Dubai: Where the Sky Begins

Dubai is a Place where the Sky Begins

I haven’t yet managed to count all the landmarks and giants of this impressive city, yet still, this is only a small fragment of a not particularly large emirate – roughly 1,400 km², with the city itself covering about 35 km². Together with the others, it forms what we know as the UAE 🇦🇪 (United Arab Emirates).

In Dubai, the ground meets the sky – and if things continue at this pace, perhaps one day even the International Space Station. Neighbors are keeping up the race, eager to claim the title of the world’s tallest building from Burj Khalifa. This competition is perfectly summed up by a billboard slogan spotted in the city: “Sky is the beginning.”

At sunset, imaginative glass pyramids glow in golden and pink hues, accompanied like backing vocals in an orchestra by the city’s light effects. Yet in the shadows of these megalomaniac projects remain exploited and abused migrant workers from all corners of the world.

Speaking of winds – desert breezes mix here with those from the Arabian (or Persian) Gulf, creating a weather cocktail of tolerable 31°C, paired with heavy humidity. Dubai truly comes alive only after 9 p.m., when most people appear in public spaces and linger almost until dawn. This, of course, depends on work schedules, Ramadan, and for many, jet lag.

Dubai is a symphony of contrasts – tradition on one side, technological progress on the other. Newly built streets with a pronounced old-world aesthetic intertwine with the scents of spices, fast food, and stalls selling historical artifacts. Just a stone’s throw away, the pulse of modernity takes over: restaurants, luxury hotels, and cars.

The rhythm of this meticulously designed and orderly city – still under rapid construction – is dictated by capital: hundreds of billions in dirhams. Almost unimaginable sums. The result is an almost science-fiction-like urban metropolis of the future, one that may continue to evolve at lightning speed. With current oil reserves, the city is expected to flourish for another 150 years, during which shopping malls – measured here in tens of thousands of square meters – would continue to thrive.

I had imagined an overly flashy city, but Dubai is far more than that. It is a place where capital has struck a deal with creativity, vision, and courage – especially the courage to push the limits of what is possible. Although not everything that glitters is gold, Dubai still stands out like a supernova in the sky. Its high standard of living is maintained through near-total control, which in return provides a sense of safety and apparent harmony.

The beauty, order, purpose, and luxury of the city are supported by respectful and cultured people who adapt quickly to guests from all over the world.

A regular visitor to the UAE from Portugal once told me that despite all the effort, the cities lack the soul that European cities possess. Because of that, he said, “it’s just not quite the same.”

After my first experience, however, it seems to me that Dubai already has its own character – and that its popularity is no coincidence. In fact, at least at this time of year, it feels just right: a carefully curated, commercial kind of exoticism.