Dubai

Countless articles have been written about Dubai. It's every news outlet's answer to the dark, dramatic and depressing conflicts of Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. Every single article I have read has showcased the city's development, architecture, and shopping, complete with surreal photographs to compliment the rhetoric. This past weekend I went to Dubai for the first time, and though I only spent a short time there and cannot comment on much of the reality that is Dubai, I can say one thing: They are unique in what I have seen, and are the only place that has pulled off an authentic and truly enjoyable pub comprised almost entirely of expats.

This may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but I think it's a sign of how cosmopolitan and generally authentic Dubai is. As I've said before, I've been to most of the countries in the Middle East. While living abroad, I have always craved for a local bar like America, complete with a noisy crowd, good beer and food, and most importantly a relaxed feeling. This last part is the most important, because traveling with my wife in even the most "open" places like Bahrain and Muscat, "Western" bars generally consist of local and expat men ogling the waitresses, dancers on stage, or few Western women who do go out. Drinks are overpriced, dress codes exaggerated to keep out less trendy single men (myself once included), and house music overplayed. This is exactly what I expected from Dubai. However, I was wrong.

Going to a good pub in a hotel in Dubai is almost exactly like going out in Chicago or any other major city in America. Wide selections of drinks, competent and casual waiters with a sense of humor, and an even more classy clientele that is far more concerned with what they are drinking and who they are talking to then staring at whatever Western woman they can find conservatively dressed or not. For those of you who have not traveled to the Middle East, this is incredibly rare outside of gated 5 star resorts in Sharm al Sheikh or Beirut that only have tourists.

I really believe that this is a testament to the fact that many of the expats call Dubai home, and thus hold it to the standard of their original homes. Our Indian taxi driver complained about the government taxes on taxis and how that affects getting picked up in different neighborhoods in the same groaning matter of a Chicago taxi driver complaining about the high gas prices. Customers demand clean lobbies, food, and good service from their establishments rather then put up with Budweiser and rude ineffective bartenders who overcharge and under pour because they can go somewhere else. There are so many hotels, bars, restaurants and clubs that get reviewed in weekly local magazines critically that they can't afford to be cheap or rude.

Furthermore, the positive cosmopolitan feel of Dubai is due primarily to the fact that it is almost entirely expatriate workers. Only 10-20% of the city's residents are UAE nationals, and that doesn't even account for the massive tourism industry present. The city is more international than any other city in the region by far, and because the Dubai government is so open to maintaining its status as a cosmopolitan business and tourism hub it is one of the most politically open cities as well.