DubaiGolden Desert and Silver Skyscrapersby Marguerite JordanBuckled tightly into our Toyota Land Cruiser we gunned our way to the top of a 70-story mountain of sand. For a second, we paused and teetered on the crest. Sitting in the front passenger seat looking straight down, I realized what was next. All I could do was scream. Our driver, David, took this as a signal to step on it. At once we hurtled through the interior of a sand dune bigger than five polo fields. An earthbound beachgoer, I had previously only trudged through sand. Now I was flying through. The vehicle touched down. As soon as I could breathe again, I knew I was hooked. "David, do it again," I commanded. This was my first dune dive, one of the many activities I enjoyed on safari with a couple of friends in Dubai. We stayed at brilliant hotels and enjoyed the hospitality of people who know how to enjoy the good life. I followed up the dune diving with wadi bashing, flying a 777 airplane (simulator) through dense fog, power shopping for gold, and indulging in frankincense-scented massages to soothe my wadi-worn muscles.
Dubai is one of seven city-states that make up the federation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There are actually two parts to this city, Dubai and Deira, separated by The Creek; a tidal estuary that allows old-fashioned boats called dhows to offload goods from large ships out in the Gulf. There are no storage warehouses in this Middle Eastern trading town; everything is piled along the banks of The Creek. It is thought that where poverty is nonexistent, it follows that there should be no crime.
The richest emirate is Abu Dhabi, which has the greatest oil reserves and is the federal capital of the country. Second in importance is Dubai, long a center of trade with the sub-continent of India, Africa, other Arab states and the west. The former is UAE's Washington, the latter, New York. The five other smaller emirates are to the east along the straits of Hormuz, towards Oman. UAE's posture vis-a-vis its neighbors, which do include Iraq and Iran, has been compared to Switzerland. Fascinating as the other states of the Arabian Peninsula are—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen and Oman—each has one or more roadblocks to visiting: prohibitions against foreigners, poor tourism infrastructure, unstable governments, restrictions regarding dress and alcohol consumption and the possibility of kidnappings.
Dubai (some people say, "Do buy!") is a great place to shop and with its 300 fancy hotels, a kind of Arabic Miami Beach. A city of 410,000, Dubai is home to 27 luxury shopping malls, which are like some in the United States, in that they carry Ralph Lauren clothing and Sony TV's. Yet, in a desert state, where the summer temperature can reach 120 degrees, the mall becomes in effect a cool marble oasis. Here Arab women meet their friends for gossip and coffee while their children play on the kiddy equipment. Shopping is the by-product of their get-togethers. Clothing, oriental rugs and jewelry are some of the best buys.
This is not, however, the place to come if you are on a quest for ancient Arab culture. The few places that conjure up the city's history will take you less than a half day to see. The government is mindful of the importance of holding onto its unique cultural sites, and they have several restoration projects in the works for future visitors. In the meantime, it is easy to arrange a visit to the Palace of Sheikh Saeed, the Al Fahidi Museum and the covered markets (souks).
Many Arab Nationals (men) dress in the long flowing dashdish, gutra (headcloth) and igal (black braid), their headdress and clothing pure white. I am still confused by the meanings of the different ways the men fold back their headdresses. Yet you are almost as likely to see them in Armani suits and silk shirts. Either way, the (silver) cell phone, sometimes two, is the accessory of choice. I loved the dashdish for its polished cotton simplicity and bought one for myself at a side street shop where a tailor was hemming them by hand. I paid twelve dollars. Dubai has one of the largest gold markets in the world. One of my companions, Susan, a consummate shopper, had her skills sharpened in a store that had so many jeweler's cases crammed with gold, the room radiated. As she entered, the sales crew pegged her as an American. "Go upstairs, Madame, there is nothing for you down here." one man said. Susan ignored his curtness. For twenty minutes she examined rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets before she could admit he was right. The designs were "I Dream of Jeannie", too ornate for her taste. Upstairs a fluent, and polite, English-speaker explained that the styling on the first floor is for Arabs and Persians, and the second floor is for Europeans and Americans. Lonely Planet's Gordon Robison rates UAE as the best country to visit, both for its relaxed entry regulations (your hotel or tour operator will arrange an entry visa) and the wide variety of things to see and do. The top activity for my friends and me was exploring the desert, which makes up 98% of the country. This is a land of complex micro-ecologies, including the most forbidden, the barren wastes of the Empty Quarter. In the 1930's Wilfred Thesiger journeyed here on foot and camel. His reason, he wrote in his book Arabian Sands was, "to satisfy an urge to go where others had not been." His trips took years. Since his time, the desert has grown smaller, and can now be crossed by 4WD in a matter of days. Tourists find the country's northern regions have the most interesting scenery, including deep ravines, date palms, mangroves, oases, the craggy Hajjar Mountains, and, of course, sand and camels. The Bedouin, the collective name for nomadic Arabic tribes that have wandered the desert for centuries, have a romance and a poetry not unlike American cowboys. Not too many are left; those you see are more likely to be riding a Chevy suburban than a camel. Several tour companies offer trips to the desert, lasting a half-day to more than a week. Arabian Adventures uses knowledgeable and well-trained guides to take small parties out to the deserts of Dubai as well as to its neighboring Emirate states and to Oman. It can customize any trip, as well as arrange dune diving and wadi bashing for any size group. During my visit, Jaguar dealers from around the world were having a convention. All 1400 of their top sale people had an opportunity to go on desert safari and test their skills at sand-skiing, camel racing, horse riding, bird watching and falconry.
