UAE Driving

Getting accustomed to the chaotic driving in Dubai, there was something appealing about the idea of driving the remote desert Jabel Hafeet Mountain Road. Described here as "the greatest driving road in the world," one wonders reading this article if the experience is more about the road or driving it in a Mini Cooper S Convertible, of which the author is clearly a huge fan. Thanks Matt for the tip.

Culture on the March

Time Out Dubai this week profiles John Martin, the director of the Gulf Art Fair. The Fair will run from March 8-10 at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena and feature "400 artists from 40 galleries around the world."

Olympic Bidding

News today that Doha plans a bid to host the 2016 Olympics, fueling talk of a regional competition with Dubai, which could also make a bid, especially considering the massive plans for Dubai Sports City. Gulf News reports other cities considering a bid include Istanbul, New Delhi and Havana.

Ramadaniyat

The Pearl of Dubai is still recovering from a long and exciting day yesterday in Abu Dhabi. The day concluded with another event hosted by the US Ambassador to the UAE, this time at her private residence. Passing by armed guards to enter the fortressed residence, it was one of those rare events where you get a rush just being amidst so many accomplished and cosmopolitan people. Various conversations throughout the evening highlighted the issue of the recent Dubai Ports controversy and the way in which the perception of Dubai among Americans affected both the opposition to the deal and introduced many people to Dubai for the first time.

The US Embassy Abu Dhabi

I started my day visiting the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi. After passing through an extensive security check, I entered this quite impressive building. Completed in 2003 and designed by HOK Sustainable Design, the structure is meant to mimic the "bold, abstract and ultramodern" style of architecture in Abu Dhabi.

Top Floor Views

I recently had a meeting in the penthouse club of the Shangri'la Hotel. The view from the top is absolutely breathtaking and made me genuinely excited to be in this city. A tip for visitors and residents alike to check out one of the top floor restaurants along Sheikh Zayed Road. The view makes you experience the city in a whole new way!

Americans in the UAE

I was fortunate enough to be invited to an Iftar last night hosted by Michele Sison, the US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Among other things, the Iftar was a chance to learn more about the types of Americans who work at the Embassy and the types of Americans living in the UAE. The guest list was quite diverse, ranging from a group of doctors from Johns Hopkins, a hospital administrator and Christian missionary, a librarian, other students, and various staff from the Embassy. Curious about how few Americans I have seen here (or anywhere in the Middle East), I learned that the Embassy count for US citizens in the UAE is somewhere between 22,000 and 28,000.

Where is the Middle East?

In researching a policy memo about the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI/GMEI), I have been thinking a lot about how one geographically defines the Middle East in relation to different policies. The GMEI is one of the most notable US policies towards the region in the past two years and defines the Greater Middle East as bordered by Morocco in the west and Pakistan in the East. Obviously the UAE falls in this geographic designation yet many of the MEPI/GMEI programs around democracy seem at odds with some of the government structures that have allowed the UAE to be so successful from an economic development point of view. The question becomes about how one policy can encompass such a large geographic area and remain sensitive to the development nuances of individual countries within the region. Does anyone have examples of how the MEPI/GMEI has adapted itself to UAE-specific programs?

Dot Com Cafe

My 30th birthday at Dot Com Cafe could be described in a word or a novel, but somehow not in a short blog entry. For locals, make sure to see it for yourself. This Al-Ain shisha institution is off Khalifa Road near the Pizza Hut and Agriculture Souq. Thanks to Matt, Alexis and Christianne for such a memorable day!

On the Road

This Pearl of Dubai turns 30 tomorrow. This next decade of my life will begin on the Dubai to Al-Ain road. Barring any dramatic vehicular mix-ups, I should arrive in Al-Ain to celebrate with some friends. Fingers crossed!

Ramadan

In a place where a complex and delicate balance exists between Islam and everyday life, it will be interesting to experience the holy month of Ramadan while living in Dubai. Click here to learn more about this "holiest of the holy months" for Muslims.

Neighborhood Planning

I had my first tennis match last night at the Dubai Country Club. The drive there and back was even more interesting than the match (if you can imagine). While my sense of Dubai neighborhoods so far is that they are very fragmented and isolated from one another (not to mention divided by nationality usually), the club is surrounded by the most extraordinary concentration of truckstops. Long roads filled with trucks, their Indian or Pakistani drivers, and small snack shops and businesses offering basic services. A mini-city of sorts surrounding a mostly British members-only club -- certainly an unusual juxtaposition for this city.

History Repeating Itself

This weekend I started reading Christopher Davidson's "The United Arab Emirates: A Study in Survival." Learning more about the cultural and economic history of the UAE illustrates how aspects of Dubai's economic openness and incorporation of foreign labor into the local economy have existed in other moments of the city's history. In addition, the example of pearling in the late 19th century reveals how even then, there existed an inclination to diversify the sources of income to the region as reliance on pearling alone (like oil in recent memory) was viewed as risky.

