Scathing Vanity Fair article on Dubai

[haydensydney]

Dubai on Empty | Culture | Vanity Fair

Its skyline erupting from the desert in just two decades, Dubai is a cautionary tale about what money can’t buy: a culture of its own. After gorging on the cough of easy credit, the emirate has the world’s tallest building, the world’s most expensive racetrack, and a financial crisis to match. From the Western mercenaries and Asian drones who maintain the gaudy show to 100-odd families who are impervious to any economic reality, A. A. Gill discovers that no one truly belongs in Dubai, where the legacy of oil has made everything worthless.

Whilst I think it's a very unbalanced article, it's fantastically written so well worth a read...

 

[samh004]

I was always under the impression that Dubai does have a cash flow problem, while Abu Dhabi is rolling in it. One shot off and did everything, while the other has been slowly catching up, but in no real rush.

Abu Dhabi looks like it has a lot of culture on offer, not so much for Dubai, but then I haven’t been to either yet.

I fully intend to read the article, as soon as I get my assignment I should be working on now, out of the way

 

[haydensydney]

lol... I've been fortunate enough to go to Dubai, and personally I loved the place. Yes it was plastic with enough faux gold to make one gag, but I thought it was cool and had that futuristic feel about it.

About to go to Abu Dhabi shortly, so will be able to let everyone know what I think (via TR probably).

 

[casanovawa]

I plan to go to Dubai some day, but just for a short stop over, maybe a day or two... Essentially its just an over glitzed city in a desert from my perspective...

And no wonder they are in such dire financial straights when to attract people and put it on the map they had to over spend, over constuct everything to several times the price a hotel or mall or anything else would cost elsewhere.... The exteme over investment could probably be justified while confidence was high around the world to have soemthing left once the oil runs out...

They made a steady diet of Discovery Channel docos with all the over the top spending, masters at self promotion, but like elsewhere, once the bubble was pricked and the confidence collapsed all you are left with seems like building after building that they spent too much money on to over hype the place...

 

[Oneworldplus2]

lol... I've been fortunate enough to go to Dubai, and personally I loved the place. Yes it was plastic with enough faux gold to make one gag, but I thought it was cool and had that futuristic feel about it.

I've also heard that from a number of friends who have visited Dubai.

 

[browski]

I've also heard that from a number of friends who have visited Dubai.

Yes, the cultural giants that are Los Angeles and Sydney serve as a great example of what cities should aspire - please spare me this judgmental dribble.

 

[malmacdowall]

Abu Dhabi looks like it has a lot of culture on offer, not so much for Dubai, but then I haven’t been to either yet.....

Having just returned from Abu Dhabi 2 weeks ago... It is entirely different.. It's Dubai 10 years ago... (and it was disappointing..) I have spent a number of visits in Dubai and cannot help but compare the two cities.. We did the big bus tour for 2.5 hours... The Mosque was well worth a visit and walk around.. Other than that there is shopping (cultural?) the emirates Palace hotel (Stayed there.. but again full over the top of Gold and yellow every where), another shopping centre, sitting for an hour in the traffic in the city streets where not one shop looks inviting to a westerner to have a walk around.. the Carpet Souk (We pulled in to this group of open fronted shops surrounding a dusty carpark under the watchful eyes of the shop owners and everyone on the bus took one look and NO ONE hopped off...), the Wharf Souk (Pots and pans and bik a brak stacked high above your heads under a maze of tarpaulins... again NO ONE got off the bus...)

And what does Abu Dhabi aspire to be ? Dubai... The presentation and growth plan is well klayed out in an exhibition inside the Emirates palace hotel... Thiermain growth in the next 10 years? Tourists and business people... The plan to build a Guggenheim museum, a Louvre museum, a maritime museum, a performing arts centre and much more... All architectural marvels... all amazing experiences.. All so not the original culture... But I do look forward to visiting again in the next few years as the developments open up...

 

[malmacdowall]

I have visited Dubai 7 times now and have stayed there as a final destination at various times of the year.... The Article is certainly scathing of Dubai .... but then again you have to look at why you go there... If you are looking for a real Emmirati experience you don't go to Dubai. It would be like visiting Disneyland to get a real taste of the USA.... The writer bemoans the heat and the dust BUT forgets that she is in a desert.... What did she expect?...
Dubai is certainly a city built on wealth. The blue collar workers are in the majority of the population and the city stands on their backs as it grows at a rapid pace. The GFC certainly slowed this down and opened up the false economy...

But stop and talk to the workers, understand their experience... Talk to the taxi driver from Pakistan who works 7 days a week, 12 hours a day... He goes home at night and hops into the same bed that the replacement driver gets out of... BUT at home he has a large family in the mountains. He makes enough money to send 80% back to his family so that they can have a good life.. At home he has no work, in Dubai he has an opportunity to support his family... Speek to the young mother from Thailand who waitreses at one of the big hotels... She leaves her 4 month old at home to go away and work in Dubai to make a living for her daughter.... So many people.... Your heart breaks for them and cannot understand the sacrifice that they have to make... I make a point of learning these stories, calling the same driver back whenver we need a taxi and tipping them well... Maybe I can help a little from the lot I have?

Dubai ... I will be back ...

 

[Homer]

We’re big fans of Dubai here in the Simpson household. It’s bold and brash and flashy and fun. It’s great for families - we’ve spent hours at the various water parks, trekked through the desert, swum with dolphins - and good for couples with some interesting restaurants and nightlife. I’m sure it’s not for everyone but so long as you go expecting an “adult Disneyland” then you shouldn’t be disappointed. For us it’s a more interesting stopover on the way to or from Europe than some of the other options.

Oh and to help understand what makes Dubai tick there is a good film called “City of Life” that uses one of those converging story lines devices to look at life from the perspective of the various ethnic groups that co-exist in Dubai. EK had it on board last time we flew and I think it should exist permanently in their movie library.

 

[Travel Guru]

I was always under the impression that Dubai does have a cash flow problem, while Abu Dhabi is rolling in it. One shot off and did everything, while the other has been slowly catching up, but in no real rush.

Abu Dhabi has a far greater share of oil than Dubai does out of the total oil reserves in the UAE (I forget the exact percentages but its a substantial difference).

From memory, Dubai only had something like 8% of the total oil in the UAE, so knew they had to build a tourist base quickly before their oil ran dry, whereas Abu Dhabi's sitting on alot more and so are able to take their time and aim for a more cultural city.

TG

 

[drron]

Well once was enough for this family.
For those that love it,enjoy it soon.If there is GFC Part 2 Dubai will be in for a really rocky ride.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Yes, the cultural giants that are Los Angeles and Sydney serve as a great example of what cities should aspire - please spare me this judgmental dribble.

When/where did l say that Sydney or LA were great examples?

Friend of mine just flew back from Europe on EK via DXB and spent a few days there. She said that, yes, they have the biggest this and biggest that, after a few while, big whoop. It's just a city in the desert!

 

[Justinf]

A glitzy city in the desert.
Las Vegas is the same.
You don't go to Dubai to get a fix of Middle Eastern culture. The same reason that you don't go to Vegas to eat soul food or go skiing.
If you put it all into perspective, both places have a lot to offer providing you go for the right reasons.