Dubai is one of seven Emirates that are economically and administratively united under the one flag, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Emirates share the Arabian Peninsula with Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Each Emirate (or state) is ruled by an hereditary Emir and the UAE is overseen by a President.
The name ‘Dubai’ refers to the city capital and to the region. Within the region are other small towns. The city sits on Dubai Creek, which isn’t a creek but a deep narrow inlet that provides great access for trading vessels. Dubai was a well established port for traders from around the world who enjoyed the generous tax breaks here and then oil was discovered in 1966. then the economy took off and so did the modern development of Dubai.
Karen takes me for a drive. We visit Sharjah, which is a small Emirate bordering Dubai to the south. Karen teaches Year 3 at the Australian International School in Sharjah. This school is a business owned by Emirates (nationals) that uses the Queensland curriculum. Most of the staff are Australian, including the Headmistress. They have had visits from the Queensland Premier and the Governor General.
We also visit Sharjah’s University City, which is a large area given to universities from around the world. The facilities are very new and very impressive. The grounds are immaculate. Manicured lawns and gardens of soft colourful ornamental flowers demand constant attention from a large staff of gardeners and water sprinklers. I suspect a desert landscape would be far more appropriate, considering we’re in a desert, but it is typical of other places here also to have these water dependent gardenscapes.
Nearby is a wildlife park full of animals from the Arabian Peninsula region. I live going to these places to check out the other inhabitants. Surprisingly they gave done big cats and the highlight of the visit here was being just a meter away from a beautiful cheetah lying there cleaning itself, occasionally eyeballing me and licking it’s lips at some kids nearby. Fortunately for them there was plenty of thick glass between us. A leopard roamed in the background. Hyenas really are ugly and desert rats are very cute, as are the hedgehogs. The Turkish spiney-haired rat is particularly cute, and very rare sadly. So little is known about them so there is a PhD into their delicate little lives just waiting to happen.
Arabic dancers with bagpipes in the band!
For dinner we meet up with mates of Neil and Karen and go into town to a World Trade Expo. This is an event that happens for a month each year and is very popular with the locals. Countries from around the world set up shops to sell their wares and foods. There are cultural performances as well. The Arabic dancers were impressive. They had bagpipes in their band, which I thought was interesting. When did the bagpipes come into Arabic culture? Or did they have them first? There was a very basic bagpipe made with goat gut in the local museum. Maybe the Scots pinched them from the Arabs!
And of course there are the rides for the strong of nerve.
What a day!
angusmccoll 