DUBAI: CITY OF DREAMS
by Kumkum Ramchandani

Something wow happens in Dubai almost every day. Tennis legend Andre Agassi plays tennis with world number one Roger Federer on the helipad of the world’s most luxurious hotel; Tiger Woods and Boris Beckham buy multi million dollar properties; nine year old Shakiba Asif from Kerala, daughter of a time keeper in a Dubai company wins 100 kilos of gold during Dubai Shopping Festival 2005; South African waitresses in Asha’s, Asha Bhonsle’s restaurant, wear bindis and nose rings. A Guinness World Record is sought for the maximum number of people named Mohammed under one roof.

Dubai is the latest buzz word in the travel grapevine. Like a shimmering mirage, it has risen from the bleakness of its sandy foundation to become the teeming, opulent metropolis where nothing but the biggest and the best will do. It’s progress is a result of the far reaching vision of its ruling Maktoum family and charismatic poetry-spouting Crown Prince of Dubai and Defence Minister, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

“If you love being spoilt rotten, enjoy delicious food, year round sunshine and sunbathing in a glitzy environment, Dubai is definitely the place to be,” gushes the Belfast Telegraph.

Ever since the tiny emirate with a population of 1 million people (slated to grow to 3.5 million by 2020) has thrown open its doors to foreign investment in its property sector, development has exploded and the excitement of becoming a global entity is palpable in every day life. ‘There is no time to waste’ is the message you get as you wait for half an hour before a cab stops for you. As you cross the road for a better vantage point you are almost run over by gleaming Mercedes’s and BMW’s while pedestrians jostle you as they speak animatedly into the latest model mobile phones seemingly making multi million deals at the drop of a hat. But there’s a difference – people are still friendly and hospitable here. Fame and fortune has not yet gone to their heads.

Dubai International Airport is probably the most significant advertisement for the city. It is the Lamborgini of world airports with one of the most price friendly Duty Free’s – the shopping is amazing, the décor is five star and the staff is welcoming. New expansion, set to be completed by 2006, will enable the airport to handle a whopping 70 million passengers per year as compared to 20 million now. Anyone who has flown on Emirates, the city’s airline, has been completely swept off his or her feet by the topnotch service. “Even time flies on Emirates” is its logo.

“Ahlan wa Sahlan” (welcome), the cab driver will probably say to you as you drive away to your luxury hotel or hotel apartment, one of almost 300 diverse properties dotting the landscape. He may be from Egypt or Kerala and will be a mine of information as he chatters away in a bewildering lingo which is a combination of Arabic, Urdu, English and Malayalam. Some shop keepers and hotel workers have even learned passable Russian and Chinese adding to the cosmopolitan flavour of this wonderful city where 150 nationalities live happily in perfect harmony.

The four ‘esses’, Sun, Sand, Shopping and Sea have always attracted hordes of visitors to Dubai but there is another ‘ess’, which is Security. Dubai has twice been voted the safest destination in the world by Conde Nast Traveller . Even single women can roam the streets without any threat or harassment as long as they observe the laws of the land which are pretty liberal. Women can drive and work, get sozzled in the hundreds of bars in the hotels and wear anything they please as long as it’s not overtly indecent.

This may sound like a cliché, but the city truly caters to every kind of tourist. If you want glitzy nightclubs and sophisticated shopping, they’re here. If you’re into golf or parasailing, yachting, desert bashing or even sand skiing, there are numerous adventure companies that will organize a wonderful itinerary. For the ‘culture vulture’, Dubai is a charming mix of old and new. Dire Straits, Enrique Iglesias, Rod Stewart, Anoop Jalota, Asha Bhonsle are just some of the famous performers who have wowed audiences here. On the other hand, there are traditional areas where one can imbibe Arabian culture – take a trip to the spice souk or a 1 dirham (1 US$ = 3.75 dirhams) abra (boat) ride down the wondrous creek which divides the city into two segments. Or you can do the creek in five star luxury aboard an Arab dhow where for Dh 100 onwards you can get a five course meal, belly dancing and fireworks.

Dubai has 35 shopping malls which offer everything under the sun from designer wear and haute couture to plastic beach slippers. Most hotels offer free shuttle rides to the malls and beaches and also the glittering Gold Souk which is a must for every visitor. This City of Gold enjoys the world’s highest per capita consumption of gold with an average of 36 grams per person.

