Hey everyone,
I was at the Mall of the Emirates again today. My friends and I went had dinner at Chilis there, and checked out the Magic Planet, where the Robo Coaster was. I so wanted to get on it, but I get a bit weirded out when you see all these people standing right next to the attraction waiting to see your reaction as you ride the ride. It can become embarrassing. Why can’t people just watch and move on, instead of waiting to see who gets on and observe them throughout the whole ride? I left the ride for next time. There were a lot of people, and as I walked around the mall, I came to realize that in this particular mall, you find people from a better class. You don’t find people here from the lower class. This mall is too fancy and expensive for them. You go to Deira City Center, and you will find people from all walks of life. Which got me thinking: Is everything in Dubai catered for the rich or those who can afford it?
Every city has it share of rich and poor citizens, but tonight the contrast in Dubai became too obvious and stark for me. A taxi ride from the Mall of the Emirates to my home in Sharjah would cost me well over 100 dirhams. My friends wanted to watch a movie I had seen already and I had excused myself tonight. So, what do I do? Rely on the public transport. Ok, so Dubai’s public transport is nowhere near as efficient as they claim to be. I walked to the nearest bus stop, which was like 20 minutes away from the mall. Common sense says there should be a bus stop at the mall. There was no schedule posted anywhere, and I was resorted to asking people which number bus goes where. A group of Filipinos arrive, and I see asking the Indians and Pakistanis sitting on the road the same thing (yes, there were no benches at the bus stop!)
I took my chances with the first bus that arrived after 15 minutes, and thankfully it is the express bus, with no stop, directly towards the main bus depot in dubai. Once I got there, the line for Sharjah bus extended out of the bus station area. About 200 men were standing there. I joined the line, and soon noticed how everyone were staring at me. And I realized something else. Every single person in the line, bar a few Filipinos, were Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans or Bangladeshis. You did not see any Westerners here. Very few Arabs too. These people were labor force. I saw guys sitting at the make-shift cafeteria, eating indianized shaswerma, watching some Indian song on tv. I saw men holding the cheapest Nokia phones.
The contrast became glaringly obvious, and I did not even think I was in the same city.
Guys here wore regular pants and shirts. People at the Mall were in designer clothes. Men here wait for an hour to get on the bus to take them to Sharjah. Guys at the Mall drive in their Mercedes, or even ride one of the nice taxis. The entertainment for some of the men at the bus depot was having the 1.5 dirhams shawerma and watching tv with bad reception and low volume. At the Mall people can pay 190 dirhams and ski down the slopes. The people here were holding their briefcases and paperwork, guarding them with cautious. People at the Mall were holding bags from Gucci and Armani.
I am not criticizing anyone or any group here. I am just amazed how in the same city there could be such a huge contrast. Ski Dubai. Dubai Land. Hydropolis. Burj Dubai. With all the developments Dubai has announced for the future, who will be the people who will really get to enjoy them? Those who actually build them, or the tourists or those who can afford it? I think the answer is glaringly obvious.
Mansur
7 comments:
Hi Mansur,
I was checking out some posts on saudi jeans when I saw your comment and that's how I check out other people's blogs. Since I lived in KSA for a few years and was able to visit Jeddah, I thought for some reason you were writing about that until I realized you're in Dubai. Could you write about the differences between Saudi and Dubai living (besides the obvious)? I am reconnecting with the Gulf by way of blogs and as much as some things were difficult in Saudi (lived in Alkhobar, not in a compound either), I did make some really good friends and in a way, loved it. Hope all is well
Ingrid
HI Ingrid,
I grew up in Jeddah, and I often go back there, so whether I am living in Dubai or elsewhere, I consider Jeddah my home, even though I am Pakistani by birth. Your suggestion is an interesting one, and since having lived in Dubai for 6+ years now, I would be more than happy to fulfill your request.
Mansur
Hey Mansur,
I have visited your blog couple of times and I think what you write makes so much sense....atleast to me.
I am a huge fan of Stephen King too and The Shawshank Redemption is one of my Favourite Films.
Hey Mansur,
I have visited your blog couple of times and I think what you write makes so much sense....atleast to me.
I am a huge fan of Stephen King too and The Shawshank Redemption is one of my Favourite Films.
Stephen King came out with a new novel called Cell, based on cell phones inflicting harmful rays into the people's brains rendering them into zombies of sorts. Cool stuff.
Mansur
Mansur, would i be right in saying that this contrast between the rich and poor is apparent throughout the Middle East, moreso in the Gulf States than anywhere else?
When i was in Egypt a few years ago, i used to live in a posh part of town around the Abbas al-Aqqad area, and i would see some hot cars sharing the road with some miskeen riding his donkey. Now that was a contrast!
Now that I think about this rich-poor contrast, it is everywhere. I guess I was prompted to write about it in my post because I was provoked to see a blatant and obvious rich-poor contrast. My conscience was bugging me because Dubai is a fast developing city, which is aiming to attract rich people, while the poor people who actually help build it will be relegated to their labor camps.
The Quran says it too: the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer, and it is becoming evident everywhere, moreso right in front of my eyes in Dubai.
Mansur
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