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It
is hard to believe that - only a century ago - Dubai had no running water,
no real roads and the main mode of transport was the camel. The rural
population eked out a nomadic lifestyle in the arid deserts along the
southern shores of the Arabian Gulf, until 1967, when the city started to
move toward independence from British rule and mushroom into an
ultra-modern, vastly rich member of the United Arab Emirates.
A century ago, the main settlement was little more
that a collection of roughly built houses huddled around the lifeblood of
Dubai Creek. Today, the same creek is shadowed by voluminous skyscrapers
and a 21st-century skyline that is constantly sprouting ambitious new
additions, most recently the Emirates Towers (the tallest building in the
Middle East). Dubai's remarkable success story is built on one vital
ingredient: oil. In 1966, Dubai literally struck oil. A year later, the
emirate threw off the colonial cloak of Britain to finally seal its
independence. The scene was set for a rapid rise to incredible wealth as
Dubai drew in billions of Dollars from the sale of oil - money that was
invested wisely in building up infrastructure and conjuring up a city to
match the extent of the oil wealth. Contrary to popular misconceptions
about modern Dubai, however, oil only accounts for 20% of the economy
today, as the emirate has expanded into trade, service industries, finance
and light industry. Other misconceptions include the idea that alcohol is
completely banned. The reality is that, in the city's numerous hotels,
bars and restaurants, alcohol flows as freely as the oil from the vast oil
fields.
Dubai is a playground for the rich and famous and
those who fit the bill are accepted with open arms into a world of good
living, where there is zero unemployment. Its reputation as a tax-free
haven, shopping Mecca and home to some of the world's most impressive
hotels has put Dubai firmly on the global map. Beneath the glossy veneer
of modern Dubai, however, tantalising snatches of its exotic past can
still be savoured, whether it be smoking a shisha pipe in a Bedouin camp
among the drifting dunes of the desert or sailing aboard a century-old
dhow, dreaming of the days when there were more camels than people in
Dubai. Nevertheless, most tourists come to explore the city, delve into
the wealth of tax-free shops and laze by the balmy waters of the Arabian
Gulf at one of the luxury hotels that line the fine sands of Jumeirah
Beach.
With plenty of sunshine, a glut of good
restaurants and hotels to choose from (at all price levels), the number of
visitors is growing every year. Dubai enjoys an idyllic climate for much
of the year, with constant sunshine and very little rainfall, although in
summer the heat can be extreme, making trips away from air-conditioned
cars and buildings unbearable.