Soldato
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Simple example is/was the fuss over Sharia Law coming to the UK.
The Dubai thread!
- Thread starter magick
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Simple example is/was the fuss over Sharia Law coming to the UK.
Thread clearly shows a lot of folk who haven't been! Cost being a prohibitive factor, it's not like Benidorm
It's the new Benidorm for the "nouveau riche" and name droppers.
Thats mostly irrationally excessive fear about Islam.
Sharia Law wouldnt ever make it into the UK, its like 30% of 2% of the whole UK population that want full Sharia Law here.
However, the proportion of Muslims that do want Sharia Law in the UK is an alarming figure in itself, showing that a significant number of them are not integrating.
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Caporegime
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I don't get Dubai.
If I want to see skyscrappers, there's is new York, tokyo, hong kong, all with better (habitable) weather and culture.
If I want a beach, I go to a real one.
If I want to go to eat, I go to NYC or hong kong again or tokyo. Did you know there are or micheline star restaurants per sq ft in Tokyo than anywhere else?
If I want to see hot girls not wearing much in hot weather...Dubai is not the place.
There is also the lack of seasons, it's just hot, all year round.
And it's a desert...
If I want to see skyscrappers, there's is new York, tokyo, hong kong, all with better (habitable) weather and culture.
If I want a beach, I go to a real one.
If I want to go to eat, I go to NYC or hong kong again or tokyo. Did you know there are or micheline star restaurants per sq ft in Tokyo than anywhere else?
If I want to see hot girls not wearing much in hot weather...Dubai is not the place.
There is also the lack of seasons, it's just hot, all year round.
And it's a desert...
You forgot about the lack of puppies, kittehs, squizzels and bunnehs too! Shame on you!!!
Oddly, Luxembourg has the highest number per capita.
Thread clearly shows a lot of folk who haven't been! Cost being a prohibitive factor, it's not like Benidorm
Also quite a lot that have been and hate it. I've probably been around 7 or 8 times, so enough to judge and don't like it a bit. I prefer Abu Dhabi but wouldn't say I like it there. Bahrain I liked more. Was out in Beirut recently and other than the instability, that's a great place with real character.
Yes you can eat and drink well in Dubai, you can stay or live somewhere opulent. There are good nights out to be had. But it still just has no appeal to me.
Soldato
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Define 'them'
You do realise the government of the United Arab Emirates is not a democracy, right?
Bull****. This would have been during Ramadan and you would have just got a warning not to do that. As a westerner you would not be expected to follow the rules to the same extent.
Man of Honour
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Was thinking of heading out to Dubai to teach.
I used to live there and really enjoyed it- there was always something to do and the people there were very polite. There were many jobs going, particularly in construction, but after the economic downturn not so much.
Some people find the laws strange, and I agree- but those are the rules of a Muslim country, so they are bound to differ and seem strange. As long as you know what the laws are and follow them accordingly then you will be fine.
I personally think it is quite a tolerant place as most of its population are expats- and if that was the case in this country then many people would be unhappy. There are a lot of English, American and South African people over there and the biggest spoken language is english- you will always be able to find someone that speaks it.
The laws are relatively lax when compared to the nearby Emirate of Sharja- it has a complete ban on alchohol and does routine checks on cars entering or exiting the emirate.
The weather is extremely hot and reached 50+ when I lived out there- it was a very humid heat as well. I first moved out there in summer and was shocked by how hot it was, but I adjusted to it after a few months.
A difficult time is Ramadan as it usually falls in October- a relatively hot time of year. This means you can't eat or drink in public- you can't even chew gum. It isn't as bad as it seems though, many restaurants remain open and allow you to go and have a drink and something to eat out of the way of others.
Overall, it is a brilliant place with a humble beginning- I would definitely have to recommend visiting it
Some people find the laws strange, and I agree- but those are the rules of a Muslim country, so they are bound to differ and seem strange. As long as you know what the laws are and follow them accordingly then you will be fine.
I personally think it is quite a tolerant place as most of its population are expats- and if that was the case in this country then many people would be unhappy. There are a lot of English, American and South African people over there and the biggest spoken language is english- you will always be able to find someone that speaks it.
The laws are relatively lax when compared to the nearby Emirate of Sharja- it has a complete ban on alchohol and does routine checks on cars entering or exiting the emirate.
The weather is extremely hot and reached 50+ when I lived out there- it was a very humid heat as well. I first moved out there in summer and was shocked by how hot it was, but I adjusted to it after a few months.
A difficult time is Ramadan as it usually falls in October- a relatively hot time of year. This means you can't eat or drink in public- you can't even chew gum. It isn't as bad as it seems though, many restaurants remain open and allow you to go and have a drink and something to eat out of the way of others.
