If you've been a follower of my blog (I honestly pity you!) or my life for that matter, you obviously know that I practically grew up in the Middle East - namely, the UAE. When we came in 1992 it was beautiful. Dubai had very few buildings, and the view from the centre of the city (Deira) to Sharjah was clearly visible. You could see buildings and Al-Mullah Plaza from the comfort of your own windows. That is how, empty yet gorgeous it was. Dubai - at the time, was known for it's famous Fishing trips, untouched beaches and corniches. It was known for it's inexpensive Gold souk, Irani souk and indian textile bazars. From electronics to perfumes, everything was affordable. People came from places like cold and dull England to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life to just unwind or have fun jet skiing or taking the infamous desert safari's and not to forget - smoke Sheesha! Eat those freshly made shawarma's and falafels on the road - and hailing a cab with just your arm, making at least 3 stop at once.
Take that, turn it 180 and that is what Dubai is becoming now. Sigh. Sure, you still have those great things but it's just not the same anymore. Dubai has doused itself in the stupendous creation of a fantasy. It's actually quite upsetting to be honest. The UAE was perfect the way it was - it moved with the times, the laws changed yet there was always the arabic side that stayed still - the history, the culture, and the people. It seems like now Dubai has been infested with foreigners and it's at the peak of losing it's charm. One more push, and down it goes.
Over the past couple of days or so I've been really interested as to what Dubai has become like. I see pictures, and they are terrifying to the point of goosebumps! I kid you not - there are establishments being made in the shape of the Globe, which will be build on the sea. The underwater hotel, the resort which will be in the shape of a cloud and will be raised above ground so as to show people the "view" of the city. The view in question, is completely beyond me! They are building these rotating towers, where each floor would be rotating the opposite side to the floor below and above, so as to let the residents have a different view throughout the day. The Burj Tower - The tallest building in the world, which is probably going to reach one of the heavens - is the most eerie place I have ever seen.
In my opinion, each country/city on this planet has it's own charm. There is something very individualistic about all the places. Paris is known for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre (not anymore! Step in, Dubai!) and those great architectural buildings. It's known as the city of love because it's absolutely romantic - it has this very distinct feel about it, that when you just arrive you feel like falling all over the place in love with something or another - be it the coffee or the people or even the footpath! I'm not joking! It's actually that great. But my question remains, why take that distinct individuality away from it? Why put the Louvre anywhere else in the world! Just like that, why create huge aquariaums in which you'll place animals like sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins - When some of the animals aren't even made for the climate that Dubai brings. Next thing we know, they'll be off to each of the countries to pick up the animal that best represents it like the Koala's and Kangaroo's from Australia! Why stop there I say - why not bring the Dinosaurs back to life and create a real Jurasic Park?
It's completely ridiculuous! I even loved Dubai when I was leaving in 2005. I'm so happy that we chose to leave at the perfect time. It was when Dubai was developing still, and none of the "biggest and bestest in the world" craze was around that much. It was still all a vision, but not as insane as it has become now - I guess this is what happens when you have so much money and have no idea what to do with it. You just make a city become what every person secretly dreams of, but in such a way it gives them nightmares.
Seeing all the plans for the next couple of years, I was completely gobsmacked! From building islands within the city - some which replicate palm tree's and others that replicate the entire Globe, to buildings made purely of marble. This place has left absolutely nothing to imagine any more, and I say that with disappointment. The sketches shown for the future of Dubai now stand somewhere in between "The Truman show" and "The day after tomorrow".
Even if Dubai has a little bit of charm left, it will be bulldozered over with another "great" building. Soon, there will be no space to breathe.
Pictures taken when we first arrived in 1992/1993. In memory of the place I loved and remembered just this way.
A view of the city - from anywhere you wanted!
Chicago Beach at it's most natural
4 comments:
They are bringing water into the land, and building land in the water.
You don't need to know anything else to realise they've lost their marbles.
>It seems like now Dubai has been infested with foreigners and it's at the peak of losing it's charm.
Pretty bizarre statement coming from an ex-pat of however many years!
Not bizarre at all - because I'm talking about the present. When we were there it was just the right amount of different people. Now it seems like Dubai has been taken over by the west, completely.
Tsk, tsk... such disdain for "the west". In my opinion, if it were not for the west, there would be someone else to blame and hate (at the every worst ourselves - self-hating Dubaians).
Enough blame laying! Accept the difference in opinions - and clearly people must be enjoying the new Dubai more, since they are seeing much more financial success now...
Granted changing habits and expectations are not easy, and often if new cultures (even if the are our very own) is forced onto us we resist for the sake of resisting, but if humans were not as adapting beings as they are, we would still be cave men (cave people for all you "politically correct" people out there).
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