Attached are 4 separate posts about Dubai

If NewYork, Miami, Singapore and Las Vegas had a love child and dropped it off in the desert that would be Dubai. While I had fun there and enjoyed aspects of it I never really connected with it. Below you’ll find three sets of pictures It’s the classic case of Place versus Placelessness. That reflect my visit

When I’m in any of those above cities I have a definite sense of place Despite the western commercialism of so many places and the proliferation of Starbucks and KFC there is still a feeling of a distinct culture or personality which doesn’t seem to exist here.

Every attraction and every thing people line up to see was man made or created for expats or tourists. Even the amazing desert has been reduced to a pastiche Midnight at the Oasis moment with 4 wheel air conditioned dune bashing and Las Vegas choreography of regional dances performed by foreigners . The desert in its starkness is beautiful but you can’t easily access it that way . So no question it’s an entertaining place and full of distractions but all a bit hollow. However, the architecture is amazing and probably the only reason to visit Just my opinion

However , the day we spent at the old spice market and a trip down creek side I did feel like there was some there there