You know Dubai is most likely the biggest construction site on earth. And they have hundreds of plans still to start.......now the crysis did hit and there are already some projects cancelled I heard and finished projects cant be sold.

Do you think Dubai is gonna turn into a huge unfinished construction site or will the boom (later) go on?

I hope it collapses into the Persian Gulf. I hate fake cities.


Macau is in a worse situation, though.

I think they'll recover. They are doing the smart thing and planning for a post-oil economy. But in order to truly modernize and attract global tourism/commerce, they'll have to lax much of their restrictive social customs.

they barely have any restrictive social customs for foreigners. its more important for them to lax rules on expats though, which seem to get better with every passing year.

I've met many people over the past two months while I travelled China, Europe, and West Africa who told me they were able to do pretty much anything they wanted while in Dubai, which surprised me a bit considering all the press the "sex on the beach" case garnered.

I think that case was the exception and not the norm. As a tourist there, you're fine. But yeah, expats seem to have the problems.

By this logic every city is fake. At one point or another, every major city in the world experienced a construction boom.

They'll keep building away no worries. Wait until the Manchester City owners stop throwing silly money around before shouting doom for the Persian Gulf Moneymen.

That's good to hear. I wouldn't mind visiting actually. That indoor skiing alone looks like it would be worth it!

its really more about respecting the fact that at the core the country is conservative. foreigners are legally allowed to drink but found driving and you're screwed. no sex on the beach. i mean there is nothing there that isn't understandable. just remember not to walk in with drugs.

the only major issue with the UAE in general, and its an issue only cause you're on the wrong side of it is that an emirati is more important than you'll ever be. and you will be treated well unless an emirati is around in which case, he gets precedence over you no matter what. you can make a positive argument saying they treat their own citizens well but its really been the major issue with the expats that live there. theirs rights are severely limited in comparison.

I considered going there instead of Mexico, but the airline tickets were astronomical. Over $1,000 per person, which for me and I suspect most tourists, was too much. Plus it required a couple of layovers, which I loathe.

1000 is terribly cheap if you're going all the way there. normal ticket prices are closer to 1400. 1000 isn't really a lot considering flying to canada and back now is over 500 bucks from the US. but yea, if you're american, last minute all inclusive vacations to mexico and dom rep are probably much cheaper.

A gay pal of mine almost took a job over there until he was told a) there's nowhere to get alcohol, and b) being a gay man, he'd have to act extremely straight in order to stop them from cutting off his hands.

Personally, the lack of abundant alcohol is reason enough for me to want to stay at home, but to know I could get my hands cut off for simply accepting a blow job off a man? That, sir, is a step too far.

Dubai? Du-bye bye more like! Now to San Francisco!

A) Considering my colleagues are drunk 24-7, i doubt the thats the case. It might not be that readily available at public restaurants but again, as a foreigner, the drinking of alcohol is legally allowed there. Hell, I've flown through Dubai numerous times and they have a selection of every type of alcohol at the duty free.

B) The straight and gay issue may be something to look into. I would imagine the laws in Dubai regarding being Gay may be similar to Utah

How do you act extremely straight anyway? Would you have to go around in a shirt that says I love tits and guns while starting random fights?