I first visited the Emirates twelve years ago. At that time, we rented a car and toured the country from the beginning to the end: from the rich Abu Dhabi to the simple, but incredibly friendly Fujayra. I especially liked places with fewer tourists - camel bazaar, small villages, streets with a lot of real life. That trip was both educational and "true."
Recently, when I was flying to Sharm el-Sheikh, the transit took 19 hours. I stayed in Dubai for three days, deciding, "Instead of wasting time changing planes, I'll just get a connecting flight." It was interesting to see how much the city had changed. But... an unexpected conclusion emerged: in the last ten years, there was no desire to return there.
That's why.
1) Expensive, but not enjoyable
A ticket to the oceanarium costs about 5 thousand rubles per person. Four people - 20 thousand. Just like that: the wheel, the "Museum of the Future..." Money is big, but emotions are average. With this money, you can go down to a bigger aquarium in Moscow, but in Dubai, the tunnel is short, there are few fish, and the feeling of "wow" quickly fades. Besides, there's no such thing as a "full package": the boat, diving, penguin zone - everything is paid separately.
In Dubai, sometimes there's a feeling that "even if you sneeze, you'll get a check." The most painful thing is that even if you pay, you don't always get a unique impression. Beautiful, clean, but heartless.
2) Crowds everywhere
The metro, shopping malls, walkways - a sea of people. Crowds on the beach, queues in the elevator, noise in the cafe. It's also difficult to watch the fountain show peacefully: phones, lightning, and selfie sticks everywhere.
3) Hot and sandstorms
Dubai's climate is a special "quest." In the morning there is sun, then dust, the sky is cloudy, sand is felt in the mouth. Breathing becomes difficult, walking is a trial. Inside, the air conditioners are so cold that sometimes you want to put on a jacket.
4) Restaurant price - lottery
I love Lebanese cuisine. The first place is simple, but lively, tasty, around $40 for 4 people - very normal. Then the second restaurant: "simple," but two bottles of ordinary non-carbonated water on the receipt cost 48 dirhams - almost a thousand rubles! The seven-person bill is about 22 thousand rubles. The issue is not the amount itself - the unpredictability of the price. You can't tell me where the "surprise check" will come out.
5) Showing off and empty pathos
Dubai is like a city asking "how it looks," not "what." Everything shines, smooth, perfect. But it's empty from the inside. As if every corner is built not for life, but for the frame.
6) There is little sense of Arab culture and history
We went to the part of the ancient city. Previously, it was pleasant to walk there, see old houses, and visit spices-smelling shops. Now more souvenir markets: magnets, boxes, goods "for tourists." It's as if houses with wind towers remained from the "Arab Spirit," and most of the sellers came from other countries.
7) The beaches didn't save either
"At least the sea," I hoped. But the camels on the beach, plastic catamarans, trampoline, banana - they remind of Anapa/Gelenjik, only ten times the price. Previously, the beaches were quieter, now there is noise, attractions, and crowds.
8) Assessment by appearance
After the tracking in Nepal, I came in simple clothes: a t-shirt, tracking pants, no makeup. When I went to the store to buy cream, the seller "evaluated" it and quickly lost interest: there's no brand - so you're not "interesting" either. In Dubai, there's a tendency to judge people by their appearance, not by who they are.
9) All for money
Almost every activity is built on the "pay to enter" principle. Even in museums and parks, the feeling of a system established for monetization, not "for people," doesn't disappear. Beautiful, but artificial.
10) No sense of life
The strongest feeling was this: everything works perfectly, there's order, there's light - but there's no "living city" mood. People hurry, tourists take pictures, cars drive, but ordinary human warmth is scarce.
Maybe it's not just Dubai. I just like places where there's less pathos and more life. Maybe I'll come back one day - if I need shiny display cases. For now, I'm leaving Dubai in the past: I'm going to a place where there's less deception and more sincerity.
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