Hello friends, Sorry for the extremely exteeeeeeeeeeeended silence..........And thanks for remembering me during my self-imposed exile Pallavi and Avrosh!!!! Well the fact of the matter is that I was held up with my exams till the 6th of May and then, freaked out with friends for a couple of days and then, I've been here in Dubai for the past one week..........Gosh, its a week already.....unbelievable......been so busy catching up with long-lost friends and taking in quite gleefully the innumerable changes that have clouded this city in a seemingly short span of time (one month short of a year!)..........it feels, to put it subtly, nice, very nice to be back! Having said that.....what better topic to blog about than the changes that I see here, my reminiscences here and some things that have lingered in my mind!!!!!!
It's hot here..........an absolute furnace and I'm getting cooked in it........want me for lunch anybody??? Or dinner maybe?!!!!!! Well, let me be over with the wisecracks and tell you something more meaningful!
Yea, so the changes here...........too many to be listed out.......here are a few of them! Some of the roads have given way to mounds and mounds of construction material to give momentum to the ambitious project of a railway in UAE. New, suave and strong buildings have come up where dilapidated concrete structures once stood. New malls have come up.........there seems to be no end to the number of malls coming up here.....I mean "shop till you drop" is fast becoming an understatement!
The city seems to be stretching into the desert and in a few years from now, there won't be a desert here, going by the developments! Yet, overall, the feel of the place remains the same......the same warmth (heat let's say!!!!!!), the same cosmopolitan crowd, the same resplendent evenings marked by multi-hued lights along the streets.......yes, this is where I've spent 14 precious and memorable years of my life! Let me share something with all of you........Dubai has hosted 10 Shopping Festivals...each having a unique theme. Three of them that have truly touched me have been "Dubai.......the city that cares", "Mothers" and "One World...one Family". The former has almost become a motto of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the second has lingered as a sub-theme at best for all subsequent festivals while the last has stayed on as the very essence and spirit of the festival year after year.
Dubai......the city that cares......yes, how else would you define the welcome that tourists get at the hotels when they arrive, the services offered to them and the efforts that go into making their stay a pleasant one?? Apart from tourists, life for residents here is very well taken care of.....services and amenities-the very best, hospitality unlimited, shopping - need I say anything????? So, Dubai cares for its people........
Mothers..........how can a theme such as this one not touch your heart......Only recently- 3 days back on 14th May - we celebrated Mothers' Day........So much has been said about the role of mothers in the development of the child, about their contribution to society, about their trials and tribulations that we hardly need to look further for role models........Mothers are the epitome of unconditional love, sacrifice, understanding and tolerance. What better way to honour them than to have an entire festival to celebrate their being!!!!
Coming to "One World....One Family", this is undoubtedly the theme that reflects the true spirit of the DSF and brings to fore the cosmopolitan atmosphere prevailing here......the camaraderie that people share irrespective of lineage, religion, place of origin and language. All barriers are cut across to bring about an environment that is tolerant, respectful and affectionate towards only one race - the Human race; only one family - the World! Yes, this is the ultimate theme in terms of suitability to the place and the cause!
So that brings us back to where I started..........nothing's changed......not the familial atmosphere, not the respect.......just the facade.....the screen-saver as you may call it....its the cover that's changed, but the glory of the book remains blissfully intact!! Dubai......the city of glory!!!!!
Well, well......that was almost an ode to this place.................I guess I just got carried away in my memories and they've translated into this post on my blog for all of you to read and take in!!!!!!!!!! Gosh sometimes, I wish I had Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve which could hold my memories for safekeeping and have me return to them and take a sneak peak into them as and when I wish! (Gee.....I'm a total Harry-Potter-aholic!!!) But on second thoughts.........I guess this blog IS my pensieve and you guys can take a sneak peak into it too.....anytime you want!!!!!! I'd love you to do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, that's for today......I hope I'm a tad more regular with blogging.....having broken the ice today!!!!!!!
Till next time................it's Tally-ho from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Showing posts with label Dubai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dubai. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Dubai - to describe it in one word - PARADISE!!!!!!!!!
Having spoken loads about Mumbai where I currently am, I'm now liable to tell you guyz something about the vibrant city that's DUBAI! I've spent a big chunk of my life in that wonderful city.
Dubai is the commercial capital of UAE (just like Mumbai is to India). It's an ultra modern city buzzing with activity all through the day and night and all through the year. To me, Dubai is just a modern version of Mumbai, complete with the crowds (which is cosmopolitan but dominantly Indian), the streets, etc. The difference is that DXB is spick and span and there's no way you'd find people openly and indiscriminately littering about the place - they do it discreetly!!!! Being a small country, UAE is a lot easier to manage than Mumbai, yet the cleanliness has got to be appreciated. Dubai has developed immensely in the past 10 years mainly and I've seen it grow in front of my eyes. One day I travel on a road and there's a multistoreyed tower under construction and the next time I go there, the tower is fully occupied and operational and not just that - there's a new skysraper springing up beside it!