Overall, it is a brilliant place with a humble beginning- I would definitely have to recommend visiting it
Having lived in the UAE for 4 years continously I can say it's a place you either love or hate. I'm very much in the former category and you can have a great life there. It is expensive, but the schools there have always been in want of teachers to teach the expats' and rich locals' kids.
Define 'them'
You do realise the government of the United Arab Emirates is not a democracy, right?
That affects you how?
Horrible place, I went there in 2009 and out of all the cities I've ever visited in the world it was the one with the least soul. Fake everything.
As to Gilly comparing it to London, it's nothing like London which I'd say is one of the most vibrant cities I've been to or lived in. I guess if you had a chip on your shoulder along with a shoddy accent then you might not get on too well there though. I'm guessing that with the amount Gilly goes on about London, almost obsessively, he's definitely in the former camp at least.
As to Gilly comparing it to London, it's nothing like London which I'd say is one of the most vibrant cities I've been to or lived in. I guess if you had a chip on your shoulder along with a shoddy accent then you might not get on too well there though. I'm guessing that with the amount Gilly goes on about London, almost obsessively, he's definitely in the former camp at least.
Soldato
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Because the "When in Rome..." argument for sensitivity to other cultures' irrational (in this case, founded in religious beliefs) customs, particularly when enforced by legislation, falls to its knees when the sensitives reflected in legislation are not actually representative of those held by the citizens of the country.
I expect the overwhelming majority of Emirati could not care less if a Westerner was seen drinking water in public during Ramadan — and more fool them if they do — but that isn't reflected in the law there...
My Aunt taught in Dubai for around 20 years, so obviously she liked it though she was glad to be leaving in the end. It has changed a lot while she has been there (I've been twice to visit, in '87 and '05). She certainly enjoyed a higher quality of life as a teacher than she would have done in the UK.
Last time I visited there didn't appear to be an awful lot to do unless you like shopping. Obviously the hotels and bars are all very nice (or they go out of business quick), same with the restaurants - even the cheap ones. For me the old part of town, Bur Dubai retains a fair amount of charm, smells of Arabia and sitting at a bar by the creek at high tide when all the Dhows head back to India fully loaded is a must see imo. The Gold Souck is overrated imo.
A highlight of my visit in '87 was a road trip across the UAE to the Indian Ocean - a combination of red sand desert and mountains, and then you descend to find a deserted beach. It was so hot there, painful to walk on the sand and my old man got attacked by a wasp
Sadly I'm not sure I'd do this again because of the safety.It always amazes me why Dubai has so many haters, especially in the UK press it seems, cant help thinking its a lot of jealousy.
People come here to work. benefit from the lack of crime, high quality services, great climate (most of the year) and of course tax free lifestyle.
Unfortunately many seem to think that they can come to live in the UAE and get the same rights as they would have at home. Its not a democracy, there are local customs and moral standards to be observed and there is little tolerance for those who dont accept this. However, living within the framework provided can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable nonetheless. You can still enjoy the beach without wearing a burkah, and have some drinks in a pub/hotel bar/club.. but dont get caught drunk in public or acting in an anti social way.These are good limitations if I am honest.
Yes, it can be labelled as superficial and without culture, but you need to know where to go to find the real dubai, and its not at the airport or shopping malls.
The only real problem I have are the reckless road users, but these are from all nationalities, it seems that after europeans are here for a while they become just as bad as locals and middle eastern and asian expats But you can live with it ok. Residence visas for property owners still needs to be sorted out too, but that more an issue for people wanting to retire here or having holiday homes.
The benefits are too numerous to mention..
some pics of my apartment
Happy to answer any questions from the perspective of someone who has lived here a few years.
People come here to work. benefit from the lack of crime, high quality services, great climate (most of the year) and of course tax free lifestyle.
Unfortunately many seem to think that they can come to live in the UAE and get the same rights as they would have at home. Its not a democracy, there are local customs and moral standards to be observed and there is little tolerance for those who dont accept this. However, living within the framework provided can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable nonetheless. You can still enjoy the beach without wearing a burkah, and have some drinks in a pub/hotel bar/club.. but dont get caught drunk in public or acting in an anti social way.These are good limitations if I am honest.
Yes, it can be labelled as superficial and without culture, but you need to know where to go to find the real dubai, and its not at the airport or shopping malls.
The only real problem I have are the reckless road users, but these are from all nationalities, it seems that after europeans are here for a while they become just as bad as locals and middle eastern and asian expats
But you can live with it ok. Residence visas for property owners still needs to be sorted out too, but that more an issue for people wanting to retire here or having holiday homes.The benefits are too numerous to mention..
some pics of my apartment
Happy to answer any questions from the perspective of someone who has lived here a few years.