The Dubai Shopping Festival, now in its tenth year, is one of Dubai’s main claims to fame. In 2005 it drew in 5 million visitors as compared to 1.6 million in 1996, all of whom avidly enjoyed international jazz and music festivals, sports events, designer fashion shows, and of course, exquisite shopping at bargain prices. Every March the emirate hosts the world’s richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, with its purse of US$ 6 million

Dubai’s skyline changes every month as more and more opulent construction comes up at an almost alarming pace. At dinner parties well heeled expatriates boast about the multi million dollar apartments and villas they have booked in exotic sounding developments with names like Greens, Meadows and Arabian Ranches. The latest hangout is a fabulously sprawling complex with Arabian architecture, housing a designer souk, theatre and numerous restaurants, called Madinat Jumeirah, incongruously fronting the modernistic sail-shaped hotel, Burj Al Arab, the world’s most famous seven star property where each room is a duplex with its own butler.

Dubai’s thirst for the biggest and best is unquenchable. Under construction is allegedly the world’s tallest tower, Burj Dubai, which rumours say could reach 2,970 feet on completion. Not far away is slated to be the biggest mall in the Middle East, more than 2.4 million square feet in area with the first indoor ski resort, the third largest in the world with over 6000 tonnes of snow, a veritable miracle in a country where summer temperatures can reach the high forties!

Film icon Amitabh Bachchan, a frequent visitor, said it all: “They have made Dubai into such an exciting spot out of nothing. I think we need to learn a few lessons on progress from them.”

BOX

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
The Palm:
Two of the world’s largest manmade islands of 500 hectares each built in the shape of palms and estimated to cost US$ 650 million. Dubai’s shoreline will increase by 120 kilometres and the islands will accommodate over 60 luxury hotels, 5000 beachside villas, 5000 shoreline apartments, marinas, water theme parks, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas.

Hydropolis:
The world’s first underwater hotel with 220 rooms, a half submerged concert hall and snorkeling. The project, to cost US$ 500 million, is slated for 2006.

Burj Dubai:
The world’s tallest tower, whose height is a closely guarded secret, scheduled for completion by 2007, will combine residential, commercial, hotel and entertainment and leisure facilities.

Dubailand:
One of the biggest construction projects in the world, spread over two billion square feet of land, will be the Middle East’s answer to Disneyland.

The World:
A series of 200 islands positioned to form the shape of the world map will cover 60 million square feet. Each island will be themed to show a close similarity to the country it represents.

The Mall of the Emirates:
The largest mall in the Middle East should be completed by September 2005. It will cover 2.4 million square feet and will have the third largest indoor ski dome in the world.


BOX
DUBAI:CITY OF GOLD
*Dubai has 600 gold shops, the densest concentration in the world

*90% of all jewellery is imported and 95% of all jewellery sold is above 21 karat.

*At any given time over 25 tonnes of gold is on display in jewellery shop windows.

*Jewellery is sold on gold price plus making charges unlike in western countries.

*Imports come from Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and Bahrain.

BOX
Dubai facts:
Climate
Temperatures range from 10 degrees C/50 degrees F to a high of 48 degrees C/118.4 degrees F. The mean daily maximum is 24 degrees C/75 degrees F in January rising to 41 degrees C/105.8 degrees F in July.

Currency
UAE dirham. US$1 + Dh 3.67. I dh is equal to 100 fils.

Customs
No exchange restrictions and no customs duty on personal effects. You are allowed 2000 cigarettes, 400 cigars, 2kg tobacco, 2lts alcohol, all duty free.

Business hours
Private sector offices are generally open between 8 am and 1pm and 4pm to 8 pm. Weekends can be Thursday afternoon and Friday or Friday and Saturday. Some shops are open till 10pm.

Languages
The official language is Arabic but English is widely spoken and understood.

Cuisine
Fast food, local food and speciality restaurants ranging from Indian, Chinese and Mexican to Thai, Lebanese or American. Numerous pubs and nightclubs where alcohol is freely served.

For information about Dubai visit the website of the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing: http://www.dubaitourism.ae.