dubai
kelly | 23 May 2006 - 4:54pm
Even without ever having been there, I am titillated by Dubai. I first became interested when I read The World is Flat and then a few weeks ago I read an article in Vanity Fair that sent me over the moon for the place. Ever since, I can't shut up about Dubai. I'm all, "Rob, we should totally travel to Dubai," and "Rob, we should totally, like, live in Dubai," and "Hey Rob, guess what I named my new work laptop? Yeah, Dubai." At a party last week someone mentioned the name in passing and I perked up and said, perhaps a bit too eagerly, "Did you just say Dubai?!" It seems I have a bit of a crush on the city-state.
(I sometimes think of cities as lovers: Toronto, whom I knew when I was too young to develop a real relationship, whom I remember fondly and would see again in a heartbeat. San Francisco, who seemed perfect but turned out to be a disappointing date. London, who treated me like a princess but couldn't hold my attention for long. Sexy New York, to whom I was immediately drawn and with whom I share a fierce love affair that both satiates me and leaves me panting for more. And then there's strange, intriguing Dubai, with a gleam in his eye and confidence in his gaze who, moments after introducing himself, orders me a drink and slips a hand up my skirt.)
I think what I find so alluring is Dubai's no holds barred ambition. Dubai has reinvented itself in just a few decades, successfully catapulting itself into the center of commerce, tourism, and technology in the Persian Gulf. And Dubai is quickly realizing its global aspirations. How appropriate that Dubai will soon be home to the tallest building in the world, the symbolism of which can't be missed.
Everything about Dubai seems larger than life. (Quite literally, in the case of some of their more renowned construction projects.) I can't help but respect the unflagging determination and hopefulness. And I can't help but think Dubai feels like the future.
(Ooh, and did I mention there's a camel racetrack?! Kick ass.)
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Just so you know...that party you were at last week...where somone said Dubai...your code name in flirtians is "Bai"
Flirtian is like Klingon.
It's so funny that you mention this love of Dubai. The only thing I know about it could fill a novel.
It happened while I was a student.
*furiously scrbbling notes*
gleam in his eye
confidence
introduce self
order drink
slip hand up skirt
YES!! I finally found the key. I knew if I read women's blogs long enough, I'd eventually discover the secret to getting into their pants.
Nice knowing ya. I gots to go get me into some pants.
My impression of Dubai is that it's pretty fake. There are world-class buildings going up along one main road, but a block away it's still squalid. The buildings are mostly empty. It's all just a show designed to attract investment from the West.
The weirdest thing is that housing development that they're building out into the Gulf, on a man-made peninsula shaped like a giant palm tree. I mean, that's just way over the top, guys.
All of this comes from reading an article in The New Yorker a while back... so take with a grain of salt. But that's my impression...
LOL, William. You made Rob and I both laugh. :)
Very interesting, ieatcrayonz. Had you known him at all?
No no, not pants, CM. A skirt. It is much easier to get into a woman's skirt. That's the secret - date women who wear skirts. ;)
That's probably likely, michael. Although I'd also say that it's still very much in progress - I mean, I saw photos of Sheikh Zayed Road from 1991 and it was basically a path in the dirt. In 15 years what they have built is incredible, and it's expanding all the time. Construction is everywhere, and the author of the article I read said that the landscape literally changes overnight. But, the construction workers are basically indentured servants. There's a real irony in the fact that the people building luxury hotels go home to squalid conditions. And there are other juxtapositions like that, which is part of what fascinates me, I guess. Like the fact that there is virtually no crime, and yet Dubai is a major meeting place for terrorists. And that Islam is the official religion, but the place is known for its plentitude of prostitutes and bars.
The palm peninsula (there are going to be three, actually) is way over the top. So much so that it makes me smile, though. And what about the fact that they're creating The World?! I would argue that while they certainly want to attract investment from the West, what they are really out to accomplish is the Western dream itself. And, honestly, in regards to all of their big plans, I say more power to 'em.
That would be the best job - camel jockey.
Oh no, didn't know the couple at all. It was a pretty big story around campus, though. And the circumstances were just plain odd. So when you think of Dubai as romantic and um, well endowed, I think of murrh-dah!*
*said in overly dramatic southern accent.
yeah, i totally like that big huge hotel that looks like the sail of a boat full blown. and yeah, michael jackson likes dubai too. thriller dude.
posts like this are why i just keep coming back for more. and have i mentioned how much i LOVE backlog??? almost as exciting as reading your daily posts, about things as random as pilates or an obsession with dubai, is getting to read posts from a year ago! love it, love you, love it all...
Yeah - remember me? hee
What's up with comments being off on the old posts? I'm catching up here and had stuff to say. Blech! Jealousy over your meeting Razzy, how funny your pilates posts are, wondering if the trucker dude was laughing because he wanted to sign to you to show him your hooters... stuff like that.
I hate Dubai, but my reason for it may be a reason for you to love it all the more. My Hair Goddess from Texas, the one who kept me in a cute haircut with highlights for so long, left me to move there with her engineer-for-an-oil-company husband. Bitch.
Dubai has some good points. A 6 star hotel may be one. Cheap flights with Emirates.
Of all the city-states, I still pick Hong Kong or Singapore. Hong Kong would seduce you well and proper, but HK is the sin city of China and would then dump you for the next pretty thing down the block. Singapore would attempt to lure you in, but once you got a look at the rule list, it'd feel more like kindergarten class than a one-night stand.
well, i am now officially going to start calling nilbo "Mr. Dubai." so fitting! ;)
Wouldn't it, though, Kranki?!
Speaking of romantic, ieatcrayonz, I sure do love a southern accent.
The Burj al-Arab! Isn't it freaking fantastic, anna?! And have you seen the tennis court? It's way high up and sticks out over the water - totally kicks ass.
Aww, Nicole, thanks! And I love you too, girl, so much.
MRTL!!! Sorry about the comment thing - I close them once a post leaves the main page to prevent comment spam. And, huh, I hadn't thought of the hooter thing. And you're right - I'm sorry your hair goddess left you for Dubai (bitch) but at least now if I ever get there I'll know the cute haircut will be in good hands.
Great comment, Tanya! Sounds like Singapore is too goody-goody for my tastes, but I'd consider swinging with Hong Kong. :)
Hee, Rz!
"And then there's strange, intriguing Dubai, with a gleam in his eye and confidence in his gaze who, moments after introducing himself, orders me a drink and slips a hand up my skirt."
Man. Why don't I ever meet city-states like that?
*sigh*
Lucky biznitch.
Maybe you're not looking the right places, cat. Perhaps you should try the produce section - particularly the potatoes. (So, given the analogy I'm working with there, that's....Idaho?)