Dubai: The Bad
During my short time in Dubai I also found the "BAD". New let say that I am sure these things are evident in a lot of places, but this is my experience.
- Taxi Drivers: STRAIGHT HUSTLING!
It was the end of my first week, I figured out how to get from my hotel to the nearest Metro station, how much it cost and the shortest distance, as well as how to get to the nearest mall (Deires City Center...the basic mall that is like the best in the US). A few times, I had to check a few drivers, but they understood that I knew what they were doing and the RIGHT way to get there. They would laugh nervously, as I laugh and say "I see you trying to hustle me...bet you thought 'dumb American, I will take him the long way' huh...naw homeboy! Matter of fact this 5 Drham I was going to tip you (though tipping is frowned on in Dubai), you can forget about it." The rest of the ride is pretty silent after that, but I had one taxi driver during my last week, that it took everything in me not to backhand him in the mouth. Not only did he try to take me the scenic route, but this fool tried to correct me about where I wanted to go!!! I wanted to go to the Metro Station at Emirates Airlines Headquarters, he acted like he understood, but as we passed it, I called him out on it. This scam artist tried to tell me the other one was closer, in which I exclaimed "FOOL, YOU JUST PASSED IT!!!" Then I realized he was taking into traffic and that I would be paying out the @ss for this short drive. So I tell him to pull over and let me out...he gets in the center lane. I stay calm, try to be patient, but let's just say as soon as we finally came to a stop...I ran like a slave in the South when Massa turned his back. Moral of the Story: don't be a punk, when you think you are being hustled...SPEAK UP!!!
- 140 degrees: where they do that at?
While I was in Dubai, it was beautiful, 75 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and breezy, the weather was perfect, but let's be clear, Dubai was nothing but an empty desert 50 years ago. Passing through first time in September, it was 100 degrees and the humidity was at "Deodorant? Yeah right!" and this was at midnight. So as I am planning to live there for a year, I asked around about the summer and the first person I spoke said "It gets up to 120-140 degrees, you can't be outside longer than 30 minutes." Wait, WHAT!?!?!? Then I noticed a lot of little things: one floor of an apartment building was a children's playground, children's mini-amusement parks, Malls every where and the above ground metro station platforms were all indoors and air-conditioned. I hate I didn't go back, but I burn easily, so I guess it worked out for the best.
- The black market of EVERYTHING!
My favorite part about being in Afghanistan and Dubai, is that they don't give a good hot damn about trademarks and copyrights! From fake Rolex's, that most people can't differentiate from real ones, to Gucci/LV/Coach luggage, that your local New York bag man would kill for, but for half the price of US knockoffs, better quality and TAX FREE!!! Bottom line, don't ask me, because it probably is fake, I won't lie, because I don't care.
With all that being said, happy to be moving on to the GOOD!!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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