Abu Dhabi Trip - A few thoughts and stuff

[Norms]

Thanks Scall, good to hear your views. Glad you enjoyed it

 

[Midi]

Scall, let me add a bit of balance from a UAE Blue:

ABU DHABI
Abu Dhabi is Northenden…… Dubai is Didsbury meets Hale, plastic millionaires. If you think the traffic in AD is bad then you have never been to Dubai during the day, if you knew the history of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Zayed you would realize that AD is a well thought out and designed city (please don’t judge it on 3 blocks between the Corniche and Hamdam street). You have probably not seen the driving in Saudi also, AD is bad but all the Middle East is, and its nothing to do with roads, you learn how to drive like a nutter here.
Emirates Palace is not a typical snap shot of life here, just like the swamp is not a typical snap shot of life in Greater Manchester.

PEOPLE IN ABU DHABI
I’ve seen more Arab kids in City shirts in the last 12 months, we missed a great opportunity during this week to promote us more to the local population, maybe this was deliberate policy? Why do will still mention Frank? he was a politician, the Sheikh isn’t, different times. I don’t believe the current owner is in it for financial reasons; it’s about brand and image.

THE GAME
Shite game, shows our youngsters are not so good, no one took the game by the scruff of the neck or took their opportunity, very poor. Also why did we not wear our Blue kit? If we are to make an impression on the Emirate youth then lets be the Blues. Where I was sat the kids were desperate in the second half to get behind us, thanks to the Blue who led the locals in a chorus of “the best team in the land and all the world, and all the world”

DUBAI
Dubai 101, don’t speak to the bitter pissed ex pat who has lost his job and is trying to find a way home without paying his car loan and credit card bill. They will tell you everything is sinking despite the fact they designed/built it.
All bullshit, hope you didn’t pay for his bar bill. Dubai has issues, and it sometimes feels like it full of plastics (Lebs?) but the vast majority of hard working Expats there are sound. I would be surprised if you met a local, probably just a another plastic from the Levant,

OTHER STUFF
Don’t believe the propaganda (English Media)

CITY IN ABU DHABI
BBQ was fantastic and like you said no other team would have done that, great to talk to Bellamy and Stuart Taylor who offered an interesting take on his career, next time try to get to know some of us local Blues (I’m talking ex Mancs) better and you will get a more balanced picture of City in the UAE. I’m saying these things as a Manc born and bred who has lived elsewhere in the world, Europe and Africa but has been enjoying AD for the last 3 years. CTID

 

[ciderman22]

I am thinking of going to Dubai for my Hols next year. A few questions.

Where is the best place (area) to stay?

Is it possible to go into the Al Burj Arab Hotel for a drink if you are not a guest?

What are the beer prices like?

What is the local food and how much does it cost?

When will that massive building be ready. I would like to go up it.

What will the temperatures be like in July?

Any more advice is welcome.

Cheers

 

[Dubai Blue]

I am thinking of going to Dubai for my Hols next year. A few questions.

Where is the best place (area) to stay?
The new end of town is the best area to stay in, so anywhere in the Jumeirah, Palm, Marina, Madinat, Umm Suqeim areas.

Is it possible to go into the Al Burj Arab Hotel for a drink if you are not a guest?
Yes, but it's extremely pricey. £25 for a cup of morning tea last I heard. It really isn't that impressive anyway. Looks much better from the outside than it does on the inside. Koubar at Madinat Al Qasr and The Observatory at the Harbour Hotel are both more impressive when it comes to views/surroundings, in my opinion.

What are the beer prices like?
Depending on the standard of place you go to and whether they've got any promos on, a pint/bottle will cost between Dh25 and Dh35 (about £4-£6).

What is the local food and how much does it cost?
The local food is bland rubbish that has been charcoaled to death on a BBQ. But Dubai is an international city with a huge choice of every type of food you could wish for. A meal in a pub will set you back about £10. You can then go as expensive as you like in the hotel restaurants.

When will that massive building be ready. I would like to go up it.
Opens on January 4th.

What will the temperatures be like in July?
Absolutely roasting hot. Anything between 40 and 50 degrees in the day and not much cooler at night, with humidity of around 80%. Don't come here between June and September; you'll not enjoy it. The rest of the year is perfect though.

Any more advice is welcome.

Cheers

 

[Ajay]

WOW!

May I correct you:

DUBAI

Mad place. Skyscrapers are just so common there, landmarks everywhere and the scale of the development is huge. However I spoke to an ex-pay engineer at a bar who told me that they're throwing things up so quickly, that's it's not done properly. He told us of how his mate was thrown out of his apartment building one day because a routine inspection revealed it was about to fall down any minute.

Ajay: I hope you bought him another pint after you lifted him of the floor as only a drunk fool would say such crap!

The trains on the new metro/train line keep falling off the tracks.

Ajay: Again utter shit - the tram derailed during testing and the system has failed a couple of times but the trams have not derailed!

palm island is sinking and worst of all, the world tallest building, the Burj Dubai, is also sinking even though it hasn't been completed yet!

Ajay: Yes the Palm is sinking that is why every home owner on the palm is issued two extra buckets and a snorkel, the Burj is due to open next month even though it has already sunk 3 floors, but don't fear they have now classed these sunken floors as underground VIP parking!

A lot of westerners around, and I got the feeling of a great arrogance about them, as such, we got tarnished with the same brush and got treated like sh!te a few times by the locals.

Ajay: I can't see why you would get treated badly, and yes there is arrogance around the westerners here, after all they built this place and now its sinking - but its okay they can always jetski round their villa's!

