Is Dubai Las Vegas on Steroids - Essay Example

? Is Dubai Las Vegas on steroids? The question above has notably become one of the most frequently asked in the recent past. There are so many reasons for this but the main one rests in the controversy that is borne when it comes to differentiating between the levels of the massive development in both city-states. The reason for calling them city-states is because their expansion has of late exceeded the measures of a metropolitan, to those of cosmopolitans. The topic is a major issue of concern. With the world experiencing a transformation in the form of social, cultural and structural development, the main leaders and pacesetters to the new developments remain very relevant. This is especially so where the front runners happen to be two great cities, with one resting in the East, that is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the other on the West, that is the United States. The two words, that is, bug and hook have been used symbolically in the description of the mental picture that one has when the two cosmopolitans are mentioned.The mention of the two cities triggers a feeling that is more of an enticement, rather than just a mere attention. The cities are scenarios that capture one’s interests fully.The term bugging is also being used as a slang to signify bulging or growing larger in all dimensions. Dubai and LasVegas both share these two characteristics. From what could be termed as scratch, the two cities have experienced enormous developments in both structural and technological fields, though at different rates, to an alarming level. The following essay gives an outline and a partial analysis of the past, the present and the expected future conditions of the cities, their similarities and their differences in terms of social and cultural aspects, and in relation to the definition of freedom. It starts with a description of the history of the two cities. Dubai Dubai is among those seven emirates that constitute the state of the United Arab Emirates, a country that borders Oman and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East. The other emirates are Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain. Abu Dhabi is the largest of the territories, while Dubai comes in as the second.The emirate has a long coastline which is occupied by scattered coral reefs, while the interior of the territory is mainly asandy desert. Though mainly known for its speedily expanding city, Dubai is also a home to various landscapes ranging from the sand deserts, the coral reefs to the rugged Rock mountains (Quinn, 2006). In history, the Persian Gulf was one of the most relevant trading locations dating back to 3,000BC in the reign of Sumer kingdom, which was a Muslim empire. The kingdom carried out and influenced trade along the Gulf which harbors Dubai, and began civilization with Dubai as one of the trading centers. The trading spot later became an important link between Europe and India to the Portuguese and to the British. Due to numerous attacks by pirates, Dubai and the other neighboring emirates sought protection from the British and this led to the emirates being termed as the Trucial States. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Dubai’s ruler, who was known as Sheikh Hasher gave a tax relief to the foreign traders. This offered them an incentive to expand their trade by locating their headquarters to Dubai leading to a boost in development. Some major ports had also been established forming linkages between the trading blocks in the region. An example is the British port which was important in enabling trade between the British and the Indians. A further boost in trade was enhanced by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed who authorized the dredging of a creek, giving way to larger cargo ships. The city of Dubai was hence born from the trade of imports and exports. This however received a major boost when oil was discovered in 1966. The huge revenues from oil trade transformed the state into one of the richest in the Middle East. When Britain withdrew its reign from the territory, the emirates which formed the Trucial coast united to form the United Arab Emirates, in 1971. The city was established at around 1800 when trade within the ports began and experienced a steady growth up to around 1950. The discovery of oil however changed the trend to a spontaneous one. Between 1950 and 1999, social infrastructure was given the highest preference in government funding. During this period, some of the famous landmarks that include the Clock Tower Roundabout, Al Maktoum Bridge, The Riviera Hotel, and The Shindagha Tunnel were built. Al Fahedi Fort was converted into a Museum and in 1999, Burj Al Arab, which is the world’s tallest hotel and stands on an artificial island, was opened. The growth of the city has been more rapid in the just ended decade. The city which hosts diverse world events greets you with a contemporary and a lavish scene that is composed of huge shopping malls, magnificent skyscrapers, glorious sandy beaches and a wide range of leisure activities.All the structures are glitzy and overwhelming. The luxurious hotels are architecturally designed; they are situated strategically on the scattered beaches with some boasting activities like skiing indoors. An example is the Hydropolis, which is an underwater hotel. Despite the fact that it is situated in a sandy desert, the living conditions are very tolerable. The area has a subtropical climate with high temperatures and infrequent rains, which mainly fall in the winter. Temperatures can be as high as 47 degrees in summer and as low as upto 10degrees in the winter. This range of temperatures has led to the construction of houses with air-conditioning facilities, making them adjustable and friendly. Many of the urbanization activities that have taken place in the recent past have been observed to have an effect on the temperatures but to a very small extent. The spring and the autumn are characterized with slightly higher humidity but with blue skies that are cloudy, and with cool breezes from the gulf providing a good time for leisure, though the best time is in the winter.The variety of plants in this town is not wide since not many plants can adapt to the arid climate but the city is well adorned with flowers, grass and trees which are architecturally designed and maintained by the municipality. The Dubai wildlife sanctuary and the marine life off the coast