DUBAI, UNITED A
RAB EMIRATES
What a place and what a contrast to Mumbai! Oil wa
s discovered in 1971 in this area and the city’s modernization started at that time, so everything is new, bright, sparkling clean and orderly, the exact opposite to Mumbai. It’s a land of superlatives and excesses. They take great pride in being the biggest and the best, not only in the world, but on the planet! Their buildings are the tallest “on the planet”, their hotels are the most spacious “on the planet” and have the most rooms and suites with in
dividual swimming pools in each room of any hotel “on the planet”, they have the biggest and best shopping plazas and
malls “on the planet”, they have the most unusual architecture “on the planet” (the Burj Al Arab sail-shaped hotel, Palm Island condos and the World Islands developed on land fill among them) and the most unique recreational facilities “on the planet”, Ski Dubai and Dubai-land being the most famous. The Burj Dubai is the tallest building "on the planet" at 900 meters high.
Their automobile row is miles long with every kind of car ever manufactured having a showroom, and since there’s lots of Rolls Royces on the road, they now pay premium fees for prestigious license plates! Shopping, shopping, and more high end SHOPPING is the emphasis here, and they even have shopping festivals!! The gold souqs are extraordinary! I’ve never seen so much bling and jewelry on display in one place, and bargaining is expected!
Real estate is their primary source
of income (oil is third!) and they pride themselves on having the most famous people “on the planet” buying property here -- Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Tom Cruise etc. etc. etc. I was amazed to learn that the life expectancy of these mega buildings is only 40 years because of the sand foundations and the extreme heat that deteriorates everything. Plans are already in place to tear down and replace many buildings still under construction! Ten per cent of the world’s cranes are in operation here …
There are very few “natives” because many workers come from other countries for the employment opportunities. They are allowed to keep renewing their work visas as long as they perform, but they cannot bring their families with them, nor are they allowed to retire here. Only natives can own land -- others only have a 40 year lease on their real estate.
We were lucky enough to find our way to the thoroughbred race track on Satur
day evening, and managed to talk our way inside, just 5 minutes before the biggest race “on the planet” was run ($6 million purse!) and the American horse, Well Armed, won!! Dick was ecstatic! This race is even bigger than the Kentucky Derby, and being a shopping mecca, the ladies were exquisitely dressed. Unfortunately it started to rain just after the race ended, and it turned into a spectacular thunderstorm with electric white lightning sparking across the sky, and many of these patrons simply removed their shoes and carried them as they plodded through the mud with their feathers and flowers drooping in the downpour -- what a sight!
We were also lucky enough to get a reservation for coc
ktails at the 
top of the Burj Al Arab (sail shaped hotel). What security just getting to the lobby! And indeed it was bigger and better than any hotel we’ve seen anywhere “on the planet”! We thought that $18 for a gin and tonic and $26 for a perfect Manhattan was a little excessive, but so was the cab ride ($50 each way) to the ship … But it IS the only 7-star hotel "on the planet" with the cheapest room going for $1,000/night and the royal suite listed at $28,000/night!
The taxi driver who had only been there for four months told us that he had already noticed a decline in visitors, so the global economy has also affected this playground of the rich and famous. I’m happy to have had the opportunity to visit and see for myself what unlimited money and imagination can create.
RAB EMIRATESWhat a place and what a contrast to Mumbai! Oil wa
s discovered in 1971 in this area and the city’s modernization started at that time, so everything is new, bright, sparkling clean and orderly, the exact opposite to Mumbai. It’s a land of superlatives and excesses. They take great pride in being the biggest and the best, not only in the world, but on the planet! Their buildings are the tallest “on the planet”, their hotels are the most spacious “on the planet” and have the most rooms and suites with in
dividual swimming pools in each room of any hotel “on the planet”, they have the biggest and best shopping plazas and
malls “on the planet”, they have the most unusual architecture “on the planet” (the Burj Al Arab sail-shaped hotel, Palm Island condos and the World Islands developed on land fill among them) and the most unique recreational facilities “on the planet”, Ski Dubai and Dubai-land being the most famous. The Burj Dubai is the tallest building "on the planet" at 900 meters high.
Their automobile row is miles long with every kind of car ever manufactured having a showroom, and since there’s lots of Rolls Royces on the road, they now pay premium fees for prestigious license plates! Shopping, shopping, and more high end SHOPPING is the emphasis here, and they even have shopping festivals!! The gold souqs are extraordinary! I’ve never seen so much bling and jewelry on display in one place, and bargaining is expected!Real estate is their primary source
of income (oil is third!) and they pride themselves on having the most famous people “on the planet” buying property here -- Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Tom Cruise etc. etc. etc. I was amazed to learn that the life expectancy of these mega buildings is only 40 years because of the sand foundations and the extreme heat that deteriorates everything. Plans are already in place to tear down and replace many buildings still under construction! Ten per cent of the world’s cranes are in operation here …There are very few “natives” because many workers come from other countries for the employment opportunities. They are allowed to keep renewing their work visas as long as they perform, but they cannot bring their families with them, nor are they allowed to retire here. Only natives can own land -- others only have a 40 year lease on their real estate.
We were lucky enough to find our way to the thoroughbred race track on Satur
day evening, and managed to talk our way inside, just 5 minutes before the biggest race “on the planet” was run ($6 million purse!) and the American horse, Well Armed, won!! Dick was ecstatic! This race is even bigger than the Kentucky Derby, and being a shopping mecca, the ladies were exquisitely dressed. Unfortunately it started to rain just after the race ended, and it turned into a spectacular thunderstorm with electric white lightning sparking across the sky, and many of these patrons simply removed their shoes and carried them as they plodded through the mud with their feathers and flowers drooping in the downpour -- what a sight!We were also lucky enough to get a reservation for coc
ktails at the 
top of the Burj Al Arab (sail shaped hotel). What security just getting to the lobby! And indeed it was bigger and better than any hotel we’ve seen anywhere “on the planet”! We thought that $18 for a gin and tonic and $26 for a perfect Manhattan was a little excessive, but so was the cab ride ($50 each way) to the ship … But it IS the only 7-star hotel "on the planet" with the cheapest room going for $1,000/night and the royal suite listed at $28,000/night!The taxi driver who had only been there for four months told us that he had already noticed a decline in visitors, so the global economy has also affected this playground of the rich and famous. I’m happy to have had the opportunity to visit and see for myself what unlimited money and imagination can create.
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