The latest feather in Dubai's proverbial 'cap' is the emerging of The Palm and The World - 2 prestigious man-made islands coming up pat in the middle of the Arabian Sea and where someday, I hope to own a plot and a sea-facing bungalow!
Dubai is culturally very rich too, and at the heart of all the modernisation is a Dubai that is still rooted to its.....well....roots! Ladies and girls are respected and have zones reserved for them at all public places. The Holy month of Ramadan is a period of fasting from dawn to dusk for the followers of Islam but also a period when mutual respect for relegion is displayed in all its fervour as people of all faiths refrain from eating/drinking in public. All festivals - be it Muslim or otherwise - are given due respect and celebrated with aplomb - crackers are burst and festivities abound for Diwali, Onam and Christmas alike! There is freedom of religion out there....they don't stop you from practicing your religion and culture - all they ask is for you to respect theirs!
It's quite safe at all times though the perennial risks of theft or crimes of a more serious nature are always there - but then I'd like to see some place in the world that's insulated against these risks! The public transport system is amazing and its perfectly possible and even easy to survive there without owning a vehicle.
As is well known, Dubai is a tourist and shopper's paradise - it's a melting pot of all cultures in the world, Its brimming with pristine beaches (clean ones too!), sprawling and lush gardens, amusement parks and a few zoos and the world's best hotels and resorts. Dubai's climate is not as bad, considering it is bang in the middle of a desert. The months June to September are unbearably hot and frustratingly humid but the lovely months of December to February are so pleasant, cool and breezy that they almost make up for the heat! The other months are generally pleasant. The occasional showers in the winter months are an absolute delight and a thrilling respite from the regular heat!
Phew...............that was some post - I feel like I've just written an essay! Well, Dubai's an awesome place but it kinda makes u accustomed to luxury to such an extent so that u don't know challenges. I have no regrets about having been there n have loved it with all my heart! But yes, there's just no place like home! And Mumbai's home........
The best thing about Dubai is that it is a foreign country and still so close to home - a hop, skip and jump away! Dubai has made me the person I am today and I have loadsa memories associated with it - More on them in the days to come!!!!!!!!!!!!
For now, Tally-ho!!!!!!
Dubai is the commercial capital of UAE (just like Mumbai is to India). It's an ultra modern city buzzing with activity all through the day and night and all through the year. To me, Dubai is just a modern version of Mumbai, complete with the crowds (which is cosmopolitan but dominantly Indian), the streets, etc. The difference is that DXB is spick and span and there's no way you'd find people openly and indiscriminately littering about the place - they do it discreetly!!!! Being a small country, UAE is a lot easier to manage than Mumbai, yet the cleanliness has got to be appreciated. Dubai has developed immensely in the past 10 years mainly and I've seen it grow in front of my eyes. One day I travel on a road and there's a multistoreyed tower under construction and the next time I go there, the tower is fully occupied and operational and not just that - there's a new skysraper springing up beside it!
The latest feather in Dubai's proverbial 'cap' is the emerging of The Palm and The World - 2 prestigious man-made islands coming up pat in the middle of the Arabian Sea and where someday, I hope to own a plot and a sea-facing bungalow!
Dubai is culturally very rich too, and at the heart of all the modernisation is a Dubai that is still rooted to its.....well....roots! Ladies and girls are respected and have zones reserved for them at all public places. The Holy month of Ramadan is a period of fasting from dawn to dusk for the followers of Islam but also a period when mutual respect for relegion is displayed in all its fervour as people of all faiths refrain from eating/drinking in public. All festivals - be it Muslim or otherwise - are given due respect and celebrated with aplomb - crackers are burst and festivities abound for Diwali, Onam and Christmas alike! There is freedom of religion out there....they don't stop you from practicing your religion and culture - all they ask is for you to respect theirs!
It's quite safe at all times though the perennial risks of theft or crimes of a more serious nature are always there - but then I'd like to see some place in the world that's insulated against these risks! The public transport system is amazing and its perfectly possible and even easy to survive there without owning a vehicle.
As is well known, Dubai is a tourist and shopper's paradise - it's a melting pot of all cultures in the world, Its brimming with pristine beaches (clean ones too!), sprawling and lush gardens, amusement parks and a few zoos and the world's best hotels and resorts. Dubai's climate is not as bad, considering it is bang in the middle of a desert. The months June to September are unbearably hot and frustratingly humid but the lovely months of December to February are so pleasant, cool and breezy that they almost make up for the heat! The other months are generally pleasant. The occasional showers in the winter months are an absolute delight and a thrilling respite from the regular heat!
Phew...............that was some post - I feel like I've just written an essay! Well, Dubai's an awesome place but it kinda makes u accustomed to luxury to such an extent so that u don't know challenges. I have no regrets about having been there n have loved it with all my heart! But yes, there's just no place like home! And Mumbai's home........
The best thing about Dubai is that it is a foreign country and still so close to home - a hop, skip and jump away! Dubai has made me the person I am today and I have loadsa memories associated with it - More on them in the days to come!!!!!!!!!!!!
For now, Tally-ho!!!!!!
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