Up in the air, above an altitude of 1,000 ft, I get my first glimpse of Dubai?a massive patch of sand. But as the jet starts its descent, I am glued to my window. The scene below is astonishing: an archipelago of islands in the shallow green waters of the Persian Gulf. The fronds of these three island groups, ?the Palms?, will be packed with expensive villas, opulent resorts, amusement parks, mega hotels, apartments and thousands of mansions built on stilts over the water and also yacht marinas.
Dubai, viewed from the sky, is a startling contrast of dense, rising skyscrapers, and the desert beyond. And, rising tall amongst this dense jungle of chrome is, the Burj Al Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. After all, this tiny desert kingdom is all about superlatives. The world?s largest mall; the world?s tallest hotel; the world?s tallest building; the first underwater hotel; the largest waterfront development; the fastest-growing tourist market.
Since this is my first trip to Dubai, I have the usual reaction of visitors to the place. It is hard to fathom that a few decades ago this small slice of the Arabian peninsula was once a sleepy settlement with few thousand inhabitants subsisting on fishing and the pearl-diving trade. It is an extraordinary transformation, an extraordinary accomplishment. A juggernaut of tourism, finance, and information age business, the Emirate?s surreal growth inspires both wonder and awe.
My real tryst with opulence in this glittering emirate starts with a dinner party at the Burj Al Arab (the ?Arabian Tower?). Towering over the Persian Gulf, the sail-shaped hotel is touted to be the world?s most luxurious hotel. When it opened in 1999 the Guardian?s architecture critic described it as ?fabulous, hideous, and the very pinnacle of tackiness?like Vegas after a serious, no-expense-spared, sheik-over?. The Burj Al Arab might have had its share of criticism for its over-the-top appeal, but nothing dominates the Dubai skyline and tourists? imagination quite like it. And also, its 590-foot atrium is a sight to behold: it takes up about a third of the hotel?s space, hefty pillars gilded in gold stretch up several floors with dancing fountains giving them the perfect backdrop.
After experiencing a night of fine dining in one of the world?s most expensive hotels, going on a desert safari seems like the next best thing to do while in Dubai. At the site, there are rows of 4x4s lined up on the sands?dune bashing is quite a popular activity for tourists as well as residents. Hordes of testosterone-driven boys and girls are riding the sand waves in windowless open dune buggies, while we ride the sands in an enclosed 4×4. It is quite a stomach-lurching experience, but the sight of the sun setting in the desert of Dubai is worth the trouble.
Dubai, despite the plethora of international cuisines, top cocktail bars and luxurious lifestyle, at its heart, is still a traditional society. Beautiful mosques dot the landscape, where you can view the very fabric of society come alive. The Jumeirah mosque, one of the most important landmarks in the city, is a monument of modern Islamic architecture. In this city of high rises and chrome skyscrapers, these prayer houses breathe in humility and subservience.
They say Dubai is melting pot of culture, where expats make up 80% of the population. Some say the Emirate is built on indentured labour, where hierarchy is so entrenched in society that the very sense of cosmopolitanism the city portrays is a facade. But it is also a place where peaceful coexistence is possible. When I look around any restaurant, I see local Emiratis in traditional dress, women in long billowing black hijabs, men in suits and women in skirts seated at tables. And also hear snippets of English and a plethora of Arabic dialects. At any rate, you would perhaps come across 30 nationalities under one roof in Dubai. A beautiful and living mosaic of people, culture and hope.