Why Do We See Dubai As a Fake City Reasons

It’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been there. Some things are obvious, but most are not.

Living there, you start to feel this atmosphere, the wrong atmosphere. You start to wonder why. Why is nothing wrong? Why did this happen?

Did you know that when you go to Las Vegas, you can see the Eiffel Tower? That’s fine, but it’s so ridiculous. There’s also Venice. They try to make it as realistic as possible, but you can’t boast about visiting Venice. Dubai has the same atmosphere. Even the most breathtaking things can feel out of place. They are just there for the show and are not part of anything. You will feel like you are in an amusement park. Here you will find all the options and places you can visit. I can’t do anything else. Not planned yet. Follow your schedule.

You feel controlled and watched. I’m not saying it’s impossible to break the law. Breaking the law is real, and it’s not that difficult. But that feeling never goes away. It’s not an easy city to walk around, especially in newer tourist areas. You feel stupid when you try to walk to some places. Because it’s too hot to help pedestrians. That’s actually stupid. Drive your car or take a taxi. However, do not walk.

The old town feels like a real city, but tourists don’t go there and they (the government) don’t want anyone to go there either. Dubai is primarily inhabited by Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos, but if you’ve ever lived there, you know that they don’t enjoy the highest status there. It’s a completely different city. Shining buildings tend to disappear there.

When in “prime places”, workers are the only people you see in public parks, squares, trees and grassy areas. I can’t afford to visit all the glorious places. There are accepted behaviors that are invisible and unwritten that must be followed.

I remember once, when I lived in a very suburban part of Abu Dhabi, the police stopped me and a friend jogging at 10pm and asked, “What are you doing?” It was a quiet place and I didn’t see anyone doing normal things on my street. There is no life on the streets. This is one of the causes of the “false city atmosphere.” I’m not saying you can’t jog. Because I can jog. But there will be places where it feels strange.

Nightlife is interesting. You can find Arab (Levantine) clubs, Philippine clubs, African and Indian clubs, and international clubs. International means “for white people.” This is not just aimed at white people, but rather white or high-income people in general. And people will wear the same clothes everywhere and listen to the same music everywhere. Owners can’t even risk playing anything else. Homogeneity is the rule. Oh, I almost forgot, people look for places that look “classy”, but most people there aren’t classy and try to look that way.

One-night stands can happen at any time. However, the club is full of prostitutes posing as regulars. Half of Tinder is also made up of prostitutes.

Beautiful women know that they are in high demand. To make it even more challenging, be prepared to find gold diggers everywhere. The dating scene is kind of boring. Dubai is a city built for consumption and consumption. Would you like to go to the beach? There is a public beach, but drinking alcohol is prohibited.
Want to have a drink? Go to the club and buy expensive drinks. Life may be easier if you have a family member or a girlfriend/boyfriend, but you always feel like you have no one to talk to. It’s strange because everyone complains but no one tries to change their behavior.

Dubai doesn’t have the laid-back vibe that other cities have. Just go to a pub or bar near your house, have a beer, relax and talk to random people. If there’s a bar near your house with people who aren’t dressed to impress, it’s not a good bar. Don’t go there. Living in a large international city, you have many options for things to do. In Dubai, the main pastime is going to the mall, buying a few things and having dinner at a big chain restaurant. Cool, right?
movie? Mainly blockbusters. anything else? Well, some water parks. To be honest, I loved Ski Dubai. That’s where I learned to snowboard.

Enjoy dinner in the sky, skydiving, jet skiing, and more. That’s nice, but it’s not something you would do in a normal life. These are for tourists.

Even nature (the best places) is under control. Many “Don’ts”

It’s all about taking pictures, not feeling like they’re there for you. Finding new friends is difficult. It’s as if they’re saying, “I’m here to make money, so get out.” Or just spend all the money you earn here.

I left Dubai during the pandemic and the company didn’t pay my salary and the bills were high so I left. I might go back someday, but I know what it feels like.

Does he know one of people’s favorite activities in Dubai? travel to another place

Just out of curiosity, I remember checking out drones in the parking lot at night. When I watched the video later, I saw many truck drivers sleeping in their trucks, most of them Pakistani. They had no money to pay for accommodation.

Adding a few more notes:

Dubai doesn’t have an identity. Many people here can say “They are Muslim”, but can you imagine going to the Netherlands, coming back and saying “They are Christians”? People wouldn’t be very excited about their culture. Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Indonesia, Iran, they are all Muslims too, but they have more to show.

Looks like Dubai doesn’t want to show their roots, their Museums doesn’t have the same investment as the other regular buildings.

That one will sound a little harsh, but they have a culture where if I’m your boss or you are my servant, then you I’m your owner. Many other cultures there in Dubai seems to comply easily with that. Westerners really have a hard time though.

A guy in the comment say “Westerners say Dubai is not Green, then they build the Miracle Garden, only for Westerners say that is fake”. That’s the kind of opinion that shows exactly why Dubai is fake.

You can’t compare the beautiful parks and gardens like, for example, Vienna. They have astounding gardens, in the middle of the city, they are part of the landscape, not something you have to drive for 20 minutes and pay to see. And a very tacky design…

You want nice beaches? Mediterranean, Caribbean, Asia, Miami are better.
Amusement Parks? Orlando, Florida, they offer more value to your investment.
Shopping? USA too.
Arab World? Middle East offers a better experience.

It’s not as sterilized as Dubai, you have to “dirt your feet” but it’s more authentic.

Dubai have this:

Stunning views.

But they don’t have this:

A place where you can just hang out, find people with similar interests or different perspectives, but is not considered a bad place to go. This is Georgia.

They see gardens like in Vienna, and they think: Look, they like gardens!