Saudi, Hungarian defense ministers discuss military ties    Al-Rajhi: Cabinet's decision is supportive to most vulnerable groups    King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as Royal Court advisor    Alkhorayef emphasizes Saudi Arabia's growing role as global industrial investment hub    Saudi Arabia adopts World Drowning Prevention Day as national health priority    GACA imposes SR2.8 million in fines for 87 civil aviation violations in Q2 2025    Desperate Gaza doctors cram several babies into one incubator as fuel crisis reaches critical point    ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over women's rights violations    Syria issues appeal to EU for help battling massive wildfires along northwestern coast    Total e-messages sent to parties in lawsuits reach over 11.8 million during first half of 2025    3 arrested in assault case in Riyadh    New Property Ownership Law will take into effect in January 2026 Al-Hogail thanks King and Crown Prince for the updated law    HONOR returns to Esports World Cup as Official Smartphone Partner for 2025 The renewed commitment will see HONOR elevate mobile esports competition with cutting-edge AI technologies and industry-leading hardware    Riot Games responds to match-fixing allegations in VALORANT    BLAST responds to BESTIA Visa controversy ahead of CS2 Austin major    Christophe Galtier named NEOM SC head coach ahead of historic Saudi Pro League debut    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Michelin Guide launches in Saudi Arabia with phased rollout in 2025    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Dubai: Jewel of the Arabian Gulf
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 10 - 2015

I read an article recently by a Saudi who had written it after having read an article by another Saudi about the same city – Dubai. Whereas the first writer had a totally negative opinion of the city, the second had a completely different perspective.
Coming to live and work in Saudi Arabia was my first ever experience with the Arab world and its culture. Since landing on Saudi soil four years ago, I had never been to any other part of the Arab world. But not long ago, I happened to go the extra mile and visited the most luxuriant and vibrant city of Middle East – Dubai.
Naturally, I could not help drawing comparisons between Saudi cities and Dubai, and it turned out that there were more points of contrast than comparison between them. The thing that struck me immediately was the sheer cosmopolitan and multilingual nature of Dubai which gave it a truly international touch. Nowhere did we feel restricted due to our lack of linguistic competence in Arabic. Dubai seemed to be an elegant fabric excellently woven from Asia, Arab and European threads. The great number of people speaking Urdu, Arabic and English starting right from the airport to the hotel and restaurant staff and from department stores to drivers made me feel at home. I was delighted when my Arabic-speaking friends needed me to translate what people said to me in Urdu.
People have different reasons for going to Dubai ranging from business to leisure, from entertainment to desert safaris, from shopping in luxury malls to relaxing on sparkling white sand beaches. The city has developed so well and so multidimensionally that it has something to offer literally everyone. In our case, all of these factors combined. We went to the beaches, to the famous Miracle Garden (which is the world's largest flower garden with more than 45 million flowers of over 25 varieties right in the middle of desert thereby justly earning its name), saw the Dancing Fountain and the world's largest aquarium along with the underwater zoo. We also visited the shopping malls of international fame and shopped at the Global Village.
As old adage states: "If you want to see how civilized a society is, see its traffic". Anyone who has been to Dubai must admit that it is a civilized city indeed. There are numerous inter- and intracity transport options available to locals and tourists alike without any hassle. You don't have to wait for a taxi for long nor do you need to bargain over the fare. Taxis strictly follow a meter system which allows the passenger to relax and be assured that he will not be cheated or fleeced. RTA buses ply all routes all the day. And best of all is the state-of-the-art metro which sets Dubai apart from other cities in the Arab world in terms of transport. You can get a day pass for 22AED and board the metro, bus or tram as many times as you want for 24 hours.
For nature loves there is the Miracle Garden and adjacent to it the recently opened Butterfly Garden. Global Village is a shoppers' haven for those who want to shop for goods from all around the world. You can go to any country's pavilion and shop for its traditional artifacts. The Gold Souq is a big attraction for those who love gems and jewelry. People like to buy gold there for the quality and amazing variety of the designs on offer.
Boarding a traditional boat called "abra" at Dubai Creek or going to the gold and spice souks or viewing the Global Village or the Dancing Fountain at Dubai Mall gives a classic touch to this city which is so intricately intertwined with its past amidst all its modern shine and glitter.
One can have a relaxed evening in the desert by booking a desert safari which is a unique experience. There are numerous companies who offer their services to arrange desert safaris, dhow cruise dinners, city tours and much more for you at fairly economical rates. A search on the Internet can ensure that one gets the best deal in town very easily.
The jewel of Dubai, Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is indeed a marvel. Visiting Dubai without going to the top of this tower would certainly make the trip incomplete. A group of tourists departs to the top every 30 minutes and tickets can be booked online. The afternoon hours from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm are relatively expensive. However, the morning and evening hours are cheaper. Usually visitors go to the 124th floor of the mighty tower from where they can have a 360-degree view of the wonderful city but lately a trip to the 148th floor is being offered as well.
On returning to Riyadh, I wondered why Saudi Arabia cannot offer the same to its citizens who rush to the UAE every time they have a vacation along with expats who crave recreational activities. Why can't tourist visas be issued to anyone who wants to have an inside look at what Saudi Arabia is actually like? Why can't short visit visas be stamped at major Saudi airports like they are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Why can't a trip to the top of Kingdom Tower in Riyadh be offered through a high-speed elevator on a commercial basis for all foreign tourists? Why can't the history of the Kingdom be preserved and showcased in museums open to the public? Why can't desert safaris be arranged in the Kingdom's deserts? And most of all why can't there be an efficient public transport system making it easy for people to go wherever they want in the Kingdom?
It's time that the Kingdom opened its doors to the world for reasons other than employment. People around the world must see this country in its true colors for themselves rather than being misled by the negative image of Saudi Arabia and its people that is often portrayed by the world media.


Clic here to read the story from its source.