Dubai impressions

Already now I'm hopelessly falling behind what is happening with writing this blog.

That's because there's quite a lot to do - after contributing to a website text last week, I wrote my first Dubai press release today about an additional service Air Arabia, a Middle East low-cost airline introduces, and there are also things to take care of back home for my usual clients.


What I saw for myself the past weekend, going on a full weekend discovery tour round the city: Dubai is a fascinating place. Less in the sense of history - because, while there were first settlements already in the 18th century and members of the current ruler dynasty came to Dubai in the early 19th century, a lot of history is being written now. But the fascinating thing is how this place skyrocketed over the past ten to 15 years. It started with the discovery of oil in 1969, and two years later, the United Arab Emirates were founded. It's a federation of seven Emirates, sharing central institutions but each with its own government and ruler. And Dubai soon decided to reinvest the oil revenues in education, infrastructure, and the building of high value services in tourism and trade and others. And behind all was the drive of the current Sheikh who not only urged everybody to come up with ideas for a future of Dubai, but who was also very insistent in following up on the promises.

I"m not going to bore you with figures now, you have all heard about at least some of the gigantic projects that have made headlines over the past years - from the Burj Al Arab hotel (see picture) to some of the few artificial structures in the world that can be seen from space - the Jebel Ali port and The Palm, a huge collection of man-made islands in the shape of a palm. And then there are dozens of huge shopping malls, uncountable skyscapers, six-lane-motorways, an indoor year-round skying facility, world-class golf ressorts in the middle of the desert... The most fascinating thing about Dubai perhaps is how unlikely it all is.

Of course the economic downturn affects Dubai as well - to the extent that some foreign media almost show schadenfreude at seeing how the priced newcomer appears to stumble too (with a minister now suggesting at a bankers' forum that maybe Dubai should detach itself a bit from the global financial market, as he considers the troubles to be imported. Everybody is free to make up his/her mind about what to think of it if a prime winner of globalisation wants to -de-globalize). At a party in a Jumeirah beach club on Friday, I couldn't feel much of anxiety. People were lining up all the way along the street to get into the place, and too many expensive cars to count blocked the street, honking and pushing their way through the people. But I heard that many hotel rooms are unoccupied, as thousands of Russian tourists who usually come to Dubai stay at home now. And I spoke to people who had lost their job. And apparently, there are now thousands of cars parked near the airport of people who just drove them there - parked them, and then took a plane out of the country as they couldn't afford paying the debts anymore they took for buying their vehicles.

I'll tell you more about my first weekend here soon; also about how taxidrivers from Pakistan and gold traders from India feel about their lives here. I need to go home now (hungry!). By the way, if you want to see some pictures - check out my photo album on facebook.