Dubai, UAE

I finally got to spend more than a layover in Dubai! For a while, I have been intrigued by this city, which believes that bigger is always better. It doesn't have any history to speak of, but Dubai has become a tourist destination with incredible mystique.

Driving through Dubai, you see a city center lined with modern skyscrapers and mega-malls, but beneath the glimmering facade is a conservative Arab country. Women here are not equals, homosexuality is illegal, and apostasy is a capital offense. It is unfortunate that social values are not progressing at the same rate as infrastructure growth. 

I will admit that Dubai has accomplished some pretty amazing engineering milestones. Where else can you find man-made islands in the shape of a palm tree, a self-proclaimed 7-star hotel in the middle of the water, an indoor ski slope in the desert, and the world’s tallest building? It is no surprise that Dubai is so famous.

My hotel was located in Healthcare City, which is quickly developing but still somewhat far from all the action. Fortunately, fuel here is cheaper than water and taxis are quite inexpensive, so it's not a problem to get anywhere. 

Downtown Dubai in the haze

Everyone told me to visit Dubai marina, the world's largest man-made marina. When I arrived, it looked more like an upscale residential area than a tourist destination. There were lots of highrise apartments clustered around a man-made "river", and a boardwalk lined with restaurants. Even to my untrained eye, I was impressed by the architectural design elements in many of the buildings. Each one has its own unique feature to set it apart from the rest. My favorite was Cayan Tower, which looks like it had been twisted in a 90' angle.

Some of the buildings in Dubai Marina

Looking up at my favorite building in Dubai Marina

I spent some time walking around the boardwalk, gushing over the endless line-up of expensive yachts, and having lunch by the water. As I sat in the restaurant, I thought about just how different the living environment is from where I grew up. For whatever reason, Americans still retain the dream of a free-standing house. This is such a contrast to the rest of the world, where apartment living is so much more common. This small area of Dubai has more highrise buildings clustered together than most American city centers.

Peaceful afternoon at Dubai Marina

Super yachts parked in the marina, with easy access to the gulf

I was fascinated when I noticed a mosque under construction in the middle of the marina area. Dubai is well known as a city full of expats, but religion still retains a dominant component of society. Just like church spires in Europe, the minarets were eclipsed by the height of the modern skyscrapers that surround them.

Mosque under construction in Dubai marina

After my relaxing afternoon at Dubai Marina, I took public transportation to Burj Khalifa and the adjacent Mall of the Emirates. I really like how Dubai has the foresight to think about public transportation - even in an environment of inexpensive fuel. Most people have cars, but it is nice that the metro system is available. 

The metro stations look more like UFO's ready to take off

Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building - is perhaps the most popular attraction in Dubai. Just like many other skyscrapers, it has an overpriced observation center at the top. People can have a view of the surrounding desert to remind themselves that they are truly in a desert oasis that sprung out of nothing in the past few decades. I was half tempted to go up just to say I have done it, but then I remembered I am not a bucket lister. 

Looking up at Burj Khalifa - mesmerized by its sheer size

Surrounding the Burj is the massive Dubai Mall, with over 1200 stores. No joke. How can there seriously be enough business to sustain this many stores? I don't know, but the mall was absolutely packed with people. At first, I planned to just breeze though. But that "breeze" turned into three hours of non-stop walking...past an indoor ice skating rink, a two-story massive fish tank, and even a faux souk. 

A tiny peek at the massive Dubai Mall

Between the mall and the Burj Khalifa is a huge pool with a fountain show designed by the same company that created the Bellagio display in Las Vegas. I happened to be walking outside during one of the shows, so I stopped to enjoy yet another example of Dubai out-doing everywhere else. The fountains project up as high as a 50-story building and span across a huge area. It was impressive. 

Watching a sunset show at Dubai Fountains

On the last night of my trip, I relaxed in my hotel and thought about the mystique of Dubai. In a world where budget constraints seem omnipresent, this city shows no signs of cutting back. The hotels are huge and opulent, shopping is a lifestyle, and almost all apartment complexes seem geared towards the rich. It begs the question: Are there any poor people in Dubai? Aside from the foreign workers, I have never seen any.