all complement the range of leisure activities. When it comes to culture, Dubai follows firmly the Islamic orthodoxy which is not just a religion. The Islamic traditions are the ones that dictate on what people should wear what they should eat and what they should drink. The traditions hence regulate the extent to which the natives can exercise their freedom of exploration in terms of clothing, fashion and design. Since they govern many of the daily activities, night life is not very different from the daily life. Despite the negativity portrayed by many of the media houses regarding the Islamic rules, Dubai is very welcoming to foreigners, who are free to serve their religious interests and dress freely though to a certain extent (Quinn, 2006). Freedom is therefore controlled. People are not allowed to do anything that they would wish to do. It was in the recent few years when Dubai stopped discrimination against women, and currently unlike Saudi Arabia, women are allowed to drive. They did not have the right to own cars, and had to be accompanied or rather escorted to wherever they went. In the month of Ramadan, the streets are almost empty during the day. People work for shorter hours and things like eating, drinking and smoking are not done in the public. At such a time, most foreigners are advised to keep off the country since they might not feel comfortable with the strict religious laws. At this time, alcohol is only sold in the city of Dubai and in hotels only. When the night unfolds, the city livens up as people break the fast for their evening meal.If tar, the evening meal is offered in many of the hotels and restaurants. The time is open for partying though the partying in this region is modest and not crazy, like in the west. The Muslim and the non-Muslim all gather up to enjoy the diverse Arabic dishes and traditional music. The city is very lively with the Souqs and the shopping malls keeping open till past midnight. The month is associated with a lot of shopping, but the night clubs are closed throughout the month and there are no live performances and entertainments. The natives are however very friendly and welcoming to foreigners. People from different communities all live up together peacefully with respect, courtesy and hospitality being some of the most important virtues upheld by the natives. Culturally, the family is a very important unit when it comes to the Islamic religion. Many of the families are extended and women are responsible for the families’ welfare. Men are responsible for decision making and are allowed to have many wives, as far as they can sustain them physically and financially. The rulers, who are weary of the dynamic changes in culture in the west, are keen to ensure that their own culture and traditions are not eroded by promoting activities that maintain it. Such activities include sporting events like camel racing and dhow sailing, traditional art, colorful weddings, dancing and poetry.They are however appreciative of other cultures and, in order to bridge the gap between these cultures, some centers for cultural understanding have been established. Arabic is the national language, used officially and unofficially, but English is also widely used in the city and therefore it’s not a requirement to learn Arabic. However, you are more likely to receive a warm welcome if you can converse some few words in the Arabic. Las Vegas This is the other city in the world that triggers different reactions when it is mentioned. The name carries with it a collection of mental pictures that vary from one person to another. To some, it means fun and entertainment, luxurious hotels, huge shopping malls and theme parks decorated with colorful lights, while to others;Las Vegas is the home of gambling and leisure. The metropolis which is a home to more than 1.8 million people hosts about 40 million visitors each year, making it the biggest tourist attraction location in the world. Though there are many people who have been born, gone to school and still work in this region, living normally like any other people, the mention of the city triggers an attitude that is unappreciated. This is because its major industry involves gambling which is viewed as and remains illegal in many countries. The city is also viewed as a city of sin due to the pursuits of pleasure associated with it. The name Las Vegas is Spanish and refers to a valley or a meadow. The city, which is in the state of Nevada, was named after a number of springs that formed an oasis that gave travelers a warm welcome in the region which, just like Dubai, is also a desert. The first people to occupy the valley were Indian nomads of the Anasazi community who built the Lost City whose ruins live up to today. This was about 2000 years ago. The valley was then discovered and named Las Vegas at the beginning of the nineteenth century, by a European known as Rafael Rivera, who termed it as a good resting place with plenty of water.In 1844, John Fremont, another visitor to the area wrote a journal about the springs, and this prompted more people to camp in the area as they travelled to Los Angeles from the Salt Lake City. In the late 1800’s, precious minerals were discovered in the region. This led to the establishment of the mining industry. At the same time, agriculture began in the area and the two industries, mining and farming became the most dominant. In the early 1900’s, Las Vegas became a railroad town when a railway line from the South of California to Salt Lake City was completed. The town was a good refueling point and a good rest place due to availability of water. These activities led to its expansion, more structures were built and the administration expanded into a county, i.e. the Clark County. The population increased from 3,321 to more than 5000. In 1911, divorce laws were liberalized to a short period of about six weeks. This is believed to be the root cause of the high rate of immorality up to date and the forerunner of the strip clubs. When construction of the Hoover Dam started at around 1931, so many construction workers moved to the area boosting the population.It is at the same year when gambling, which took place illegally for a long time was legalized. Many gambling halls were built. Due to its isolated nature, along with plenty of water, Las Vegas became an ideal place for military operations during World War II. Many defense industries relocated to this area, and employed a large number of the residents boosting