All About Dubai

Manoj, one of the chefs at the hotel restaurant, surprises me this morning with a chocolate banana crepe after delivering a delicious crab-filled omelette.  The buffet at this place has been fabulous.  

I’ve booked a food tour this morning (yes, I know I’ve just eaten breakfast but I’m taking a page from the hobbits and opting for second breakfast today).  

I’m the only person on the tour so I have my guide, Ikbal,  to myself.  In Arab culture, one is offered refreshments and food before introductions and conversation so we start with a tiny cup of strong tea, followed by a refreshing mint and lemon lemonade.  We snack on paper thin “pancakes”, mini donuts glazed with date syrup and vegetable filled dumplings served with a yoghurt dip.

Now we’re ready to converse and it’s interesting to learn more about Arab culture from his perspective and the importance of enjoying the small moments.  He’s originally from Pakistan and his family moved here over 20 years ago.  He gushes about his home country and it renews my interest to visit there.  He assures me I will love it as the scenery is stunning, especially in the North, and the locals are very welcoming.  

Coffee is a very important ritual in this part of the world and Ikbal explains in more detail while we’re visiting a coffee museum in Old Dubai.  The coffee beans are heated up in a small metal pan and then transferred to a pestle and mortar to be ground.  The grounds are placed in a large metal coffee pot with a large spout to brew while a medium sized pot contains boiling water to add to the large pot.  The smallest of the 3 pots is for serving.  The coffee cup is small, without handles so one can test the temperature of the beverage without burning their mouth.  As a guest, my cup is filled a quarter full to demonstrate that the host wants me to relax and converse for a time.  If my cup were to be filled to the brim, it would indicate my host wanted me to leave after finishing the one cup.  In order to not interrupt conversation, hand gestures indicate when I no longer want my cup refilled (otherwise the host will continually add more coffee).  I can place my hand over the top of the cup; or give a quick shake of my head; or hold the cup out and turn my wrist back and forth.  Isn’t that fabulous?  Such a small thing, but it shows how the host values conversation and hospitality.  

We walk through Old Dubai in the stifling heat.  Even the shade doesn’t offer any respite and sweat trickles down my back, down my neck and down my legs.  I hadn’t expected Dubai to be so humid (kinda forgot it’s on the water).  Taking a water taxi, or abra as they’re known here, we cross the river to explore the gold and spice souk.  

Ikbal explains the health benefits of some of the spices and teas.  I try a pinch of dried saffron in water and fresh dates.  Apparently saffron is great for your digestion and general health and Ikbal says I must start eating 3 dates a day.  I purchase saffron and fresh tea and get a good price thanks to Ikbal’s bargaining skills.  The bargaining process is very friendly, but insistent until both parties are happy with the outcome.  We take the abra back to my side of the river and part ways.

It’s uncomfortably hot so I opt to relax at a coffee shop to type out my blog entries for the past two days and edit photos.  I visit Alex, whom I met last night, at his shop and bargain for some more tea.  His Papa tries to upsell me to a pashmina, going as far as wrapping it around my head and saying how beautiful I look.  I tell him he’s an excellent salesman but I’m just in the market for tea and don’t have room in my suitcase.  He proceeds to show me how small he can fold it and I have to insist it’s a hard no on the scarf.

Adnan, my guide and his driver arrive at the hotel promptly at 4:30pm and we’re off to see the sites of modern Dubai.  They’re spread throughout the city and I opted to use a guide instead of driving myself and having to find parking at multiple destinations. 

Adnan was born in Dubai (the first person I’ve met so far that is) and is a wealth of information about the culture, politics and customs.  I pepper him with questions throughout the tour and he’s only too happy to answer.  We have long discussions between sightseeing and I feel as if I’ve gotten to know the people and country just a little bit better.

Some interesting facts:

• all the construction within modern Dubai has been completed in the last 20 years when the King decided he couldn’t rely just on the oil trade to earn money for the country, but needed to branch out into tourism.  This was the start of a big push to build 5 star hotels, resorts and tourist attractions. 
• the King doesn’t travel around the country with security but instead opts to drive himself so he can observe what’s happening.  (ie. if there’s garbage on the street, he’ll find out who’s responsible for cleaning that area and they’ll be either fired or disciplined). 
• the King travels frequently to other countries to get ideas for running his country.  He’s basically approached running the country like running a successful business.  What can he do to make his employees happy and the business prosper.  He’s very business savvy and also creative as he’s come up with the designs of some of the most unique buildings
• every man has 4 wives.  The first marriage is arranged by the parents and the couple don’t meet each other until the wedding day.  The second and remaining marriages are arranged by the wives.  It’s important everyone gets along so the wives screen the new prospects very carefully.
• extended families all live together in one large house with the grandfather or father as the patriarch (in Adnan’s household there’s 75 people!).  
• women are given a 4 bedroom house by the government when they’re married to either live in or rent.  They must keep the house until they’re 65 or they get divorced.  The house is provided to give the wives security in case they opt to leave they’re husband 
• divorce is legal and encouraged if the couple is unhappy
• the King has 4 wives and 32 children
• most women don’t work but the percentage that do generally work in government jobs or health care 
• health care and education are paid by the government, including overseas education
• immigrants are not allowed to become citizens including those that marry a citizen of Dubai.  Instead, they can pay for health care and apply every 2 years for a work visa
• drugs are illegal and if a citizen is caught selling or using, it’s the death penalty.  If a non-citizen is caught, it’s life imprisonment.  Hence, no drug problems as everyone is clear on the harsh consequences 
• the crime rate is almost zero.  Police don’t patrol the streets but instead have satellite offices every 1km throughout the city and are observing the streets via cameras.  Hefty fines are issued for any infraction (the country makes a large portion of its money from fines) ie. shop owners go to prayer and leave their stores wide open and no one steals anything!
• a large portion of the population is from India, Pakistan and Asia. 
• Dubai and the Gulf states stay out of the politics happening in the rest of the Middle East and have only a small military.  Every male has mandatory 1 year service in the military and each women has 1 year service in medical triage
• homelessness is not allowed.  If someone is observed sleeping on the streets, they’re provided with housing and a job for one month.  If they fail to pay the rent at the end of that first month, they’re deported and banned from returning.  Basically the government is more than willing to help you help yourself but if you don’t make the effort you’re deemed to not being a contributing citizen.  The rest of society shouldn’t be paying for people to do nothing
• there’s no taxes 

As I said, super informative tour and Adnan commented that I was his best guest to date due to our interesting conversation topics.  He said it was refreshing to have a tourist so interested in his country.  

Mint lemonade recipe:  Blend fresh mint, a pinch of black salt and sugar and lemon with ice.  Add water and stir.