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?

Again, it's not the holding hands, it's the suggestion they go for a swim after a night out. This could reasonably be interpreted as without their evening gear as it is designed to look spontaneous. Not a chance I'd be taking.

Interestingly, after seeing this advert about every 10 minutes, it didn't feature at all in any of the TV I watched last night.

You described the demographic not me, I am probably describing the demographic you work with, 'poverty' isn't just about money, it is poverty of a culturally and educationally enriched life. People absolutely are bothered even if they aren't in your circles.

It's their country, their rules.Though when I did business there I was appalled at the way Indians did all the work whilst locals loafed.

But that's not what this thread is about it is about the misleading advert. What are the rules as it is not clear at all!

The comments about the ad seem to me to to relate to relate to their culture, or rules.

While we were there a group of local boys ran around the hotel grounds kicking sand into the faces of guests.

The Indian hotel staff came out. They were too scared to chase the boys but did try and the manager told us he was too frightened to ring the police as he may lose his job and get deported.

That was just one unpleasant incident there were several during our stay, Dubai is awful. The way the locals treat service workers is utterly disgusting and it is not a safe place at all.

I've been all over the world and it is the first place I would never return to.

https://www.detainedindubai.org/resources

This is the reality of Dubai

I've only been there once and my impression was that the local men were really lecherous. I was walking with ex in jeans/jacket no handholding and got heckled in quite a vicious way. Ex was really alarmed.

That's a brief cameo though. It wouldn't entice me to go back.

I've only been there once and my impression was that the local men were really lecherous. I was walking with ex in jeans/jacket no handholding and got heckled in quite a vicious way. Ex was really alarmed.

Are you sure it was the locals? I've lived in Qatar and spent a lot of time in Dubai and never had anything like that.
It was possibly men from the Asian sub-continent?

Who cares? I wouldn’t go to that shithole of a misogynistic, homophobic, artificial country if you paid me. People who think Dubai is a lovely holiday destination are morons. Seriously, of all the wonderful countries in the world, why would you go to that dump?

Agree 100%

Someone who has clearly never been. Deciding you don’t want a holiday somewhere that has the laws and customs that Dubai does is fair enough, but it is far from a shit hole. It is much much cleaner, safer and more civilised than many places in Europe and the UK.

Calling it a dump just makes you look ignorant.

Some people are bothered, me and people in my 'circles' are bothered because we work with it every day

The vast majority of the population, no, not bothered, read any thread on here of adults who use or whose children use, talk to any young person you like who uses. They'll tell you its awful and try to show some insight but then their behaviour contradicts this.

Do many people post MN about this, I haven't seen that.

I am unsure what you are arguing for tbh - a strict and unforgiving form of governance? I don't think the average Brit likes that level of control and interference over their lives.

Yes, read any thread where cannabis or class b drugs are mentioned with someone being concerned about their child or a partner and you'll have countless posters shrugging their shoulders

I didnt post originally about this subject in regards to governance.

I posted because of the hypocrisy of people citing their huge concerns about Dubai and its track record on slavery, while missing that we have a thriving modern slavery industry right here.

Yes there should be a strict form of governance about child exploitation and grooming and abuse, thats what the drug trade is about.

That's not hypocrisy though as people do acknowledge that there is a problem with county lines etc. I don't think it is just you and your colleagues that are concerned by it!

The thread is about the advert and how it needs to be clear what the rules are.

That's a good point, we just started to walk quite quickly to get past so didn’t look properly. We were just a white British couple, female male, in our 20s. Ex would hardly have wanted to get into a scrap with 5 men in a different country so we both went quiet.

That's a good point, we just started to walk quite quickly to get past so didn’t look properly. We were just a white British couple, female male, in our 20s. Ex would hardly have wanted to get into a scrap with 5 men in a different country so we both went quiet.

I'm sorry you had that experience - not a nice experience when you're visiting somewhere.

I know people might be surprised to hear it but the police actually would take that kind of thing very seriously and the perpetrators would get into serious trouble.

I would never visit this place in a million years. Its reaction to my beliefs and practices reflects Europe 400 years ago. I have no idea why people go somewhere like that.

wildhunt.org/2024/03/dubai-witchcraft-arrests-and-confiscations.html

How strange I’m seeing this as I commented on it myself! At the end she’s in a very short black sparkly dress dancing. I said to my partner ‘would she really be ok wearing that in dubai?’ My partner said yes it’s not that strict.

Agree. It’s beyond me why anyone would want to go there. Only the vacuous.

Indians don't do all the work. The different nationalities tend to work in different sectors. Tbh the well off Indian community is one of the most racist towards their own and others. Yes Emiratis are top dog.

You do know that wearing of rings is a Western custom, and to date is largely not something practised by Muslims outside of Western countries.

I personally didn't even notice the rings but it is the liberal, free vibe on the beach that is really confusing, it's mixed messages for people who want to go, it just would be helpful to be clear.

If you do go swimming in white underpants ( men) which subsequently become see through on the public beaches then you will be picked up by the police.

If you think a misogynistic and homophobic regime is “more civilised” than many places in Europe, I’d question your judgement. You’re right that I’ve never been and I’ve already said I wouldn’t go if you paid me. I do know that it’s a completely artificial playground for the rich and privileged with zero culture of note. Don’t think I’m missing much, but you crack on.