As it´s rather slow on here tonight I thought that I would like to present the city of Dubai in some way, as I have got the impression that many here are rather curious about the motives and methods of the ruling family of Dubai I thought that I would like to show how Dubai have changed, how the vision of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (the ruler of Dubai) have changed the area and how it´s a process that in some way only have started.
Luckily I found this blog about outrageous architecture and the suitably named article "Crazy crazy Dubai"
http://www.archinomy.com/blog/crazy-crazy-dubai.html
It shows how Dubai is being transformed to "The" trading and finance centre of the region, not only by the "no-taxes" policy but more important by actually providing the facilities of a major economic centre.
Of course it helps that the fabuosly rich Abu Dhabi is just down the road and many surrounding areas are considered unsafe but anyway.
It also in some way explains why property development is the name of the game in Dubai.
Some might be inspired and some scared of the pics, few will be untouched though...
Comments
And for all that building work they pay slave wages for the actual labouring. They ship bus loads of poor indians in and out daily for a pittance and each night they are shipped back to their work camps. (Boot camps). Treated so shabbily, a horrible sight to see amongst all that wealth. I will have to go and look at what they are paid but it is stupid amount.
Building next to ours has just started going up its 82 stories. Think of canary warf few years back X by about 30 and u get some idea of the contruction going on.Only thing is an awful lot ofthe roads are under contruction as well.
On a Friday (holy day) single men aint allowed into the shopping malls, its family day.
At least they do get paid and the money keeps millions alive in their home countries.
Other things to get used to it´s the legal wrangles, as a foreigner will always be blamed if say a local 17 y.o kid drives into your car despite you being parked..lol
All the emirates also are very much in favour of a political "one man, one vote" system..The ruling Sheik is the man, he got the vote we can say..even if that´s not really true as there are a number of influential and poverful families within any emirate.
by expat workers. They are strictly segregated, and a hierarchy worthy
of previous centuries prevails.
At the top, floating around in their black or white robes, are the
locals with their money and power. Immaculate and pampered, they own
everything.
Outside the "free zones", where the rules are looser, no one can start
a business in the UAE without a partner from the emirates, who often
does nothing apart from lending his name. No one can get a work permit
without a local sponsor.
Under the locals come the Western foreigners, the experts and
advisers, making double the salaries they make back home, all tax
free. Beneath them are the Arabs - Lebanese and Palestinians,
Egyptians and Syrians.
Down at the base of the pyramid are the labourers, waiters, hotel
employees and unskilled workers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Ethiopia, the Philippines and beyond. They move deferentially around
the huge malls, cafes, bars and restaurants, bowing down and calling
people sir and madam.
I went once and didn't like it at all. Felt like a total alien out there.
For me, for all it's 'strict' laws it's a pretty corrupt and soulless place.
The 'sponsor' rule is a joke.
Like Vegas without the gambling.
I wouldn't go back.
Abu Dhabi is also worth a visit, the richest city on earth actually but much more laidback than Dubai, and much better planned as they weren´t forced to disregard planning like Dubai, not that I believe it might avoid resembling Dubai in time. It´s just to close and the "soukh" mentality will spread..