Doing Dubai

Picture Vegas with no gambling and harsh liquor laws...that was my impression of Dubai. On our way to our new home in Singapore, we took a quick jaunt through this cosmopolitan city that lies directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran.

Having only seen economic prosperity in the last 30 years and world recognition in the last 10, the city and its people exist as though they've been rich and famous for centuries. Expensive cars glide gracefully down the sunny and spotless streets; shopping caters primarily to the affluent; dressing to the nines is not requisite, it's expected. Currently there seems to be a race within the city to build the most outrageous structure imaginable. An indoor ski slope (four slopes to be exact), a building 1 kilometer in height, and a man made island in the shape of a palm tree. Yes, Dubai has it all.

But for all its glitz and glamor, there was a sense of impermanence and unreality apparent in the city...like a dream world that could morph into something entirely different or disappear the moment you wake up. And considering many of the newest and most grandiose resorts are built on man-made islands of reclaimed sand, one flick of mother nature's hand could send it all tumbling down.

So my advice to you...if you are going to visit Dubai do it soon, and do it on a stop over trip to another destination. Three days is plenty for doing Dubai.