Dubai: between excess, discipline and vision

I just got back from nine days in Dubai. Nine days of observation. Nine days of keeping my eyes wide open. Nine days of being inspired by a city that doesn't think small and that demonstrates both discipline and extravagance.

Here's what I learned there.

A young city… and already legendary

Dubai is only 40 years old. Forty years old… and it's already playing in the big leagues.

Bold architecture. Soaring buildings. Luxury cars everywhere. Grandiose shopping malls.

Luxury is not the exception here. It is the norm.

We talk in billions. We think in hundreds of millions. Gold and cryptocurrency circulate like ordinary conversations.

And yet, beyond the excess, what struck me was the organization.

Dubai and the culture of discipline

Dubai is clean. But so clean that they scrub the sidewalks with brushes.

Construction runs 24/7. And yet, you hardly ever see any trucks during the day: deliveries of concrete and materials take place between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.

There are cameras in restaurant kitchens, connected to the government for food safety. Crime is practically nonexistent. No visible homelessness.

If you lose something, you'll find it. If you fall asleep on the side of the road, a police officer will stop to watch over you. Even the police drive Ferrari SUVs.

What does this say? When a city decides to embody a high standard, it puts the systems in place to support it.

A cultural mosaic

90% of the inhabitants do not have Emirati nationality. Dubai is a city of expatriates. A city of opportunities. A city of transit… and ambitions.

The people are kind, welcoming, and respectful. If you earn an Emirati's trust, it's for life. And referrals are key to doing business. Here, the relationship comes before the transaction.

The call to prayer – the adhan – is sounded five times a day. There are prayer rooms everywhere: hotels, airports, shopping malls.

During Ramadan, many work at night. Schedules are adapted to the faith.

There are also cultural realities very different from ours, particularly in the context of traditional Muslim marriage, which can allow a man to have up to four wives, under very strict conditions of fairness and respect.

To understand Dubai is to accept observing without judging.

The price of greatness

Yes, life is expensive. A simple can of liquor at a restaurant can cost $8 CAD.

Quick tip: divide the price in AED by 2.6 to get the equivalent in Canadian dollars.

Everything is private, even the hospitals. Valet parking included.

Luxury comes at a price. But it also attracts a certain type of energy: ambitious, fast-paced, structured.

Dubai reminded me of one essential thing:

A clear vision, embraced collectively, can transform a desert into a global metropolis in a generation.

We can criticize. We can admire. But we cannot deny the power they have built.

And that, for me, is inspiring.

Caroline ✨

AroArtiste painter | Artist-entrepreneur | Speaker