The dark side of Dubai
J and I have friends in Dubai. J has been to stay with them, twice. I didn't go, partly because I had to work, partly because Dubai spooks me. It is the last place I would want to go and live.
Anyway, this is Johann Hari's excellent piece on it. I hope our friends come home soon.
Anyway, this is Johann Hari's excellent piece on it. I hope our friends come home soon.
posted by Rachel at 12:29 pm
So do I Rachel. Its not a nice place at all
Ghastly place. I live in the Gulf but only go to Dubai when I have to. I must say, though, Johann Hari's piece lost conviction for me at the start when he describes the Sheikh's "widely smiling face" on every building. You can call Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum many things, and his picture is everywhere (though almost invariably inside buildings, hotel lobbys especially) but I've never seen him crack so much as a grin, ever. Sorry to nit-pick, but really it's a bit of a howler and did make me wonder if Hari had actually been there. Having said that, his info about the foreign workers from Asia seems pretty sound.