating more real estates with more greenery these days and thats a welcome change. However when I am out, somehow I see, concrete, tar and vehicles!!! The palm trees on certain roads looks like exceptions rather than the rule. They look good for sure, but somehow I am not able to touch them, if you know what I mean.



In the last two months the variety of taxi drivers I have met from different nationalities are quite amazing. Typically taxi drivers are from India(Read Kerala), Pakistan, Syria, Egypt and other neighbouring countries. I found the people from the Land of the Pure - the best in terms of communication or helpfulness. Being an Indian I was a bit disappointed with my brethren especially in terms of their stiffness, and "playing Malayalam songs on the Car Audio". Oh by the way, Pak means pure and that leads to Pak-i-stan.



The weather is a main deterrent and typically people from the sub continent either visit the large Malls and shop, window shop or eat. The other option is of course watching the movies in a good cineplex. Indians are hardly into games or beach activities. Exceptions prove the rule mind you. And the Europeans are also in the malls and the singles would all perhaps land up in the night clubs of choice and taste.



Thats one side. On the other side of the fence are the workers. Construction workers mostly, staying in labour camps(??). A labour camp is a combination of four walled rooms, with one wash room where 20 or more persons from the sub continent are occupying their individual spaces less then perhaps of a decent prison cell!!! They are absolutely not on our mindset. They are like the slaves of the modern world earning 500 AEDs a months (thats about 135 USD) and I refrain from going into the calculation of their spending habits or scope.



The razzmatazz has a gloomy supporting system and thats perhaps the capitalist exploitation in its raw visible form. You would see that in Dubai!!!! I suggest that when you decide your next vacation, do not come to Dubai. There are better places in the world and I promise you that if you sit down with me I can prove it to you that Dubai will land up as one of the last choices unless you want to see the Tallest Building on earth, or see a fat sheikh walking into a hotel with a petite woman from one of the European Countries. Or perhaps shop. But are you serious, that's your vacation idea? Sphere: Related Content