Dubai is many different things to many different people. To some, an oasis of shopping malls, hotels, sand beaches and servants to wait on one's every need. To others, a place of plentiful work where one can come and live to support one's family at home. For many others it is a place very similar to what India was 60 years ago. For a select few is it a huge personal fiefdom and playground.
In future writings I shall explore the interactions between these groups and the complex and multi-faceted caste/feudal system that for most intents and purposes is a huge curtain between the social groups.
Yesterday I had a chance to experience the expat life at the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club and briefly look into how the Chinese and Korean imports are fulfilling a huge economic need amongst the mainly Indian workers that support the true decadence of the Arabs and the rich expats in this country.
One first enters the Dubai Offshore Sailing club through a gated, guarded security post. I had to explain at least three times that I was there for a Hobie Cat lesson and that yes, I did in fact, have an appointment. Although an incredibly small boat yard, the few boats that were out on blocks were impressive. Everything must be covered, all the time. Between the incredibly high salinity of the water and the dust which permeates the air, an ideal combination to degrade even the highest grade of stainless steel is formed.
The club's membership is exclusively expats from various European countries, with a small number of high society Arabs, who either like boats or like drinking at the bar.
After my sail, I purchased a glass of Fosters from the well equipped bar/restaurant and strolled down the 3 piers looking at boats and drinking. This really is a most enjoyable way to watch the sunset and enjoy the cool ocean breeze. Upon my return from the docks to give my glass back to the bartender the club's restaurant had significantly more people, all of them Anglos. The entire marina and bar staff were either Indian or Southeast Asian. After a little time spent people-watching I realized that the British attitude towards colonization has not changed one bit. It is exactly like India when the British ruled. The British in this country enjoy a life of quite fair luxury and certainly they want for very little. They are waited on by Indians who can make far more money here than at home. For the most part they seem to ignore both the Emirati and the tourists. One of the strange phenomena is that all Brits, almost without exception, upon arriving in such a fiscally top-heavy nation as Dubai are thrust far higher up the social total pole than they would ever dream of attaining at home. Many of the formerly lower middle class intelligentsia suddenly become the Nuevo Riche. They tend to obnoxiously revel in it. This is the home they never had away from home. I half expected to see military officers in jodhpurs commenting in a heavy public school accent about not being able to find decent help these days. For the expats, this is in a way what is left of their colonial empire. For the Indians it's the same thing.
This post was originally going to include a section on the vast Asian import market of cheap goods, which in essence allows the inexpensive labor economy to be viable. These import/export companies are quite akin to the American Harbor Freight on huge doses of steroids. However, as I need some sleep rather urgently an exploration of this shall have to wait. Apologies.
UPDATE:
The sunset view from the pierside of the the Dubai Offshore Yacht club. Pictured in the left background is the Burj al-Arab hotel, the tallest in the world. On a side note: the incredible salinity of the Arabian Gulf, in part due to the dumping of the filtered salt from the massive desalination facilities back into the waters, combined with a coastal wind wrecks stainless steel incredibly fast.
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