Dubai, familiebezoek

Last weekend I have spent a few days in Dubai, my son Reinier is working and living there. So it was a combination of meeting each other after half a year and looking around in Dubai.

The first impression was: it’s really hot here. The temperatures during the day were between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius and in the night still above 30.

Dubai, member of the UAE and has 1,6 million inhabitants; few of them are locals.
The history is special, in the middle of the last century Dubai was a small city and under British protection; in the Creek we found a small harbour with trading vessels, bringing cargo around the Gulf. We have visited the National Museum, it give a nice impression about the developments. In the 50-ties oil was found and everything changed. The British left in 1972. Today the whole city is a big construction place; only few places are finished yet. You see the building cranes everywhere. Due to the actual economical situation a lot of projects are put on hold.
At the end of the city the desert starts; the highway is going to the horizon and only a few camels are found there.

Highlights of Dubai are: the 7 star hotel Atlantis, the highest building in the world of 880 meters, Snow world, Palm island and the biggest shopping mall in the world

Locals and expats live in separate worlds, the contacts are limited to the necessary issues. The western expats live here generally for 2 – 3 years and then they are leaving.
Due to the history, the hard life and the short period people are staying here the culture is special; according to Reinier it a fast world. They work hard, and they play hard.

Social life is found in the hotels, they have an allowance for serving alcohol and together with airco it’s a nice combination.

It was nice to spend a few days with Reinier and doing things together. The advantage of having family abroad is that you have to travel in order to maintain the contacts, a nice opportunity for travelling.