Rooftop night clubs, camel rides, indoor skiing, the tallest building in the world and oh yeah...the Louvre.
"Down the street I found a modest rooftop bar atop a Sheraton Hotel. I toasted the Prophet Muhammed on his birthday with a delicious mocktail and told him I understood the piety of the day and had no problem respecting his wishes that alcohol not be served. Some Aussies a table over were not hiding their illegal consumption of mini bottles grabbed from their minibar. I wasn’t touching that karma. Atop the roof, Dubai’s glitz and glamour shone through the sparkling light radiating off its new age construction. Time Square on speed is the best comparison. Near the end of the deck was a dark secluded place. There I observed the city and thought about the three million souls living vertically, suspended high above this land that was only vast decrepit desert just a few decades before. Like America, most were drawn to Dubai for opportunity. A chance at something new, an ability to support folks back home. Many encountered a terrible prejudice, but that was a price they had to pay. I came to realize I was looking out at the embodiment of America’s hyper-capitalist consumerist culture. The rapid growth of Dubai may not have been directly modeled off of the U.S. but its attention to brand, marketing and zest for the illusion of status felt distinctly American. Sober and awake, I grabbed dinner at Burger King and went home to watch Netflix."
--SOURCE
CITIES VISITED:
MUST DO:
FAVORITE MEMORY:
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Watch a falcon demonstration and ride a camel in the desert.
Marvel at the Grand Mosque and Middle Eastern outpost of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi.
Eat sweets at the top floor of the world's tallest building, then ride the metro to see the mall with indoor skiing (you read that right.)
Visit the Marina district at night observe an ostentatious global partying at its best.
Watching a scantily clad lady of the night in walk past a woman in a full burka in the lobby of a luxury hotel in Dubai--a true microcosm moment.
No details are overlooked in the UAE. Similar to a casino, your comfort is their priority as the longer you stay the longer you pay. Many tourists don't ride the Metro in Dubai, that's a mistake as it's very efficient. Uber operates, there are plentiful cabs. If it's not too hot, there's a lot of walking to be done in Dubai.
One of those "you really just got to see it" places. Limits are arbitrary. There's something for everyone. The United Arab Emirates deserves credit. In sixty years it has transformed itself from a ragtag assortment of impoverished fishing villages and desert outposts into a modern prosperous nation, one that provides employment for millions. In its neighborhood, it can be considered beacon of tolerance and monument to coexistence.
