My Honest Review of the Emirates
A great advantage is that everyone speaks English there. This is related to the fact that in “subordinate” jobs and services, there are mainly Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos, so everyone can communicate in English. Even the most basic cleaner. The “locals” that we as tourists had the opportunity to see working were in the army, police, immigration, and around or inside the mosque. Basically, order supervisors. The original inhabitants of the Emirates work only in public administration and prestigious professions.
The total population in the UAE is 10-11 million inhabitants, of which native Arabs make up 11-14%, which is 1.3 million. The rest is the plebs working for them.
Abu Dhabi is rather traditional, distinguished, serious, perhaps even uptight. Except on the evening of December 2nd, when it’s the exact opposite and a total shock for the uninitiated. For me, it’s probably more interesting than Dubai in the sense that you can feel the local Arabic culture there. Dubai is already the result of globalization and uniformity.
Advantages:
- Arabic atmosphere and authenticity
- cleanliness and safety
Disadvantages:
- absent public transportation
- large distances between attractions
Dubai is modern and radiant. It’s the embodiment of superlatives. Consumerism. Everything must be abundant and the biggest. Since the desert is not very attractive to people, they approached it megalomaniacally to become an interesting location that’s simply known. The tallest building (Burj Khalifa), the largest gold ring (Najmat Taiba), the largest shopping mall (Dubai Mall), the largest synchronized fountain system (Dubai Fountain), etc. However, these are things that we saw once and that’s it. For me, it’s not a place I would want to return to. There’s no deeper, enriching substance. See it, take a photo, and goodbye. That’s why I honestly don’t understand the huge real estate buying boom in this destination.
Advantages:
- public transportation
- tourist-oriented environment
- cleanliness and safety
Disadvantages:
- heavy traffic
- for me, it has no identity, it’s just the “West” on steroids
Tourists probably don’t usually visit Sharjah. It’s a completely different world from Abu Dhabi and especially Dubai. There’s no glitz to be seen here. It’s not a beautiful, photogenic place. It’s in complete contrast to Dubai. There’s not as much greenery, it’s not as well-maintained and clean. Around the house where we stayed, you could smell sewage and there were cigarette butts lying around. The population composition is completely different. Apparently, cheap labor that commutes to Dubai lives here predominantly. If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have thought that this is also the Emirates.
The three emirates we visited are basically likable. A week in Dubai during our winter months can be a pleasant break. However, if I had to choose which Muslim country to return to, or spend a longer time there, Azerbaijan would definitely win, which is, for me personally, much more diverse, authentic, and interesting.