err never heard of that magazine...
Its common knowledge i thought. Loads of housekeepers and foreign workers (indian filipino??) "employed" having their passports stolen and being exploited.
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err never heard of that magazine...
Its common knowledge i thought. Loads of housekeepers and foreign workers (indian filipino??) "employed" having their passports stolen and being exploited.
There are low paid immigrant workers who get a decent wage by their standard but they are not slaves. They are not indentured and they have rights and can leave if they want, it's a job.
someone has to. Ill see if i can take a picture of some slaves in their natural habitat.
lol
I must say at this point i don't care for the plight of the "slaves" but i do believe that it definitely happens, like it happens in London or any place major money is to be made.
exert from an Independant newspaper article.
As soon as he arrived at Dubai airport, his passport was taken from him by his construction company. He has not seen it since. He was told brusquely that from now on he would be working 14-hour days in the desert heat – where western tourists are advised not to stay outside for even five minutes in summer, when it hits 55 degrees – for 500 dirhams a month (£90), less than a quarter of the wage he was promised. If you don't like it, the company told him, go home. "But how can I go home? You have my passport, and I have no money for the ticket," he said. "Well, then you'd better get to work," they replied.
exert from an Independant newspaper article.
As soon as he arrived at Dubai airport, his passport was taken from him by his construction company. He has not seen it since. He was told brusquely that from now on he would be working 14-hour days in the desert heat – where western tourists are advised not to stay outside for even five minutes in summer, when it hits 55 degrees – for 500 dirhams a month (£90), less than a quarter of the wage he was promised. If you don't like it, the company told him, go home. "But how can I go home? You have my passport, and I have no money for the ticket," he said. "Well, then you'd better get to work," they replied.
You're right but let's remember that for years now the authorities have tolerated the re-appearance of slavery in this country as well, as the potentially tragic events in South Wales going on at the moment are showing
You're right but let's remember that for years now the authorities have tolerated the re-appearance of slavery in this country as well, as the potentially tragic events in South Wales going on at the moment are showing
Are you trying to say that these slave farms were known of and ignored?
I had no idea :/
Soldato
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Interesting. My dad lives in Abu Dhabi too and I visited last November and will be again in January. What does he do out there?
For a bit of visual inspiration see my photo thread here from my last visit: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18466662&highlight=abu+dhabi
Things to do:
- Go up the Burj Khalifa. Needs booking in advance
- Visit Dubai Mall (underneath Burj Khalifa)
- Go to the Old Town near the Gold Souk. Get a water ferry across for 1 AED
- Have Friday brunch. Very western and decadent but good fun. We did ours at the Westin in Dubai
- Go on a desert safari. We stayed overnight too but not much need for that. We did ours with Orient Tours (www.orienttours.ae/)
Also may or may not be of interest but the Yas Marina circuit is open every Tuesday evening to cyclists and runners. I'm taking my bike out in January to do some TT but you can hire them too (or just go for a run). Pretty unique to be able to do that round an F1 circuit.
For a bit of visual inspiration see my photo thread here from my last visit: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18466662&highlight=abu+dhabi
Things to do:
- Go up the Burj Khalifa. Needs booking in advance
- Visit Dubai Mall (underneath Burj Khalifa)
- Go to the Old Town near the Gold Souk. Get a water ferry across for 1 AED
- Have Friday brunch. Very western and decadent but good fun. We did ours at the Westin in Dubai
- Go on a desert safari. We stayed overnight too but not much need for that. We did ours with Orient Tours (www.orienttours.ae/)
Also may or may not be of interest but the Yas Marina circuit is open every Tuesday evening to cyclists and runners. I'm taking my bike out in January to do some TT but you can hire them too (or just go for a run). Pretty unique to be able to do that round an F1 circuit.
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Are you trying to say that these slave farms were known of and ignored?
I dunno about the one is south Wales but there's evidence the police were told about the other slave camp in Hertfordshire (I think) 6 years before they finally acted.
Associate
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It's only perceived as bragging when jealousy is involved ? Most people would just think good on you have a good time and at least say "thanks" to your old man ..
Interesting pictures from Russinating, thanks.
I feel a bit sad that a culture can throw so many resources at a project and still only come out with architecture that is merely expensive (a sum of parts and no more) and as repetitious as a Florida hotel.
Throw in the slavery aspect and I hope people only travel here if they nab a freebie or happen to work there. There really are so many other places in the world that are more worthy of a visit than this vulgar building site.
I feel a bit sad that a culture can throw so many resources at a project and still only come out with architecture that is merely expensive (a sum of parts and no more) and as repetitious as a Florida hotel.