economical growth. Many magnificent hotels and gambling casinos were built to take advantage of the wellpaid soldiers. Nevada Test Site was established and an atomic bomb was detonated. This historic event attracted large numbers of people who came to watch the bomb tests. This was in 1951. The people came as tourists and resided in the lavishly furnished hotels, and entertainment received a major boost and became one of the largestsource of employment.In 1959 the famous signboard written “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” was created by Betty Willis. In the 1960’s, the town had grown into a city covering more than 25 square miles. Corporations started investing in casinos and buying hotels and the legitimate business of gambling gave exceedingly attractive profits. In the period between 1970 and 1980, the economy of the city grew tremendously as corporations continued to invest in casinos and hotel industry. The city population doubled and there was an increase in jobs by a rate of more than 10 percent annually. By the year 2000, Las Vegas was reported to occupy a land area of 113 sq. miles and was named as the biggest metropolitan city in the United States. The population was estimated around 500,000 people. During its 100th birthday in 2005, the celebrations made a record by lasting for more than nine months. Among the many architecturally constructed and historical structures that capture one's interest in the city is the Mormon Fort, the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Hilton, Dunes Hotel, and the canopy above Fremont Street Experience. Other historical structures that have been established since then are the Las Vegas Springs Preserve which is a base for cultural experiences and the Fremont East Entertainment District that hosts non-gaming entertainment hot spots. In 2009, the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and Las Vegas Boulevard are established, while in 2012, a new city hall and a national museum were opened. Many of these structures are iconic in the world and the only other city that owns such structures is Dubai. Many of them and the streets that surround them are lavishly lit with neon. As it can be seen from the above analysis, the two cities have a wide range of features that they share in common. The cities are located in deserts but have managed to overcome the odds and grow into the largest metropolitans of our current generation. Both of them have established themselves as the best locations in the world when it comes to luxury, leisure activities and business hotspots. In both, mining is a major source of revenue that largely contributed towards the structural development. There are however a number of differences that the two cities harbor. While Dubai’s economic growth was as a result of mining and trade from export and import of goods, Las Vegas has obtained its major source of income for economicdevelopment from gambling, tourism and entertainment industry. The traditions and the cultural backgrounds are also very different. While Dubai is an entire emirate that is ruled by Sheikhs who come from the same clan, Las Vegas is managed by a city council that is under the Clark County commission. In terms of attraction and fantasy, both cities has a lot in common, and this is what makes them to receive great numbers of tourists.Both are hot spots for vacation but the difference in the extent of freedom that one can exercise is an important factor. While Dubai is firmly rooted in the Islamic traditions, Las Vegas is a town of freedom where people are allowed to do whatever they want and at any time. It is a town full of fun and spending, mainly on gambling. Nightlife and day life are similar to strip clubs having their doors always wide open. According to the West, this is an ideal definition of freedom. To Dubai and other countries in the East, this is not freedom but the immorality, and this is what makes Las Vegas to be labeled as the ‘sin city’. Las Vegas liberalized divorce laws allow men and women out of wedlock. Women are granted the same freedom as men. They are free to own property and manage their daily activities, and make decisions just like men. This is in contrary to the East. Women are only allowed to make decisions that regard issues associated with the family. In some Arab countries, women are not allowed to move freely unless they are escorted, and are not allowed to drive. Men are allowed to marry many wives. In the West the practice of marrying many women is viewed as outdated and to an extent, as oppressionofwomen's rights. While Las Vegas did not experience any form of slavery, Dubai only abolished slavery in 1963.Workers are not free to form trade unions and any form of workers strike is prohibited.Many of the workers are forced into labor, and work for more than twelve hours a day and for six days a week in the unfriendly day and night temperatures. This is the complete opposite of Las Vegas. Many of the workers in Las Vegas are the natives of the city, but all the jobs offer non-discriminatively. This means that even the foreigners get equal chances in the labor market. In Dubai, discrimination has been observed against the Asians. While many tycoons engage in illicit trade of gold imports and the police turn a blind eye on them, the cry of a lowly paid worker who is faded their wages is not heard. The unemployed Arabs who are willing to work at low salaries are also granted the opportunity.Such a scenario is very rare in the West. The Islamic culture also puts so many things that are done in the West to question. In the East, things such as premarital sex, freedom of speech, homosexuality,un-censored internet, use of drugs, alcohol and food especially during Ramadan, and non-Islamic religion face a lot of hostility. In a nutshell, Las Vegas and Dubai are only similar when it comes to structural development. Both cities are iconic and their mention triggers a collection of images, but they are quite different when it comes to matters relating to freedom. As it can be read from the history of the two metropolitans, the cities deserve the praise they possess in terms of structural development, but stating that the two are similar is quite wrong. They have a wide deviation when it comes to traditions and culture. Their definitions of freedom are ironic different and this is the reason why Dubai is being termed as Las Vegas on steroids. Reference list Quinn, D. (2006). Dubai explorer. Dubai: Explorer Publishing. Read More