Beautiful gym inside my hotel, which was never busy

Just one of many extravagant meals during my trip

I could never live in Dubai, but I enjoy taking short trips there. It is like an escape from reality, where everyone can feel like royalty for a little while in this desert oasis. People complain that it's a shell of a city with no history, and I completely agree. However, no one goes to Dubai for a history lesson. I think it's best to just appreciate the modern wonders that exist throughout the city. 

Enjoy good food, good service, and architectural marvels. Then, look out at big patches of sand that surround the urban center and remind yourself that you're in the middle of a desert. I can only imagine what it will look like in another decade.

Looking down at the massive Grand Hyatt from my hotel

Dubai

Before I could start my next project, I had to make a quick stop in Dubai.  I flew on Emirates for the first time and can totally see how they won Airline of the Year.  The list of languages spoken by the flight crew was ridiculous, food was actually decent, and the in-flight entertainment had tons of variety.  They also offer mobile phone service, which is cool in theory but not when the guy next to you is talking on his phone (in Arabic) for half the flight.  He should have at least allowed me to eavesdrop!

Walking out the front door of my hotel this morning felt like I was stepping into an oven.  How do people manage to live here all summer?  I was literally sweating just standing still!   Riding in the taxi, I noticed very few people outside.  The ones brave enough to face the heat often used umbrellas or newspapers to block the direct sunlight.  Air conditioning is a basic necessity in this part of the world... Even the bus stops have air conditioning!

You know it's hot when the bus stops have aircon!

I decided to check out the Dubai Mall, which is the world's largest shopping mall.  It is like an indoor city: ice skating rinks, waterfalls, a "souk" area, cinema, and every store I could imagine.  In the Emirates, it's illegal to eat in public during fasting hours of ramadan, so all the restaurants had gates and curtains covering the food.  Another interesting sign I noticed at the entrance is that you can't wear anything that exposes your knees or shoulders.  Despite the ethnic diversity and the rapid growth of the city, Dubai remains very conservative.  

Water conservation isn't a concern at the Dubai mall

Adjacent to the mall is the tallest building in the world - Burj Khalifa.  I stopped outside to take a couple pictures and admire the grandeur of the building, but I didn't have enough time to venture to the top.  By the way, I couldn't even fit the entire building into my camera lens.  

Tallest building in the world!

Speaking of growth in Dubai, there are cranes everywhere you look.  The architecture is amazing and I could spend hours just admiring all the interesting buildings.  Dubai is really smart to invest in infrastructure while the oil boom is helping the economy so that they can retain relevance once the demand for oil starts to decline.

Some of the construction happening adjacent to Burj Khalifa

I decided to take the metro back to the hotel because I was so impressed that Dubai has such an advanced public transportation system.  My friends would all consider me crazy for taking the metro but I think it is a fun way to see how people in a city go about their normal lives.  Dubai's metro has only been operational for a few years, so I wasn't surprised to see that everything is still new and fresh.  

The trains don't require drivers (at least none that I could see).   I also noticed that the riders are mainly lower working-class people but that is probably just because riding public transportation is not as convenient as driving.  To be fair, I wouldn't want to walk in a suit from the metro station to any office (which is why I hopped in a taxi as soon as I got off at the stop nearest to my hotel).    

Here's the view of downtown Dubai from inside the metro train  

Once I got back to the hotel, I finally had the opportunity to check out the view and walk around a little outside.  Everything about Dubai is over-the-top, including my hotel.  

Here's my hotel, as seen from the pool. 

Here's the view from my room.  You can see the Burj Khalifa in the background 

I really wish I could have spent more time in the city - mostly because I have lots of friends from my MBA program working here that I wasn't able to see in my quick, 24-hour trip.  However, I am positive this won't be the last time I get to visit Dubai in my lifetime.  As the city continues its quest to be bigger, better, and more elaborate than anything else that exists in the world, I will be even more excited to see what they can offer.