Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Place That Does

I was never a great fan of Dubai. Having lived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for almost 14 years, I always thought Dubai was artificial and ostentatious, not the best place to raise kids.

For the last year or so I have to drive across Dubai almost on daily basis. There is nothing like driving across Dubai in the early morning, very light traffic and easy driving, it gives one the opportunity to look at all these towers and reflect on how things were several years back.

Dubai, or to be more exact the Rulers of Dubai, had a vision and that vision evolves and changes year on year. That vision puts Dubai in a league of its own, not only within the UAE but globally. What differentiates Dubai is the will to implement that vision and realise it, at a time far richer and larger countries did not have the will. When Dubai started building the Metro a few years back, I could never figure why the rail went up and down instead of a simpler straight line, last year I saw overpasses being built over where the metro line dips. A vision so detailed that was designed a few years back and only being finalised now with such precision.

The recession has not been very kind to Dubai, but in a way it was needed to provide a reality check of what has become a totally changed Dubai which has lost its sense of balance. What is painful is the negative press that attacked Dubai and the UAE. Some of it is justified and is being addressed by amending existing laws or passing new ones. It is the hypocrisy of a lot of the authors of these articles that really angers me, why was it OK when Dubai was boom city and now it is all wrong.

Dubai is The Place That Does. Dubai is a place with a VISION, but more importantly a place that goes forth and delivers on that vision as planned and on time (well a few months late sometimes but better late than never).

Am I a greater fan of Dubai, well I am less critical of the place and sometimes I think it is actually cool. It is a privilege to be in The Place That Does.

1 comment:

  1. As an ex-Abu Dhabi resident, I came to Dubai with mixed feelings. Five years later, I wouldn't trade it for anything - not the insane traffic, not the one-up-manship that's deeply ingrained in the city, and certainly not the excitement of being part of this tremendous growth, with or without crisis.

    Yes, it is a place that does!

    ReplyDelete

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