Dubai

This was to be my third trip to Dubai and I must admit, I came with low expectations. It was to be another work trip like previous visits, I expected a quick in and out a lecture or two followed by a pre ordered meal, tea and an obligatory belly dancer. Dubai has never felt very authentic to me. A seemingly manufactured city with a shallow personality it assumed the leading position as the Middle East’s flag ship location for consumerism and vice. A playground for those not allowed to play. It was a bit too reminiscent of one of my least favorite cities, Vegas. When I travel overseas, I tend to prefer the grey, fabled streets of Europe. There is preserved history woven into the facades of the town squares as well as the people that dates back centuries. The bricks, bridges and buildings have absorbed 1000’s of years of stories and culture. An education is there for the taking at every corner, you just have to appreciate the syntax etched into the wooden door, wrought iron fences and cobblestoned corridors.?There is nothing more romantic and inspiring than settling into a worn thicketed chair in European café, scribing my thoughts, while sipping a cappuccino bathed in the rhythmic cadences of a foreign tongue buoyed within a soothing undercurrent of classical music

Dubai in contrast with its big blue sky, vast bay and sharp-edged marbled buildings, acting like mirrors bouncing sunlight until a focused wavelength is emitted that will slice right through you unless shielded.?Protective covering including enveloping clothing and dark sunglasses are a necessity, but the concealment hides more than the whites of the eyes, they also veil the tells. A space separates and a barrier block keeping all at a safe chilled distance.?The light can be blinding, a vison clouded, and my impression of Dubai was admittedly a bit jaded. But this time something special happened, I took another look and gained a different perspective through an alternate prism.

I came to study aesthetics and the beauty desires of the Middle Eastern patient. Dubai arguably the aesthetic capital of the Levant has the highest concentration of plastic surgeons in Middle East.?Ex pats and tourist from all over descend on to Dubai for its high-tech modern medicine, well trained physicians both foreign and domestic and affordable prices. Middle Eastern women, we learned prefer attention to be brought to her eyes and upper one third of the face. She likes large almond eyes that sweep up and out followed by secondary consideration drawn to her lips. Many of their wants are not too different from women of Western cultures but there are some, and it partially has to do with the headdresses worn in many Middle Eastern cultures. Traditional hijabs influence the area of the face chosen to highlight with preference for rounder faces more convex foreheads and fuller temples compared to western desires. While body image satisfaction is quite high in the Middle East an emerging interest in the hour- glass form is surfacing. Body plastic surgery is on the rise probably due to western media and influences.?I came away as always appreciating the nuances in beauty standards of the various Middle Eastern cultures but couldn’t help to be more impressed by the similarities to women the world over.?There are basic visceral needs and preferences that characterize all humans binding us together regardless of culture creed or religion. And perhaps this was the on ramp I needed to better appreciate Dubai.

Figuratively, I merged on to the slow lane this time and took my time appreciating a different view of the city with a goal of gaining a better understanding of the culture, history and people of UAE’s largest city. Yes, I still enjoyed the playground pleasures from 5 laps in a Ferrari at the Dubai Autodrome to the top of the world’s tallest building and walk through the world’s largest Mall.?But I also wiped away the image of a hazy desert mirage erected to tempt desires.?My senses were open and welcoming discerning the form and substance of what I now saw as a pearl in the sand.??The Dubai and UAE I witnessed is comprised of a young vibrant emerging population, open to new ideas and thoughts, interested in leading the Middle East in a progressive direction. What I once disparaged as blinding buildings I now saw as Jetson like skyscrapers indenting and painting the sky. A squint of the eye and a dash of imagination and you could swear you see flying vehicles ala Blade Runner whizzing from the top decks of each of the buildings. And there is no doubt UAE is telescoping ahead as the first Arab country to launch a satellite to Mars. Back on earth, Dubai celebrates its modern high -tech malls bright, efficient and orderly. They are packed with browsers of all cultures and backgrounds. Women carousel in traditional Middle Eastern stylish clothing, headdresses and facial make up that accentuates femineity without violating privacy. I witnessed nationalities of all types drawn to the commerce nurtured and promoted in Dubai and everyone seems comfortable and collegial. European to American to Asians, Australians and even Israelis. In fact, I spotted observant Jews wearing their skull caps and black suits without any hesitation in their step. A sight a few years back that would never have been imagined. Say what you want about a Monarchy, one has to give a nod to the ruling family that at least outwardly embraces modernity and displays the courage to lead forward eyes wide open into the peace encouraging Abraham accords.?I can’t help to wonder if today’s Dubai is reminiscent of the wealthy, tolerant and progressive Arab trading post of the 13th century where traders from a repressed Europe, evolving Asia, and primal Africa frequently congregated to meet and trade goods, share ideas, break bread all within a harmonious context. As has always been well known, peace and tranquility lead to profits as well as the betterment of humanity.?The Emiratis seem to embody this while preserving their proud heritage. I had the opportunity to eat traditional food in a desert tent prepared by Bedouins who no doubt are enjoying the luxuries of modernity. Their brand-new palatial developments were just across the road and rather impressive, but the desert natives were more interested to speak of their honored past.?And yes, the hummus and kabobs were tastier knowing a bit more of its origin.?

The Emiratis seem to realize that path forward is going to be much different from that which brought them forth. They seem convicted to push the envelope yet not break the boundaries. They offer a disciplined and savory sip of sweet but refrain from a supersized indulgence. For me the beauty of returning to a location particularly one I had not fully appreciated prior allows me the opportunity to see it differently. It was a good reminder that criticism is more often a reflection of the reviewer than the receiver. No culture is perfect, one dimensional, dualistic or flat but rather multifaceted and multileveled. It is incumbent on the reviewer to find and appreciate another view. I left Dubai with a desire to return and a renewed appreciation for what it is. As the human experiment voyages into the vast frontiers of the 21st Century, Dubai and UAE, I have no doubt will be one of the cities and nations at helm leading forward.

Steven Dayan, MD