Categories: travel
Date: 05 February 2009 10:45:55
I've been a bit disappointed with Dubai. I'm not sure quite what I was expecting but I'm disappointed none-the-less. I really dislike all the display of wealth and the people aren't particularly friendly. They seem so pre-occupied with showing people just how wealthy they are and that makes me feel rather uneasy. I do think that there are some pretty impressive places and things to see here but I feel like I would rather be elsewhere.
One thing I really have liked is the fantastic supermarkets. You can buy everything. Any cuisine. They import so much and this is also reflected in their souks which seem to sell things made in every country other than UAE (ie. Tunisia, India and of course, China).
Thinking that I would brave the souks, I set off early this morning only to find out that they don't really open till 10am. I was then a bit disheartened to find that they seem to be a series of shops rather than the crazy bustling markets that I came to like in Morroco, Turkey and even Ghana. Saddened, I was relieved to find a friendly bunch of fireman standing outside their station and one in particular, a Morrocan, was willing to chat (as the others really didn't speak English). While we were talking, the fire Captain drove in in his enormous black Ford truck. He was so friendly and I was called up to his office where he gave me a cup of tea and sent someone off to buy me lunch. He had been told the reason I was at the station was because I was an Australian fire-fighter so there were some interesting conversations about how long I had been working in a station and the pressure of hoses etc...... it amused me but I was just so greatful to them because it showed me that there really ARE friendly people in Dubai, you just have to find them. The fire Captain wouldn't let me go without giving me a bottle of perfume and a framed picture of the Sheikh with his sons (as I had refused the gold fire helmet saying it was too heavy for my suitcase).
Tomorrow I'm off to Frankfurt and Scotland. I guess that means snow. I hope my planes are on time.