Heaven and hell

Let me put it right. There is nothing religious about this title in this article.

After my trip to Duabi, I needed to sum up a few thoughts and share them with you.

Many years ago, I touched down in Abu Dhabi, on my way to Bangkok. The only thing I remember from the airport was gold jewellery and the image of great shops. This was almost 15 years ago. Their oil fortune needed to be spent wise.

So I was exited when I was offered to go to Dubai for HansaWorld. More than a few days work and a few days pleasure.

The heat is on

In many ways. The plainride was "cold" (and KLM could really do with some help raising service level, food quality, seat comfort and generosity) so the "heat" was almost knocking me to the ground as I left the aircraft. I was told to bring cash to pay for visa, entering the United Arab Emirates, or UAE. I had US Dollars and Euros. Beeing norwegian for for free. I lined up for passport control and it took a while. But what struck me was the large number of men in thoub, ogal and shumagg and women in hijab or burqa. Women in burqa, always together with their man. I still wonder how they identify themselves under their burqa.

Traffic

Saturday evening is no different from other times, when it comes to traffic. More than 1.4 million people live in Dubai. 75% are expats (foreigners working in Dubai). They all drive a car it seems. The city growth is rapid, and it seems like the infrastructure does not keep up with the rest of the building going on. Although there is a new metrosystem under construction. Beeing finished in 2009, most people tend to think this will not help enough, du to rapid expansion plan of the city. Some say it will continue until it reaches 15 million people.

Construction - glory and slavery

The Dubai skyline is changing all the time. Some told me that 20% of the worlds capacity for cranes are tied up in Dubai. Streets and intersections are changed daily, challenging taxi drivers for the shortest routes. Highrise, glam and glossy seem to be the mantra for architects. The famous Burj-al-arab hotel is fabolous from a distance. But if you try to enter it, you are denied unless you live or work there. The hotel was printed on number plates for cars in 2001, but a conspiracy theory told that it resebled a christian cross facing Mekka so it was banned.

The worlds largest building is now reaching the top. Nobody wants to say officially how tall it is going to be, - Burj Dubai. Armani will design his own hotel here. Up to 5 hotels will reside in the building. I am shure it will be spectacular (if you like that style...). But when you know poor indian workers with no rights at all work there for 100 EUR per month, are bussed after their shift to their camp in the dessert, it all gets a bit sad. On example I heard, was that the official temperatur never exeeds 50 degress in Dubai. Even thoug it does, it would mean that workers would have to stop working in that heat.

Shopping and skiing

Glam and motors

The hub