Drinking the Dubai Koolaid

(Go to my Facebook albums for more Dubai pictures)

Imagination meets reality. Dubai flaunts its Midas' touch in turning sand into gold. Nothing is impossible in this place. Pictures cannot do justice to the glitzy grandeur of this city. This place is the Guiness Book of Records' paradise: the world's one and only 7-star hotel, the world's tallest building, the world's largest indoor skiing resort, the world's largest manmade islands, the world's only, the world's best, the world's greatest... the sky is the limit. Literally.

What did we do? We visited and spoke with the executives @ a few companies (Dubai International Financial Exchange, GM, DOW, Nakheel (Palm Jumeira & Palm Deira), MASDAR in Abu Dhabi, Credit Suisse, Barclays, and and Dubai Group). The rest of the time we spent in sightseeing (Burj al Arab, souqs, Dubai Museum, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Bhutta Mall, Jumana night show, Sand Safari). Most of the presentations at the companies flooded us with the "Dubai Exuberance," with impressive stats on the city's real estate projects, growth and FDI. This city has bling coming out of its ears. But at the end of each day, we debated the million dollar question that no one seemed to have an answer to-- "is this growth sustainable?" I guess we'll find out if/when the bubble bursts.

I must admit, I drank the Dubai koolaid. I wanted to change all my plans and start looking for an internship/job there. What an exciting place to be at such an exciting time. I loved the anything-is-possible spirit. But then I realized I hate being hot-- and there it's hot 12 months out of the year.

Here are some fun facts that make this city so captivating (to me at least):

• 30% of the world's cranes are in Dubai
• 80% of the city is expats (even cheap labor is all imported from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Africa, Yemen etc)
• Strategically located in the "center of the world"- between Europe, Asia & Africa
• Tax-free
• Oil is cheap. Water is not.
• Everyone is beautiful.
• I learned how to read numbers in Arabic.

Speaking of beautiful people. At a Lebanese restaurant, I spotted a waiter with the most exotic beautiful eyes ever. Sadly he wasn't our waiter- but that definitely didn't stop some serious "eye flirtations" between him & me- ok maybe more on my part- his eyes were just too intriguing to not stare at. Yes, I can be shameless, much to my own surprise. But like I said, anything's possible in Dubai. I love Dubai!