Dubai: The Boys Are Back in Town

I looked out the window of the plane. All I could see was a bank of heavy clouds. I kept waiting for my first glimpse of Dubai. I thought it might look like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. My guidebook calls the United Arab Emirate the land of great contrasts. From everything I have read about Dubai, that title seems kind of vague. However, maybe it is the social contrasts that my book is talking about. Dubai has become a playground for the wealthy and super-rich. Yes, there is a difference. Needless to say, not everyone is rich.

The infrastructure still has to be maintained, right? Honestly, I wanted to skip the Wild Wadi Waterpark and the indoor ski resort at the Mall of Emirates. The lads and I were heading to Dubai for camel races and the belly dancing. I am kidding, but I am still curious.

Excess or Innovation

There has been a lot of talk about Dubai’s manmade islands and seven-star hotels. The United Arab Emirate also has the tallest hotel in the world as well as the tallest skyscraper. While some people see these postmodern buildings as innovative, others view them as eyesores created by a powerful oil industry. However, the buzz is so strong that Westerners are flocking to Dubai in droves. The lads and I usually take a week off together to play golf in Scotland or the United States. However, this year we decided to be like those girls from Sex and the City and hop on a plane to Dubai. Ed is an architect. He is the one who put the trip together, so he is the official tour guide. Of course, I hope we do more than drool over buildings.

Gold Souk

The girls back in England are going to love us. The souk is a warren of small streets filled with stalls and mini-malls. Dubai is world renowned for its gold and diamonds. The souk is where all the great deals are. None of us is good at haggling, but we did our best. The idea is to look like you know what you are doing. We all of us got something for our girls back home, but I am sure that none of us got a deal.

The Desert Safari

It is time to do something manly. It is time to cruise the sand dunes. Part dune riding, part dune bashing, the desert safari is hot package amongst Westerners. A full day also includes a barbecue and traditional belly dancing. Seeing a fiery desert sunset and eating barbecue is a lot better than bogging through eighteen holes in Scotland. If only our wives could see us now.