DJ Trava

Posts Tagged ‘Dubai’

For creative centers in the world, Dubai has really carved out an identity for itself, and it’s one that’s constantly shifting.  The gallery culture here is thriving, and it’s just one of the many reasons for visiting here.  There are, of course, absolutely gorgeous beaches to contrast with the mysterious desert landscapes, and there are fantastic shopping malls with amazing entertainments that visitors of all ages will enjoy.  It’s a place that’s made its name for hospitality, and when it comes to four star hotels, Dubai has some splendid choices for the discerning traveler.  Our hotels are carefully selected to please all tastes, and offer you a magnificent place to call home while you are here.

Design and decor are at a premium here, in a city that prides itself on its ability to appeal to the visual senses.  You’ll enjoy many splendid rests, and a host of other amenities, all yours to enjoy while you are also checking out the fabulous offerings of Dubai.  It attracts visitors from all over the world, and the burgeoning art scene is becoming a magnet for international artists, coming to see what all the excitement is about.  Interestingly, as it often happens in the art world, the excitement is usually the artists themselves.  In 2008, an artist’s collective named Albus Cavus came here to do a project for urban revitalization.

Their plan here was to work with public space, and help to engage the local community to become active in transforming it to something that would have more aesthetic appeal.  Their methods are very interesting, and speak to a number of contemporary trends in the art world that involve working with public space to make it accessible again to the citizens.  Workshops, public events, and interactive mural painting were just part of the project, designed to bring out the creativity in the local residents.  Albus Novus translates to white cave from the Latin, and refers to the basement in New Jersey where the collective had its beginnings.

Our ego can get the better of us if we are not careful and aware of how we act out of ego. While in the room of my luxury hotels Dubai UAE I watched a particularly funny British sit com episode that revolved around ego. The scene was a man entering a party and engaging in small talk with others at the party. He was clearly baiting the conversation around to talk about occupations. When asked what he did he stated he was a doctor. When pressed further for what type of doctor he states with all kinds of puffy egoness that he is a brain surgeon. He than asks one of the other party guests what they did and once they state their occupation this first character says ‘Well that isn’t exactly brain surgery, is it?” This plays out once more with another party guest when another man joins the party and the Dr and this man begin to converse. Again the Dr is dragging the conversation around to occupations. The new man at the party final say what is it you do and the Dr tells him he is a bran surgeon. The Dr then asks the other man what he does, he states he is a scientist. The Dr then asks what type of science. The man answers ‘I’m a rocket scientist’ and continues on with ‘…and your a brain surgeon? hmmm not exactly rocket science is it?” The exchange was amusing and funny but very telling on how we puff our selves up with self importance for out ego’s purpose and that there is always someone else will to take a poke at our ego and deflate it. I like to interact in these situations with openness and try to let go of ego. not talking about myself and what I do unless specifically asked and then I choose to answer what was asked and not to elaborate too deeply as not to get ego involved.

For perfection in five-star hotels, Dubai has it all.  A gorgeous setting in a rich, cosmopolitan city, with the mysteries of the desert and the beauty of the beach, Dubai is one of the hottest tourist destinations of recent times.  Guest in our hotels will be treated to a sumptuous combination of old-world hospitality and new-world convenience, in accommodations that confidently meet the highest standards in the industry.  With world-class cuisine served up by top chefs, guests will experience a luxury that borders on decadence.  There are also hosts of extras, offering amenities that will revitalize the body and spirit.

Dubai has really started coming into its own in recent years.  With initiatives sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the city has been very successful in becoming one of the creative capitals in world culture.  One of these initiatives, not to be missed by lucky travelers whose dates correspond with the event, is the Dubai International Poetry Festival.  This is a week-long event that features a thousand poets gathered to speak their words, give lectures and symposia, and to take part in the incredible energy of the event.

2009 was the first year for the Dubai International Poetry Festival, and by all accounts it was hugely successful.  It was opened by none other than Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian playwright and poet who has won multiple awards for his writing and commitment to human rights causes all over the world.  The festival focuses on celebrating the capacity for poetry to transcend the limits of geographical borders, culture, and language.  Simultaneous translations were offered during the readings, to unify the crowd to the poets who came from all over the world, including Portugal, India, Germany, Venezuela, and all over the Middle East.  There are at least four more festivals planned for the coming years.

I’ve noticed the people of Dubai have a tendency to be derisive about its calmer and more gentler neighbour Oman. But, I will say that all of the people I did meet during my 3 month stay at one of the Business Hotels Dubai has plenty of, not one person was able to leave Dubai with out a least one backward glance, wondering if they made the right move. Where as all the people I’ve talked to who have left Dubai have no compunction about leaving Oman.

I find it easy to convey to those whom worship the gleaming towers and all the fantastic nightclubs and night life, the understanding of time and substance which Dubai offers just as well as Oman offers. I’ve seen, through my business trips, that people in Oman work just as hard and as long as those in Dubai, but for some reason, I aways see that in Dubai, these hard workers have time to do more. I think everyone in Oman should at least give Dubai a chance.

I saw some tourists being approached while they wondered through Bastakiya with leaflets to go visit Oman. I got one of those leaflets and it does it’s best to lure the unassuming tourist to come see the real Arabia. Breath in the Frankincense. But, the real Arabia is no longer. Everything has changed, not just Dubai, but all the UAE has changed. Modernity has won over. About the only way to experience the old Arabia is to take a Camel Caravan Tour, but that’s all fake, it’s not a real caravan of old, just a tourist trap. The leaflet even boast about snorkeling in their waters compared to Dubai that one will actually see tons of coloured fish swimming among the coral reefs. This is farthest from the truth, all of the water and the water-life surrounding the UAE is in bad shape. The pristine waters are no longer pristine, too much development has caused all waters to be polluted and damaged.

I can understand why Oman wants to believe they still have held on to the traditions of Arabia, and denounce the opulence of Dubai, but to be perfectly honest, I like progress, and Dubai is working on correcting the environmental issues caused by it’s phenomenal growth. I just hope Oman will open its eyes too and begin to see that it too has grown as fast as Dubai.