PS: Do I sense some jealousy!

 

[Dubai Blue]

WOW!

May I correct you:

DUBAI

Mad place. Skyscrapers are just so common there, landmarks everywhere and the scale of the development is huge. However I spoke to an ex-pay engineer at a bar who told me that they're throwing things up so quickly, that's it's not done properly. He told us of how his mate was thrown out of his apartment building one day because a routine inspection revealed it was about to fall down any minute.

Ajay: I hope you bought him another pint after you lifted him of the floor as only a drunk fool would say such crap!

The trains on the new metro/train line keep falling off the tracks.

Ajay: Again utter shit - the tram derailed during testing and the system has failed a couple of times but the trams have not derailed!

palm island is sinking and worst of all, the world tallest building, the Burj Dubai, is also sinking even though it hasn't been completed yet!

Ajay: Yes the Palm is sinking that is why every home owner on the palm is issued two extra buckets and a snorkel, the Burj is due to open next month even though it has already sunk 3 floors, but don't fear they have now classed these sunken floors as underground VIP parking!

A lot of westerners around, and I got the feeling of a great arrogance about them, as such, we got tarnished with the same brush and got treated like sh!te a few times by the locals.

Ajay: I can't see why you would get treated badly, and yes there is arrogance around the westerners here, after all they built this place and now its sinking - but its okay they can always jetski round their villa's!

PS: Do I sense some jealousy!

Not sure how you've come to the conclusion of jealousy; he's just stating his experiences. There ARE a lot of arseholes here of all nationalities, so it really isn't beyond comprehension that he may have come across one or two of them during his stay here. And there are plenty of examples of buildings not being made to sufficiently high standards over here. I'm not saying they're on the verge of falling down, but places like Arabian Ranches and The Palm (both of which I've lived on) are littered with examples of shoddy workmanship.

And he was only quoting what someone told him about the sinking and derailing. Obviously we know it's complete urban myth bullshit, but when someone in a foreign country who claims to know what they're talking about tells you something, you tend to believe them. A bit like how we all believed you when you said Kaka had agreed to join City ;-)

 

[Ajay]

Not sure how you've come to the conclusion of jealousy; he's just stating his experiences. There ARE a lot of arseholes here of all nationalities, so it really isn't beyond comprehension that he may have come across one or two of them during his stay here. And there are plenty of examples of buildings not being made to sufficiently high standards over here. I'm not saying they're on the verge of falling down, but places like Arabian Ranches and The Palm (both of which I've lived on) are littered with examples of shoddy workmanship.

And he was only quoting what someone told him about the sinking and derailing. Obviously we know it's complete urban myth bullshit, but when someone in a foreign country who claims to know what they're talking about tells you something, you tend to believe them. A bit like how we all believed you when you said Kaka had agreed to join City ;-)

Is you notice I actually asked if he was jealous!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am shocked to hear what you say about Arabian Ranches, I have been here for 5 years and my villa is without doubt the best I have lived in and to date (touch wood) I have not had one single structural issue here, the same applies to the other properties I own in Dubai and Sharjah - Every country is the world has properties littered with flaws!

Yes he was quoting - but he quoted as though this guy in the bar was an expert!

And as for Kaka - he had agreed and in time all of you will see it, but thank you changing the track of the post, anyway I am proud of Dubai, proud of the people who live here and stand by what I said regarding Kaka!!!

 

[Dubai Blue]

Not sure how you've come to the conclusion of jealousy; he's just stating his experiences. There ARE a lot of arseholes here of all nationalities, so it really isn't beyond comprehension that he may have come across one or two of them during his stay here. And there are plenty of examples of buildings not being made to sufficiently high standards over here. I'm not saying they're on the verge of falling down, but places like Arabian Ranches and The Palm (both of which I've lived on) are littered with examples of shoddy workmanship.

And he was only quoting what someone told him about the sinking and derailing. Obviously we know it's complete urban myth bullshit, but when someone in a foreign country who claims to know what they're talking about tells you something, you tend to believe them. A bit like how we all believed you when you said Kaka had agreed to join City ;-)

Is you notice I actually asked if he was jealous!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I am shocked to hear what you say about Arabian Ranches, I have been here for 5 years and my villa is without doubt the best I have lived in and to date (touch wood) I have not had one single structural issue here, the same applies to the other properties I own in Dubai and Sharjah - Every country is the world has properties littered with flaws!

Yes he was quoting - but he quoted as though this guy in the bar was an expert!

And as for Kaka - he had agreed and in time all of you will see it, but thank you changing the track of the post, anyway I am proud of Dubai, proud of the people who live here and stand by what I said regarding Kaka!!!

I have lived in two villas in Arabian Ranches and both had huge cracks appear on the outside walls. I have other friends who have the suffered the same problems, both at the Ranches and on The Springs. Everything on The Palm is already falling apart despite only being 3 years old.

And the guy in the bar obviously claimed to be an expert. Most people take others at face value; if they tell us something they claim to know a lot about, we tend to go along with it.

By all means be proud of where you live if you want to be, but it's a bit childish to assume someone must be jealous if they dare to criticise it. Dubai's a great place, but it has many flaws; there's nothing wrong with pointing those out. It doesn't automatically make you jealous. And it might, just might, help it to become an even better place.

 

[Ajay]

it's a bit childish

I think you have taken my totally our of context!

And Childish I am not, but your are entitled to your opinion.

 

[scall11]

I was only passing on my observations to people who may have been interested as to what it was like, who might be thinking of heading over there. It's not gospel, it's just my take on things.