Tale of a Mall Rat

After the first two weeks in Dubai, I have a confession. I have become a Mall Rat. Everything American is in the Mall, including the weather. My apartment is a short walk, 10 minutes, from the Mall of the Emirates (pictured here with the large indoor Ski Slope Attraction just visible at the left). This is one of the larger Malls, which are all similar across Dubai, with parking undercover and three levels of shopping. This is the one that has the ski slope, built in the middle of a desert, and make no mistake, this is a desert. You can ski, buy groceries and electronics, eat, and all the other regular stuff you do at a mall. I go at least once a day, but usually twice, and that is when I am at the apartment.

My office is right across the street from the City Center Mall (below) and that I where I catch my Taxi to go home and eat lunch, and by the way guess where I catch my taxi in the morning. You guessed it, Mall of the Emirates. You can get all the uncommon, by local standards, American food like McDonalds, Chilies, TGI Fridays etc. as well as the local favorites of Middle Eastern, Indian, Thai, or just about anything else.

My first impression of Dubai is Hot, Flat, Crowded, and Dusty. I am not sure whether the dust is coming from the desert or all of the construction that is going on. Whatever it is coming from, it doesn't get washed away during an occaisional shower, since there are very few and far between rains. Near my apartment it is not an exaggeration to say that every other building is under construction. I have never seen anything like it. Supposedly 20% of all of the tower cranes in the world are working in the United Arab Emirates. The buildings already built are stunning and diverse, nothing is too adventurous or out of the realm of possibility.

The sounds on the street are dominated by honking horns, screeching brakes, accelerating autos, banging hammers, plywood and steel dropping, and it never seems quiet. One interesting observation is the lack of animals; I have seen one dog on a leash since I have been here and a few birds. How they expect to fill all these buildings with people when animals do not live here (I am told because of the summer heat) is beyond me.

Driving appears to be similar to chariot racing here. I have not tried it yet and am not sure I want to. I actually saw an article or opinion from a reader in the newspaper, that suggested the government should issue special tags to new drivers, so other drivers would be understanding of the white knuckle fear and panic these drivers are experiencing that prevent them from getting out of the way.

This is the valet parking area at Mall of the Emirates. Ferrarri, High End Audi, Convertible Rolls.