Places that surprise: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

14 kwi Places that surprise: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Places that surprise: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Recently, I visited one of the most advertised places on earth, Dubai. I was thinking that nothing can surprise me. But, Dubai appeared to have some big cultural differences. Check this out!

1. Where are all the Emiratis?

Emirati nationals are far outnumbered by expats in Dubai, to about six to one. The majority of the population is Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Asian and Western. You will meet Emiratis for sure at the airport when they will stamp your passport. Also, it is highly probable you meet them at some places like Museum of Cultural Understanding, a brilliant initiative that connects foreigners coming for holidays with Emirati people for cooking lessons, traditional dinners and tours.

2. Who can possibly drive Lamborghinis or Ferraris?

Dubai has so many supercars on the roads that a special type of fast car was required by the police. To keep up to the speed, police have to be equiped with supercars too, like  Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys, of course. Lamborghini Aventador can go from zero-to-60 in less than 3 seconds, and has a top speed of 217 miles per hour.

3. All that bling

Emiratis love bling on all occasions. Starting from their personal jewellery and ending up on decorating some biggest hotels.

And… it is all pure gold. It is so popular that you can buy gold from an ATM machine in the biggest malls, like Dubai Mall that allows you to buy anything from a 2.5-gram, 24-carat gold coin to a one-ounce gold bar. There is even a computer inside the vending machine that changes the prices every 10 minutes in line with real-time fluctuations in the market.

Hotel Burj Al Arab’s interiors contain 1,790 square metres of 24-carat gold leaf! That is about the same size as five iMAX cinema screens.

4. Falcon’s special treat

Falcons live in air conditioned appartements the whole year. And because it is forbidden to hunt in the UAE in order to protect other species, falcons fly with their owners in first and business class to other countries.

5. What can be so unusual about bus stops?

As it is very hot from May to October in Dubai and temperatures reach above 45 Celsius degrees, the bus stops are air conditioned.

6. Dubai’s man-made Palm Island

For the creation of this man-made islands and the scenic landscaped beaches that dot their shoreline, Dubai imported a truly massive amount of sand – 94 million cubic metres of the golden sand. 

Vocabulary

advertised – to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it (reklamowany)

outnumbered – to exceed in number (przewyższać liczebnie)

majority – the number larger than half the total (większość)

stamp – to impress with a particular mark or device, as to indicate genuineness, approval, or ownership (stemplować)

required – demand (wymagany)

be equiped with – to furnish or provide with whatever is needed for use or for any undertaking; fit out, as a ship or army (zaopatrzony w)

bling – expensive and flashy jewellery, clothing, or other possessions (błyskotki)

ATM machine – automated-teller machine (bankomat)

fluctuations – continual change from one point or condition to another (fluktuacja)

interiors – the inside part of a building, considered as a whole from the point of view of artistic design or general effect, convenience, etc. (wnętrza)

hunt – to chase or search for (game or other wild animals) for the purpose of catching or killing (polować)

shoreline – the line where shore and water meet (linia brzegowa)