Throw in the slavery aspect and I hope people only travel here if they nab a freebie or happen to work there. There really are so many other places in the world that are more worthy of a visit than this vulgar building site.
a few points:
- It's not an article it's an opinion piece
- It's written by disgraced 'journalist' Johan Harri who got fired http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/21/disgraced-journalist-johann-hari_n_1220682.html
- it is the #1 quoted anti-dubai rant ever. Not a fair reflection
- £90 a month isn't bad considering he was likely on less than $1 a day in his home country and his food, accommodation and transport are provided now.
- This is the exception not the rule but how can Dubai stop dodgy recruiters in other countries mis-selling jobs. They can't
- The temperature doesn't get to 55 and it's illegal to work outside if the temperature goes above 50 (and this is enforced) and during the summer months outside work is stopped during the hottest hours of the day 11-2 iirc.
Your ignorance astounds me. If I were you I wouldn't bother coming out from under your rock, nobody out here wants you anyway.
There are similar reports by other journalists.
My impression was that they didn't liked to be judged on such reports as they were effectively a new country which hadn't really sorted out its internal abuses, but were working on it. That and the powerful state oppression that meant changing anything was difficult.
This seemed reasonable for a ME country given that even in ours slavery still exists, although people need to raise this issue constantly or nothing will change. Being aware of this and still choosing this place to visit is really condoning it.
How tragic that you chose to quote two points but fail to define which one you are ranting at.
People like you pee me off, doing nothing other than throw insults around at people you disagree with but lack the balls to put down their own view for people to comment on. You add nothing to the forum.
Isn't this a bit redundant? Was your ire not sated by the first insult that you want to tag on a second. Somewhat arrogant to declare who wants me here when frankly I don't remember you from any thread, I've heard the name but whatever your opinions on life are then I've obviously found them forgettable. Sorry.
Let's assume you meant architecture. Ignorance is subjective and you didn't bother to define your (clearly informed and beyond question) view of this place so I'll expand on mine. If you reply, please mention that you have been there at least 10 times, because we all know that commenting on the appearance of a building is completely impossible just by looking at a picture.
I should state that just because a place is expensive or exclusive or large or uses lots of marble or has 24/7 staff or has twinkly lights then that doesn't make it good Architecture, that makes it DisneyLand, because I have a feeling for where this is going and you are about to rant about something entirely unrelated to my post.
If that really is the case and you just want to blather about how amazing it is (because it's just like a rich persons Disneyland) then please don't bother, we really are talking about two different topics.
They decided to create a city out of dust, this required pointless stuff for rich people to fritter the lives away with, hence a race track, mall, hotels, more shopping etc.
None of these buildings has any significance beyond the fact that they exists, no historical link other than money was exchanged for a building. Therefore the whole city has no background.
I'm not denying that these buildings are lavish, but then so are Las Vegas casinos and the Cheshire homes of footballers. They are repetitive in that the intent is to impress, so they just make they physically large and tend to repeat sections just to fill in all the empty space. It's all a bit childish really.
I believe one English architect was dragged in to make a tall building, which you would expect as it's expensive if they fall down. But what was the point? There is nothing to look at and no space restrictions so it's just a tall building because other cultures have tall buildings, again childish. I'd imagine it is still empty.
Even the mosque which really should have received the most attention just reminds me of Minecraft, is this really competing with the cathedrals of Europe? I think not.
Whatever you think of the buildings they are throwing money at, this is nothing more than a tick on a rich persons to-do list, a place to see because it's expensive and exclusive, like any number of med resorts. Nobody rich goes there for the archtecture because frankly the top 100 buildings in the world are not even on their bucket list, and none of those building will be in that list unless someone got handed a big fat bribe.
It's all faceless novelty over soul.
The burj al arab has some nice points but nothing that makes it exceptional. The rest, meh.
Although watching the people of any country living their lives will always have some worth, but they would still be there in any part of the country.
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Don't go Jet Skiing in Dubai...
We went about 2 years ago, I was in Dubai for around a month, and me and a few friends went jet skiing. All was good until my mate decided to plow into me as a joke, then was going to get charged around £4000 for 2 cracks in the fiberglass for our jet skis.
Funnily enough, we didnt have this money on us, and eventually made the Sheikh owners come and make sure we didnt leave until it was paid. Luckily the taxi driver (unlicensed) talked them in to making it lower, and ended up paying a cool £250 instead.
Obviously our fault in a way, but Dubai / UAE is one of the most backwards countries in the world, and I will not be looking at going back there ever.
