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I'm not going to ask how they established how they were right.
What is complex is the problem that every (Western) expat believing in basic human rights faces: to find some mental/moral acrobatics that make living there possible. To learn to ignore the top-to-bottom racism, backwards sexual morality and squashing of political debate. In the 21st Century. All the while kidding yourself that the UAE is modern and happening (hey look, a 7-star hotel!)
Like many expats before and since, I was able to say "I'm alright, Jack". Until one day I wasn't alright.
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes...
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes...
Again, I'm not saying there are no problems, I'm saying massive strides have been made and things are heading in the right direction. Change can't happen overnight.
I'm certainly not blinkered to it - I read several international papers every day. Give me some credit! And we do quite a lot for charity trying to help labourers and maids and cleaners actually living here, rather than just whinging about it on the internet... But what is *always* missing is the comparison with living conditions for the same people were they to stay at home - conditions in India and Pakistan are often far worse than the worst of conditions here. I've seen the homelessness across India with my own eyes, and hundreds of labourers lined up outside markets hoping to get a day's work, and horrendous standards health & safety. I'm not an idiot, and I'm well aware that standards can always be improved anywhere, but that doesn't mean a single country is to blame in isolation. As I say, the laws are there (as recognised by the HRW report you linked to), but the guys implementing them are sometimes slow in following the new regs. But the current situation is a big improvement over many other countries in the region and it's still getting better - it won't happen overnight.
I wouldn't say "I'm alright, Jack", at all. I'm very well aware of the issues and the steps being made to improve matters. I'm directly involved in developing the contracts and technical requirements for government infrastructure projects across the region and one of our tasks is ensuring that HSE conditions are strictly enforced in contracts and that facilities are built & operated to ever-improving standards.
And if you think bad things are happening, that isn't going to change by sitting in the UK and complaining about it on the internet.
(and FWIW the Burj Al Arab is not actually a 7-star hotel and doesn't claim to be, again that's a western media fabrication :P )
We should meet up! Do you know any drummers? I keep finding people who play guitar but never a decent drummer to play with!
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes...
Offset "(Emp) - a little heavy on the hyperbole."
It has no soul - its just a collection of shopping centres and hotels. Again, two things I don't like.
I was there working last year. Its just a miserable place IMO. Even the sandy beach was fake! Stayed at JMR. The beach is false, and the view was a building site in the sea, where yet another flash hotel for brash flash Cheshire types was probably being built. In amongst the smog I had the lovely view of cranes and the vague repetitive clang of machinery. Nice.
Walk along the beach, on the fake sand, and park your bum in one of the many beach bars. Can I get a beer? Nah. Stroll down the beach path, amongst the pristeen chain restaurants, go inside for a meal. Have a bottle of wine with dinner? Nah. Not allowed.
I had the impression that most staff are scared stiff of their bosses, and constantly wary of being told off.
So you find a bar, eventually, and its full of loud nobby ex pats. I'll have 2 pints please:,certainly sir, that will be, oh, £20.
Watch yourself walking back with your mates, in case you inadvertanltly grab one or give them a pat, or a hug: you might get banged up for potentially being gay.
Don't put anything that could be vaguely derogatory or risque on social media while you are there, you might get nicked.
If you do get in trouble with the law over there,you are screwed as the consulate can do naff all.
Its one of the most soulless, artificial unpleasant places I have ever been. Not as bad as Saudi, but not much better really.
Went up that bar at the top of the Burj, The Vault? Rubbish. Full of berks showing off. I dunno, there must be some good bits, but they are well buried.
What seems like an innocuous thing in the west is classed as public indecency in the UAE unfortunately. The german called the cops and the other guy was arrested. He has also been charged with drinking without an alcohol license. Whether you agree with it or not breaking the law wherever you are in the world is breaking the law, if someone came to the UK and broke our laws you would expect them to be dealt with. It may be a different culture, it may have some inbuilt contradictions, but he broke the law its that simple. Its up to the traveller to be aware of the rules and behave accordingly, in this day and age ignorance of the law is not a defence.
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes...
And hope to God they don't get caught.....
The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts my eyes...
Like most single Western expats, I had relationships, and had to completely hide it (mixed race, so even trickier). This means you never see love openly expressed in general, even at the most romantic of sunsets. This may partly explain why the place is irretrievably messed up.