Dubai International City

Besides being my home for 10 months, Dubai International City represents a popular model for living here in Dubai. Mixing residential, commercial and recreational facilities in one self-contained development, one wonders how this model impacts the mixing of people who besides going to work, may not have any reason to leave their developments.

Stirring the Melting Pot

This article in Gulf News this morning hit close to home. It looks at different perspectives on adjusting to living in Dubai and opinions about the level of tolerance for cultural diversity.

Submarines to the Rescue

Time Out Dubai profiles Herve Jaubert this week. Jaubert is the CEO of Exomos, a Dubai based company that designs and manufactures submarines for commercial, leisure and law enforcement purposes. Jaubert envisions a use for submarines in transporting tourists around Dubai as well as serving as patrols for coastal communities. Given the complaints I have heard already about Dubai traffic jams and the planned off-shore developments here like The World, Jaubert's desire to integrate submarines into the Dubai transportation system may not be so far-fetched after all.

Dubai Media City

I had my first meeting at Dubai Media City today. Given how fragmented and unfinished most of urban Dubai is, industries and services are clustered in different areas to promote interaction among colleagues in similar fields. My office will be in the Reuters building where the university I am working with maintains a satellite office. While DMC basically resembles what Americans would describe as an office park, the terms of ownership are quite different, as DMC is managed more like a corporation with an active CEO and staff to promote the DMC to potential businesses looking to set up shop in Dubai.

Malls and Skiing

Dubai really lacks neighborhoods to stroll around in and find basic services like coffee shops etc. As a result, I often have found myself in malls during the past few days. The Mall of the Emirates in the largest one I have been to so far, home to Ski Dubai, the much hyped "ski slope" adjacent to the mall. While the slope is rather short and will hardly satisfy regulars to Aspen, the experience is really remarkable as you can watch this artificial ski area from the mall, knowing that you are the middle of the desert where the high temperatures this time of year are consistently over 100 degrees.

Adventures in the Emirates

From the New York Times Travel section, an article about lesser known travel options in the UAE including hiking, snorkeling and visiting various wetlands. The author also reminds us that Dubai sits "at the edge of the Arabian desert, a 900,000 square-mile expanse of sand and rock, second only in size to the Sahara." Thanks to Tess and Carrot for the referral.

Dubai Museum

There is only really one museum in the entire city of Dubai and it happens to be right around the corner from the guest house where I am staying. The Dubai Museum features various rooms dedicated to aspects of UAE culture and history. Before reaching these rooms, however, you watch a relatively slick and produced video about the latest real estate developments and recent architectural additions to the Dubai skyline. After exiting the museum, guards offer you a detailed flyer on how to share your feedback about the museum with Dubai's Department of Commerce and Tourism Marketing.

Downtown Dubai

Yesterday marked my first trip through Jumeirah, the neighborhood beyond Bur Dubai where my hotel is. The 15 mile ride down Sheikh Zayed Road revealed more buildings under construction than I could ever have imagined. At points the building density is almost like being in midtown Manhattan with none of the skyscrapers having been completed yet. I wonder if there is a struggle of sorts around defining the Dubai "downtown" as the World Trade Center area, Deria and the proposed Burj Dubai all seem to represent a possible center for the city. The future tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai, seems conscious of this as their advertising always refers to the building being in the "new downtown." The picture here is of the approximate state of the Burj Dubai today but gives you a sense of the look and feel of this part of the city.

Contrasts

Digesting the jetlag from the USA, my first day in Dubai was a bit of a blur. I always seemed to end up on an Abras, which cross the Dubai Creek quite frequently. They are such a sight in the intriguing passengers they transport but also in how rustic and old they appear against the backdrop of Dubai's modern skyline. The odor from the Diesel fuel is a bit overwhelming and authorities are considering running them on compressed natural gas or solar energy to make them more eco-friendly.

World Liberty Index

Results from the State of World Liberty Index, which ranks all of the countries in the world based upon their level of economic and political freedom, rank the UAE 95th out of 159 total countries surveyed. The notable observation about the UAE is that while ranking the highest of all Arab states overall, a large disparity exists between the economic freedom metric (65%) and the individual freedom one (23%). Click here for the full results.

Week-end

Just as I thought I had my first few days in Dubai all scheduled, news breaks that the weekend has changed. Yup. The Thursday Friday weekend has now become a Friday Saturday weekend, throwing the Pearl of Dubai into a downward tailspin of logistical confusion!

Hotel Rates

Fears that a gradual weakening of demand for the various expensive hotels in Dubai will negatively affect other emirates who benefit from the strong recognition of Dubai abroad which attracts visitors to the UAE.