David took pride in pointing out numerous desert plants, including a squash with a big yellow flower. "It's poisonous to humans," he explained, "but it's like an Alka-Seltzer to a camel with an upset stomach." "The sport of 'wadi bashing' means much more than splashing through water pools," David added. "We come out here to the desert wilderness to track down nature and ourselves." As I found out, his 'self' was equal parts Marlin Perkins and Andy Granatelli. Bring on the mountains of sand. I'm raring to do that dive again! If You Go:Emirates Airlines Pictures & text ©2001 Marguerite Jordan |
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British, German and Scandinavian travelers have long considered Dubai their winter Gold Coast, for its constant sunshine, 85 degree temperatures and great hotels, beaches and golf courses. The region routinely attracts royalty, celebrities and top athletes to high-stakes events in the sporting world, such as the International Tennis Open, the World Cup Golf Championship and Thoroughbred horse-racing. This year 41 cruise lines will include Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah as stops on the Arabian Gulf. 
It is seven hours flying from London on Emirates Airlines, an award-winning carrier that serves Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. (It was at their state-of-the-art Airline Training College that I 'piloted' a training simulator so realistic that my companion was airsick.) Even coach passengers feel pampered: every seat has its own video screen and many channels to choose from.
Less than fifty years ago, the people were camel-riding nomads and, on the coast, date farmers, pearl fishermen and traders living in tiny settlements. Then, British and American companies located rich oil and gas reserves along the Arabian Gulf and in the desert. The federation was founded in 1971 by emirs—leaders, sheikhs—of different tribes who pooled their resources. Since then they have built up their coastal cities at an amazing rate. As befits a country with so much sand, the glass of the silvery skyscrapers creates a mirage of the downtowns of the city-states. No expense has been spared in building hotels, banks and government offices that are unique; shimmery boat shapes are popular. 
A few years ago 60 Minutes looked at UAE up close. The found it to be an exceptionally well run kingdom the size of Maine. Four-fifths of the country's population are foreigners. It is a US ally. The leadership of the emirs seems to be on a steady course, a kind of benevolent aristocracy. Astute in matters of business, technology and marketing, Royal Family members are often educated in Great Britain and the US. While enjoying the bounty of their oil fields and trade, the emirs also provide education, housing and jobs for all countrymen. Many Americans confuse UAE with Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. Abdul Rahim, of Dubai's Department of Tourism, says, "Some Americans land at our airport expecting to see oil flames shooting up into the air." I am not sure what I expected, but I was surprised to see such a sparking new city: so many skyscrapers, minarets, massive shopping centers and thousands of white villas. One of the most attractive residential and hotel areas is Jumeira Beach, also called Chicago Beach. When it was being built, the engineers were American, many from the Midwest. 
It is said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. But, if you're rich and you just want to take a look at an earthly oasis, international five-star hotels like Sheraton and Ritz Carlton clearly understand what pampering is all about. They offer luxury suites, marble foyers, cascading swimming pools and full-service health clubs and salons that specialize in scented massages. Their crossroads restaurants serve Arabic, French, Chinese, Persian, Mexican, Lebanese and Italian cuisine.
I especially enjoyed walking around—which I was comfortable doing, a woman alone—in the gold and spice souks, as well as in the Bastakiya, the old district with its narrow lanes and wind towers. From loudspeakers on the corners of minarets I could hear the wailing voices of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. I watched men leave their stores to kneel and pray towards Mecca.
Our small group covered hundreds of kilometers with David, a handsome blue-eyed British transplant, of the Lawrence of Arabia mold. Like many UAE residents, both Arab and European, he grew up spending vacation weekends in the desert. As soon as we left the city limits, our 4WD hit an unpaved rutted track. On either side of us camels were grazing on bronzed winter bushes. We found frogs in deep ravines and saw a goatherd scampering after his flock. Vast hills of sand spread out before us, glinting first red, then silver, then gold, their windblown patterns ever swerving.