In many ways Dubai is a mirage. Founded in 1095 by nomadic Bedouins, this unlikely metropolis grew from the shifting desert sands into an opulent oasis. Like all mirages, Dubai is irresistible to travelers.
I’m in the world’s tallest building in an elevator pulsing with light as it rockets 124 floors towards the observation platform. At 2625 feet (more than twice the height of the Empire State Building) Burj Khalifa is more than a record breaker: it’s a wonder of the modern world.
When I emerge, the entire city – from the manmade islands of The World to the vast inland dunes — is spread out before me. Dubai, it turns out, is surprisingly green. As the city expands, more drinking water is desalinated from the ocean and, in turn, more gray water becomes available for watering the parklands. Even so, every drop is considered precious. Fifteen million gallons of water are collected each year from the condensation on Burj Khalifa alone. I’m on a tight schedule so, after a quick tour of the heavens, I descend and wend my way past a display of chocolate camels and into the labyrinthine catacombs of the Dubai Mall.
While the stores are familiar, the shopping experience has a wonderfully Arabian flavor: women enshrouded in black abayas shop for the latest fashions (they’ll wear them at home, away from the unwanted gaze of strangers); an artist sells custom portraits of stately Arabian men, their prized falcons perched on their arms; scrolling signage reminds shoppers that no overt displays of public affection will be tolerated. It’s a cross-cultural feast for the senses.
I rest when I reach the surreal monument that is the Dubai Aquarium. It stands three stories tall and is filled with sharks, rays, groupers and schools of candy-colored fish. A hammerhead shark eyes me suspiciously before hurriedly making a departure, but his lack of friendliness is the exception rather than the rule here. Bedouin tradition dictates that a wandering stranger must be offered accommodation, food and water without even asking their name. Over the last two days, I had been welcomed by locals bearing dates and Arabian coffee infused with cardamom and rosewater. At Jumeirah Mosque I was greeted like a brother by a charismatic guide Abdulla who, as part of the Open Doors. Open Minds cultural tours, explained Islamic dress and customs like washing before prayer. “I recommend every Muslim buys a waterproof watch,” he quipped, as the water streamed over his timepiece the size of a hubcap.
Such tokens of wealth are still relatively new in Dubai. Oil was only discovered in 1966 and as I make my way back through the Dubai Mall, a T-shirt slogan reminds me of just how quickly the city has become a beacon of Middle Eastern pride. It reads: No Oil, No Cash, No Problem. I (Heart) Dubai.
When I emerge into the sizzling 122 degree spring day, I meet with Pratha Sawaradekar, my guide from Arabian Adventures tour company. I have, quite literally, a date with a camel for lunch (sparkling date juice known locally as “champagne of the desert” and a camel biryani) and then doze on the terrace of Local House restaurant in the cooling afternoon breeze.
Before the day is through, I’m keen to see the old town for some local flavor and a sense of history. We head to the spice markets which are small but pungent in the afternoon haze. Bags of frankincense and myrrh adorn every doorway. A shopkeeper explains that some is for burning, some is for eating like chewing gum. We push on to the captivating gold markets whose storefronts glow like the setting sun “Cultures view gold differently,” says Sawaradekar, who is able to tell the purity by glancing at its color. “Indians buy gold in the shape of Indian Gods. Africans buy chunky bangles and Arabs buy the delicate cascading necklaces worn by royalty for thousands of years.”
As darkness falls we board a traditional dhow (flat bottomed boat) and return across the Dubai Creek. The old town recedes in our wake; the new town looms off our bow. Sawaradekar silently points towards the makeshift cargo ships lining the banks. They are packed to the point of capsizing with motorcycles in bubble wrap, DVD players, fridges…anything to make the mirage that is Dubai, a little more comfortable, a little more sparkly, a little more permanent.
Words and images by Adam McCulloch. Originally published in AAA Horizons. Format has been altered to suit Tumblr.
