THE HAIRY GIRAFFE… IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
After 10 days in the United Arab Emirates, it’s time to reflect. How did we experience this journey? What were our joys, disappointments, questions, doubts, and discoveries? This is not merely an assessment of a country but rather of a trip—how we perceived it individually and subjectively.
 We are François and Benjamin, Canadian and French giraffe hairstylists and travel enthusiasts. On this blog, discover our travels, tips, moods, and everything you need to become a giraffe hairstylist and embark on travelling the world. An honest blog with photos guaranteed 100% unfiltered and untouched. |
François’ Travel Reflections
Our work end before our round-the-world trip was very busy. The holiday season and the final preparations for the trip left us a bit exhausted. We knew we might start the journey a bit worn out (which happened). That’s why we chose the United Arab Emirates as the first destination for our trip. We wanted to start this long journey in an easy country. Easy in terms of organization: it’s a small country with not much to do, so not much to plan. Easy for transportation: with a car, you can easily do everything. Easy in terms of hygiene: it’s a modern, clean country where the risks of food poisoning are unlikely, and the water is drinkable. In short, it was a beautiful destination to gently start eight months of traveling around the world.
I must admit I didn’t expect much from this country. I knew very little about it. For me, the United Arab Emirates boiled down to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. So, it was a real surprise for me to discover a country a bit more extensive than I initially thought. I know, it’s still small (less than one-sixth of France), but it’s more than its two most famous cities.
That’s how I took real pleasure in discovering Al Ain, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful surprises of the trip. The fort and the old royal residence of the Sheikh are worth a visit. Moreover, throughout the journey, Al Ain is probably the most authentic city we have seen. The constructions are more modest and more human-sized. The population is more local. The atmosphere is more in line with the image one might have of Arabia, especially thanks to the orange-toned desert surrounding the city.
After two weeks in the country, I can affirm that authenticity is not synonymous with the United Arab Emirates. It’s not really a surprise. A quick look at images and videos presenting Dubai can suggest that it will be a bit (a lot) flashy. While Dubai is indeed horribly superficial (I will come back to that), the rest of the country is not more authentic. Traveling around the country, one quickly gets the impression that everything is done to impress. The cities, for example, are ridiculously extensive. Abu Dhabi city covers 972 km², more than 9 times the size of Paris, while the population is less.
To move around easily in a city of this size (or like in any city in the country), you absolutely need a car. Using public transportation will take twice as long. Walking is not even worth considering. Everything is too far apart, and you are more likely to get hit by a car or get heatstroke than to reach your destination.
Downtowns are overflowing with towers, each taller than the last. The fact that they are planted there in the middle of the desert makes it, in my opinion, even more artificial. Perhaps it’s a bias on my part, but in an environment that is initially hostile with temperatures that can reach nearly 50 degrees in summer, sand everywhere, and a lack of drinkable water, I expect more modest dwellings. Especially since these buildings often resemble a barricade. They welcome you as soon as you enter the city, and behind them, it’s sand and desert. It’s a bit like if they were there to preserve the life that is in their center.
The population also does not contribute to making the experience authentic. Only 10% of the population is of Emirati origin (this number drops considerably in large cities like Dubai). The inhabitants are mostly immigrants, mainly from India and Bangladesh. Most of them came to the Emirates in the hope of working and finding a better quality of life than they had in their home countries. Working conditions are obviously poor, jobs are ungrateful, and the salary is meager. This significant immigration means that we are far from the streets of Aladdin.
The country also doesn’t have a lot of culture to share. Its most well-known museums are Western: the Louvre and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (opening soon). Its traditional cuisine is far from being widespread. Apart from dates (which are excellent), the country doesn’t produce much. At the grocery store, you will more easily find Lebanese, Indian, Filipino, and European specialties and products than Emirati ones. American fast-food chains are also well-presented throughout the country. You won’t have any trouble getting your morning Starbucks coffee, having your McDonald’s wrap for lunch, tasting at Tim Hortons (yes, the same Tim as in Canada: I felt like reliving eating a maple Boston cream!), and ending the day with your Wendy’s menu. Again, not very authentic all of this.
The epitome of the least authentic remains Dubai. The downtown is overflowing with towers taller than one another. Unlike New York, here, there is no harmony. They completely disregard the overall view, perspective, and the overall image projected by all these towers. Towers sprout on both sides of a 14-lane highway, and that’s it. The descriptors of excess are also numerous: the most beautiful monument in the world (self-proclaimed), the largest shopping mall in the world, the tallest tower in the world. All of this is in Dubai. Everything to catch your eye.
Luxury cars are, of course, well-present, and their drivers take pleasure in revving the engines, as it would be a shame to go unnoticed.
Aesthetic clinics are numerous, and their enthusiasts (not always very successful) as well. The fake is not only found on people but also in tourist areas. The souks are as fake as can be and have nothing to do with Maghreb souks. Here, no tents, no disorderly products, and no hustle and bustle. It’s just a shopping center (often air-conditioned) that they tried to make authentic and vintage by painting cracks on the walls (true).
The expatriate-filled ghettos also do not contribute to making Dubai an authentic city. The Marina district, certainly pretty, is crowded with Westerners who seem to have forgotten which country they are in. Plasticized women in mini shorts jogging and shirtless bodybuilders strutting around are (too) numerous and sharply contrast with the traditional Muslim attire worn by the Emiratis.
Are the United Arab Emirates worth visiting?
It depends on what you are looking for. If you want a place where you can feel like Aladdin or Jasmine and live your Arabian nights, forget the United Arab Emirates. Opt for Oman, less commercial, less touristy, more authentic. If you want to spend a lot of money in luxury shops, show off your completely revamped face, or strut around like a peacock, a place like Dubai will meet your expectations. If you want to discover a not very well-executed mashup between the West and the East, the United Arab Emirates are for you. However, don’t linger too long; you’ll quickly exhaust what it has to offer.
Check out Benjamin’s Travel Reflections:
Find all our other articles on the United Arab Emirates:
