Dubai impressions

Ah, Dubai! From all I'd heard, I thought it was going to be a cross between Las Vegas and a small Middle Eastern country, but it's more like a cross between Bellevue and a small Middle Eastern country. It's all about the shopping here. There are over 30 shopping malls, and the two major annual festivals revolve around shopping. Also a little bit of LA in the DNA - it's so spread out you can't walk anywhere and there's no good mass transit system (yet - coming next year). I guess that makes sense for a country that has some of the cheapest cars (no tax) and gas (water is more expensive) on the planet. I took the Big Bus Tour to get an overview of the areas and about half of the stops were malls.

I'm here during Ramadan, and the difference between here and Turkey could not be more striking. In Turkey you wouldn't really notice Ramadan, at least in the more touristy towns where I was. All of the restaurants were open and there was no preceptable change in behavior.

In Dubai, restaurants are closed from sunrise to sunset, outside of hotels and a few restaurants in a high end malls. In those malls, Starbucks remained closed but scrappy Seattle's Best Coffee kept their door discretely half open. There are expectations to be more modest and unassuming at all times. It's recommended to wear more conservative clothing, not to sing or dance in public (all of the clubs are closed for the month), not to chew gum or spit, etc. Then at sunset (Iftar) there are many big celebration feasts to break your fast, or if you are like me you can find the nearest possible Indian restaurant the moment the sun dips.

The Indian population here is quite large as they are drawn here for work opportunities. Dubai in some ways feels like a melting pot of Middle Eastern, Asian, and African people, resulting in some great authentic restaurants and shops. Though of course culturally things are kept strictly Islamic and Arab, combined with a heavy emphasis on Western luxury brands and Disney-like attractions.

Westerners tend to keep to themselves. Wandering around town it felt like I was the only Westener in the city. Until I'd go into a hotel, where they all seem to hang out around the pool and in the bars and restaurants.
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