An American’s View of the UAE

An American’s View of the UAE

You can tell the UAE is one of the big oil-producing countries. The gas is cheap, cheap, cheap, even though they’ve raised the price twice in two years. Gas-guzzling cars are everywhere—not SUVs like here, but the most powerful, least fuel efficient motor in every car. Big Mercedes, big BMWs, big Chevys, big Buicks, Hummers.

And lights illuminating almost every building at night. Adding to the lights are the construction lights used to keep construction going twenty-four hours a day. And every empty lot is under construction. At night the country is surely visible to the Space Station. There are few stars in the sky in Dubai. Even the moon seems dim. But the skyline is brilliant.

The amount of expensive stuff for sale is mind-boggling, jewelry in particular. And yet you don’t see much jewelry flaunted by the Emirati, the nationals.

What you do see is that humans must have a gene for self-decoration. In the UAE, where the Emirati usually dress fairly traditionally—men in white gown with headdress and sandals—you see a lot of Rolex watches peeking out from those long sleeves. And the women who wear the traditional black gown with head scarf and sometimes a veil, also often wear the sexiest shoes you’ve ever seen. Lots of heels, bejeweled sandals, designer fashions.

To me, the most memorable statement was made by the traditionally-garbed wife who passed by me walking deferentially with her husband, and with every step exposing for all to see her bright red manicured toenails.

It gives me a lot of insight into how, in other cultures, you see tattoos and body piercings.