Dubai Property Hunt

Dubai is home to dozens of ethnicities and cultures living in absolute harmony. Dubai had an ethnically homogenous community until the early 1900s when Iranians made their way to this port city, followed decades later by an influx of Indians and Pakistanis in the 1960s. Dubai’s later development and its status of world’s business and tourism center attracted peoples of all nationalities and ethnicities from around the world, so much so a substantial part of Dubai’s current population is made up of expatriates from all corners of the globe.

Though Dubai’s culture is deeply rooted in the Islamic tradition of Arabia, the city treats all with the same level of warmth with zero religious discrimination, and allows them to practice their religion freely. Dubai has a history of Muslims, Christians, Hindus and others living and working together without any conflict. It is a male-dominated society, although women, unlike Saudi Arabia and Iran, are allowed to drive, walk around unescorted, and get on with their lives.

The rapid commercialization of UAE in general and of Dubai in particular has changed life beyond recognition. Fearing the erosion of the Islamic values and Arabian traditions, the country’s rulers are committed to safeguarding their heritage by means of promoting cultural and sporting events that reflect the Arabic tradition such as falconry, camel racing, dhow sailing etc.

The official language of the UAE is Arabic, though English, Urdu and Hindi are also widely spoken. Official business language in Dubai is also Arabic but with English, it is possible to conduct a business for years without having to learn a single word of Arabic. In Dubai you’ll find road signs, shop signs, restaurant menus etc in both languages but the farther from the town you go, the more use of Arabic you’ll find. Even though Arabic is not an easy language to pick, you can receive warmer welcome just by throwing a few Arabic words, no matter how terrible your accent is.

Dubai’s natives wear their traditional dress which is reflective of the Islamic traditions. Emirati men wear the dishdash (khandura) which is a white full-length shirt, worn with a white or red- chequered headdress (gutra). The headdress is kept in place with a black cord (agal). Over their khandura, some prominent figures may also wear a thin black or brown robe (bisht or mihlah).

Women wear black abaya in public which is a long, loose black robe covering normal clothes, along with a headscarf (sheyla). Traditionally, women wear a long tunic over loose trousers (sirwall) underneath the abaya. Some women also cover their faces with a thin black veil, while some wear gloves to cover their hands.

Dubai is a true heaven for epicures. No matter what your taste, it is ready to be served at one of the unlimited eating-out options in Dubai. From American to European, Indian to Asian, cuisine from all seven continents is all ready for the foodoholics. Not only can you feast on exotic cuisines in the city’s numerous five-star outlets, you can also find cheaper options at many street cafés and restaurants. Arabic food is popular among the locals as well as foreigners. The unique taste of delicious Arabic cuisine which includes shawarmas, falafel, hummus, and tabbouleh, leaves you craving for it on your first trip back to your home country.

Though pork is a taboo in Islam, it is still available for foreigners but is kept in separate fridges and cooked in separate cooking areas using dedicated equipment. Supermarkets also require pork to be sold in a separate area. As itis not farmed locally, pork is more expensive in Dubai than other meats.

As for alcohol, independent restaurants are not allowed to serve it. Only licensed outlets associated with hotels can serve alcohol. A few leisure clubs and associations in Dubai are also licensed to serve alcohol. However, non-Muslim permanent residents of Dubai can easily get a liquor license to obtain alcohol for consumption at home.