A Few Days in Dubai

The mindset of the Dubai government and resources available to them start to manifest themselves as soon as you get off the plane and enter the Dubai International Terminal.  It sparkles like a diamond, from the floor to the glass walls to the ceiling. The grand immigration hall is precisely that, grand.  Three story ceilings, meticulously cleaned surfaces, immigration officers in their spotless white flowing robes.  Interesting tidbit – Retina scanners are mounted behind the immigration officers, but woe be to those with small eyes, as the scanners will keep trying till an accurate scan is obtained, however long that may take.  On US passports, a 30 day visa is granted upon arrival. Every public service is targeted to make the traveler comfortable.  The taxi drivers are polite, with clean nice taxis.  The Dubai government has made the desert green, which could be impressive, except that this is the same outfit that created the humongous Palm Island, as well as the ‘world’ islands by dredging up the ocean.  The Palm Island is – no mystery here – in the shape of a palm tree, with its trunk connected to the rest of Dubai.  The trunk is wide enough for two multi-lane highways, adorned by houses and mansions on the outside edges, close to the ocean.  Residences also dot the palm fronds.  The World Islands are replicas of all the continents.   The things you can do when money is truly no object!  You can fulfill your fantasy of owning North America or Africa here, if they are still available. What can you do in Dubai?  Short answer.  Anything you want, as long as you have the money.  Dubai is part of the UAE, but it is a thriving center of commerce and finance, where foreigners are 70 percent of the population.  You can find Americans, Europeans, Chinese, Japanese – people from all parts of the world, but the largest portion hails from India and Pakistan.  They are human fodder in the engine of growth and expansion that is Dubai. You like to shop?  Welcome to paradise!  Whether it is the relatively subdued Wafi Mall, the long established Mall of the Emirates, or the over-the-top, opulent, extravagant Dubai Mall, you will be able to find anything and everything, from pretty much any famous store from around the globe.  If you have just enough time to visit one of them, the clear choice is the Dubai Mall, but it is very likely you will simply not have enough time to visit all...