New Dubai and - deeply uncomfortable

[UnderTheStairs51]

There seems to be a new ad promoting Dubai as a holiday destination.

The one that starts and ends with 'swim first'.

I have been sad enough to pause it and hands are bare of rings walking through the market so no indication they are a married couple.

You'd run a risk to behave in the way shown on a public beach surely. They are not in swimming gear so what's the implication here?

I do think people should understand local rules when they visit other places but this seems to send out a message completely at odds with this.

Just me?

I agree it is not about Islam. It is about a dictatorship and exploitation of vulnerable people.

I have a v interesting book by Leo Hickman called The Final Call
It was written in 2007, & gives a damning picture of freedom of speech & treatment of migrant workers in Dubai. I'm willing to believe it has improved since then, & that boycotts might not be the best way of improving it, but otoh I dislike when any disagreement w Dubai's autocratic system is put down to being a bored armchair Dubai-basher or similar. Ofc, some people reflexively bash without checking if their opinons are based in fact, but others have knowledge of current events/policies & legitimately disagree.

Not been, don’t comment?? 😅😅

Ok, I guess I can’t have an opinion on the taliban because I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia.

Dubai is gross.

Op, beach life is a big part of life in the region and people camp overnight on the beaches. In fact my own family have even done week long camps with friends and family. Do we swim at night? Some do and it can be really funny seeing them coming out of the water covered in phosphorous. Do I swim at night? No. Because I’m well aware of what can routinely be found in the water and swimming during the day is my limit even though I’m nervy about it. I can recall one catamaran trip we were on where I counted many different species of sea snakes swimming under the nets we were sitting on. There’s no way I’d take the chance on encountering them in the dark - daylight was bad enough.

Then you have private beaches attached to hotels but those would be closed for safety sake once dusk falls. Why should a lifeguard be put at risk of having to rescue someone swimming in the dark?

And places like the private residences on the Palm that have their own beach? I don’t know if they’re open or not after dusk either.

I know you don’t want to be told people do swim late at night but the fact is they do (and not just after a night out if that’s what they fancy).

Ok, I guess I can’t have an opinion on the taliban because I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia.
Well even jf you went to Saudi, you still would not experience Taliban...

Ok, I guess I can’t have an opinion on the taliban because I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia.

The Taliban are in Afghanistan, that completely different country.

Didnt they write a long report about how the Prevent programme is racist?

So no, I dont find them a reasonable or valid organisation either.

Presumably not so in an impromptu way while wearing a short sequin dress though.

I don't think this particular advert is representing what you describe.

I still wouldn't take the chance of a dip in Dubai at night without beach wear and with a man who (for want of any evidence to the contrary) isn't my husband.

A PP hit the nail on the head with the representation of a very liberal western lifestyle that doesn't fully match the reality. And I'm not suggesting it should have to meet western ways of living or that these are always right and Dubai is wrong, just that there is a mismatch in presenting it this way in official adverts which could easily be misunderstood by an unworldly 18 year old (or otherwise ) seeking a bit of winter sun. And that makes me uncomfortable.

Is it? I couldnt say I would even notice if someone in an ad (or real life for that matter) was wearing a ring

Presumably not so in an impromptu way while wearing a short sequin dress though

I don't think this particular advert is representing what you describe

I suspect you’re so determined for it not to be possible and for the advert to be selling a lie that you’ve given yourself tunnel vision and are incapable of believing it’s entirely possible to swim at night, even after a date whilst wearing a short sequinned dress.

And the now mention of an unworldly 18 years old really falls into the realms of you over egging the pudding.

Yes they are, they have embraced the batshit trans rights which believes men who say they are women, ARE women and that women should shut their mouths and accept men in their single sex spaces, sports etc. Disgraceful, shameful of this once important organisation.

People go to Florida and other US destinations happy enough dont they?

Also people go to Cuba and say things like “the Cubans are so poor, I mean they’ve got nothing but they are all really happy”.
Maybe the Cubans locked up for criticism of the regime and their families aren’t so happy. It’s got an appalling human rights record which a quick google will demonstrate, but plenty of people with liberal views and who support democracy go there.

This is true, dont they have a fantastic health service though or have I mixed them up with someone else?

This is true, dont they have a fantastic health service though or have I mixed them up with someone else.

I cannot speak from experience as I’ve never been there and nor do I know anyone who has had experience of Cuban healthcare. However I googled it and basically those writing from a left wing perspective say it’s world class - rather like socialists in the first half of 20th century said life in the Soviet Union was wonderful for everyone - but those writing from a right wing perspective say it is far from world class, there are serious shortages, doctors are so badly paid they have second jobs, and the ‘world class’ medical care is only for the Cuban ruling class and their families.

Dubai is mostly a soulless, vapid place. The Creek area is fine but to go on holiday why would you?

Yes Ive just been googling it, its quite a polarised situation because their health stats (not sure of right now) have been better than many countries, outstanding in some cases, and thats because they are big on preventing, you'll basically be hounded by a nurse or doctor at your own home to have health checks, pestered if you drink too much or smoke or drugs or whatever, prevention was focused on because as a nation they're simply too poor to manage if and when people do get disease

However they do lack equipment and drugs and as time goes on, the population are becoming more weighty, like much more rich countries and of course obesity is causing problems.

Fascinating.

Sorry OP, nothing to do with Dubai.

Huge problems with obesity and diabetes, so they’re funding research. But a friend of DH’s, a well known consultant at the Mayo clinic, was invited to address medical students in Dubai, and was taken aback at how many of them had no intention of practicing medicine. He said one said his family planned for him to be Minister for Health so he was killing time, and another said her future husband liked the idea of a wife with a prestigious degree. Obviously all university fees are paid for Emiratis, so no one has made sacrifices to be there.

This consultant had organised an event with several Nobel Prize winners in Abu Dhabi with medical students being bussed in from Dubai — a fabulous opportunity to meet world leaders in medicine and medical research. A total of two students showed up. He had a platform of Nobel laureates and an empty auditorium.

It highlighted for me some of the problems with ‘emiratisation’, when there’s little or no incentive to work hard, as there are heavy government subsidies available. As you had to have an Emirati partner in any foreign-owned business, and hence a certain number of Emirati employees, DH had endless issues with what used to be called ‘ghost employees’, rich kids who only showed up occasionally to keep their families sweet.

Being a very small, newly very rich society numerically dominated by foreign workers with no stake in your country causes lots of problems.

You're talking about Dubai, not Cuba?

Why would I be talking about Cuba?

If I can ask, what was the difference between their experiences in Bosnia & Iraq, and the news? Sorry to derail, but I'm v interested in those places.

& I agree on the riots. It was scary & horrible for the country & vile where it actually happened. But from reddit people seemed to have the impression we'd been taken over by the KKK & that no POC emigree would ever be safe here again.

@NowThatYouSayIt

The discussion about whether it is ethically acceptable to go to Dubai led to further discussion as to where else might be an ethically unacceptable destination.
Soupyspoon mentioned Florida and I suggested Cuba which led to a couple of posts about that country and its health service.

Yes, but I had UAE placenames and references to Emiratis throughout my post!

Because my post was about Cuba, follow the thread!!!

Yes, you were talking about obesity becoming an issue in Cuba. I was saying similar about Dubai, which was the original subject of the thread! Which was perfectly clear because of the frequent references to the UAE and Emiratis!

You are unhinged.