We went about 2 years ago, I was in Dubai for around a month, and me and a few friends went jet skiing. All was good until my mate decided to plow into me as a joke, then was going to get charged around £4000 for 2 cracks in the fiberglass for our jet skis.
Funnily enough, we didnt have this money on us, and eventually made the Sheikh owners come and make sure we didnt leave until it was paid. Luckily the taxi driver (unlicensed) talked them in to making it lower, and ended up paying a cool £250 instead.
Obviously our fault in a way, but Dubai / UAE is one of the most backwards countries in the world, and I will not be looking at going back there ever.
Soldato
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Sorry bitslice, but as someone who has visited Dubai and generally likes to visit places that are 'dirty' and cultured, you have no idea what you're talking about.
The UAE countries are extremely rich, mainly through oil and gold reserves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates
In the past they've experimented with this excessive wealth - though never excessively in areas such as military, which can't be said for countries like Saudi Arabia. Originally they gave Emiratis (native locals) cash when they came of age, the idea being that they wanted nobody to be poor - sort of a backwards communism. Unfortunately this led to alcohol and drug abuse (despite being Muslim), a natural reaction to having lots of money and nothing to do, in hindsight. Now Emiratis get entitlement to land when they come of age instead, allowing them to have non-liquid wealth and profitable assets. The spare cash is now being put into tourism (Dubai) and business (Abu Dhabi), and to think that these things can be achieved by NOT building new buildings and infrastructure is ridiculous. The fact that the buildings have no history is irrelevant and can be said of any emerging nation. And if you're building an entire city, from scratch, with extreme wealth, then again it would be stupid NOT to build it how they have - the biggest, the best and the most expensive.
As a Muslim country they are actually disliked by most right-wing countries such as Saudi for their acceptance and willingness to invite Western cultures and traditions, so it's certainly not an easy thing to do especially as the land they sit on was only handed over from Saudi in the last 100 years.
I am by no means an expert and this is just a brief understanding of the country from my visit. I take it you have visited to have such an apparently informed opinion?
The UAE countries are extremely rich, mainly through oil and gold reserves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates
In the past they've experimented with this excessive wealth - though never excessively in areas such as military, which can't be said for countries like Saudi Arabia. Originally they gave Emiratis (native locals) cash when they came of age, the idea being that they wanted nobody to be poor - sort of a backwards communism. Unfortunately this led to alcohol and drug abuse (despite being Muslim), a natural reaction to having lots of money and nothing to do, in hindsight. Now Emiratis get entitlement to land when they come of age instead, allowing them to have non-liquid wealth and profitable assets. The spare cash is now being put into tourism (Dubai) and business (Abu Dhabi), and to think that these things can be achieved by NOT building new buildings and infrastructure is ridiculous. The fact that the buildings have no history is irrelevant and can be said of any emerging nation. And if you're building an entire city, from scratch, with extreme wealth, then again it would be stupid NOT to build it how they have - the biggest, the best and the most expensive.
As a Muslim country they are actually disliked by most right-wing countries such as Saudi for their acceptance and willingness to invite Western cultures and traditions, so it's certainly not an easy thing to do especially as the land they sit on was only handed over from Saudi in the last 100 years.
I am by no means an expert and this is just a brief understanding of the country from my visit. I take it you have visited to have such an apparently informed opinion?
Despite what you may think Dubai isn't simply just a bunch of pointless tall buildings built for fun.
You realise that the majority of people in Dubai aren't rich? Most people are normal people, they have families, go to schools, have days out, go to the supermarket, meet with friends.
And the malls, hotels, and race tracks aren't simply built as rich people's vanity projects. They are built by businesses, people visit them and use them and they turn a profit. I'm simply boggled by the image you have built in your head. Hotels in Dubai have a similar occupancy to London (very high) and malls are busy, and people visit from all over the middle east.
It seems that you think that Dubai isn't allowed to build tall buildings for some reason? I'm finding hard to see the reasons in your waffle. Because they have lots of space they must spread everything out like some horrible american city, or because there isn't a lot of history that means that this is a reason not to build buildings there is a demand for
I don't disagree with any of your post, so I'm wondering what you think I said.
Nice of you to talk about something different and then tell me I don't know what I'm talking about
God knows why people take a tourist destination so personally that they want to get abusive about it.
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It seems that you think that Dubai isn't allowed to build tall buildings for some reason? I'm finding hard to see the reasons in your waffle. Because they have lots of space they must spread everything out like some horrible american city, or because there isn't a lot of history that means that this is a reason not to build buildings there is a demand for
Again not disagreeing
I'm commenting on the value of what was built in reply to arsonsit, speculation on why they did it is a secondary thing IMO