The Burj Al Arab (dxbluey)
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Do's and Dont's in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Many people worry about overstepping the mark and worry so much that they don’t have a good time. Others who come to the UAE have a blatant disregard for the culture. There’s also common sense about what you should do on holiday. We cover the do's and don’ts in the UAE.
Middle Eastern Food
Different types of Food and Cuisine in the Middle East The UAE is an excellent place to sample all types of Gulf and Middle Eastern Cuisine, including Iranian and Lebanese food. You will often see buffet spreads with huge amounts of food. These will usually contain: Hummous: a dip made from chick peas and sesame seeds Tabouleh: chopped parsley, mint and crunched wheat Ghuzi: a whole roast lamb on…
Basic Arabic Phrases
Basic Arabic Phrases Although English is increasingly used in business relationships, in many situations Arabic is the key language, as you would expect. Having a little bit of Arabic to start with is a great way to talk to the locals and converse with some of the people. It also shows that you have made an effort for their culture which is always beneficial. What we have provided below are …
History of the UAE
Modern History & Major Events of the UAE Abu Dhabi is the story of the Bani Yas tribe, and the history of Abu Dhabi is how this tribe started off in this area. But the history actually goes back way further, and it is only in recent years that remains were found dating back several thousan…
Dubai Articles
The Most Popular Dubai Articles There have been some great articles that have focused on Dubai and appeared in the press, giving a view on the emirate. Some are objective, but some less so. Either way we have highlighted some that are particularly interesting: Dark side of Dubai’s economic boom exa…
Travel Guide Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Explorer The Complete Resident's Guideby Alistair Mackenzie Buy from:amazon.comamazon.caamazon.co.uk The Abu Dhabi & Al Ain Explorer is the equivalent Abu Dhabi 'must have' before relocating. Since many of the formalities are the same in both the Emirates, it is only worthwhile purchasing…
UAE Clothing
What do you wear when you come to the UAE? Well, in business it's always better to be conservative. For men, this means getting suited up, although in some office environments a shirt and trousers wil…
Arabian Body Language
Body language in the UAE and amongst Arabs is completely different to that in the West. And because there a many Arabs here from different countries, it would make sense to understand a little about what certain body language might mean. We have touched on the importance of not showing the sole of y…
Books about Islam
Being in the UAE or the Middle East, Islam rules daily life. Understand the religion of peace, and understand many of the traits of the people. Islam - A Short Historyby Karen Armstrong Buy from:amazon.com amazon.co.uk Karen Armstrong's work is excellent, because, in a nutshell, it covers the ba…
Arabic Coffee
If it weren't for the Arabs, there would be no Starbucks and no skinny latte, no whipped to go. In actual fact, coffee is said to have originated in Ethiopia and transported through Arabia before reaching Europe. When you are in the UAE, especially on business, coffee, as well as tea, will often be …
Arabs and Women
The family is a key social unit to an Arab. The loyalty to a family, or family name influences all aspects of family life the seeps into UAE society. As such, Arabs honour and respect their family, especially that of the children. Thus, it is very paternalistic, patriarchal and hierarchical, with th…
What is the hijab
Many from the west do not understand why Arab women wear the hijab or shehla to cover their hair. We described the clothing specifically on our UAE National Clothing page, but we asked a number of females to describe why they wear the hijab, and this are the responses we got:- it is traditional in m…
Khallas
Khallas means finished in Arabic, but read on for the real meaning. Khallas is an Arabic word that is also used in Hindi and all over the Indian sub-continent. It means finished, over, done with, stop, complete. "That's my last discount, Khallas", "Stop the taxi, Khallas" "He is Khallas - tomorrow …
Traditional UAE Sports
The sport of falconry is among the many traditional pastimes still practiced in the UAE. The Locals consider it as a unique partnership between man and bird and it is not unusual to see a hooded falcon being trained on an owner's gloved wrist. You can usually get to see such activity on arranged tou…
UAE Weddings
Getting married in Dubai or Abu Dhabi can be a tall order and difficult to arrange - but it is very different to a UAE National getting married. The following is a personal account written by non-emirati attending an Emirati wedding. As well as being glamorous occasions, wedding ceremonies in the Em…
What is Shisha?
In recent years, shisha (nargile, peacepipe, hookah, hubbly bubbly) has made a reemergence outside the traditional shisha smoking countries, especially with those not of Middle Eastern descent. In fact, the Shisha is very much "in vogue" in the UAE. With Ramadhan just around the corner, when Shisha …
Dubai Map Books
IF purchasing a map on Dubai, these are those you could consider. For a basic overview, you could just check out our Map Section, but to get a proper detailed map, you need one of these:Dubai Street Map Explorerby "Explorer Publishing" Buy from:amazon.com amazon.ca amazon.co.uk There is no A-…
Wireless Internet in Dubai
There are some that find it difficult to understand that the internet even exists in the UAE. But to the regular vistor, the questions concerning wirless internet are more logical. Many ask if there are facilities for wireless internet. And we can answer in the affirmative. As with most countries, m…
UAE Population
What is the Population of the UAE Emirates Total Male Female Total Abu Dhabi 850,069 442,050 1,292,119 Dubai 881,022 319,287 1,200,309 Sharjah 473,653 251,206 724,859 Ajman 120,290 69,559 189,849 Umm Al Quwain 27,816 17,940 45,756 Ras Al…
Recent Articles
UAE Photo books
Photos usually give a flavour of a place, but those by the professionals really bring out the taste. Here are our selection. Images of Dubai & the UAEby Explorer Publishing Buy from:amazon.com amazon.ca amazon.co.uk This product of the Explorer Stable captures the essence of what Dubai has b…
UAE Government
The political system of the United Arab Emirates Government Because of the nature of its make up, the UAE Government works in a different way to countries of democracies in the West. Firstly, there are no parties and no real elections. In since countries you may have two levels of government, but s…
A guide to Islam
Being in the UAE, you are essentially in the Islamic World, and therefore it makes sense to understand the religion that is practiced here. Since Islam is part of every day life for the Nationals as well as many of the Arabs, we have put together some information about Islam to give you the heads up on what you need to know. Roots of the religion - Islam was part of the great religious competition…
UAE Names
On your first encounter with names in the UAE and the Middle East, you may end up a little confused. In the West you may have two names, such as George Clooney or Brad Pitt or, you are sometimes referred to by your 3 names in the case of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Most of the time it is pretty simple. …
UAE Culture Books
You could be the typical expat and live oblivious to the country that you have moved to, or you could find out a little about the culture. Understand what and why from these selection of books. The Middle East Unveiled: A Cultural and Practical Guide for All Western Business Professionals’ …
What does Yani mean in Arabic
Yanni actually mean "kind of" when used in Arabic. The reason why Westerners find this funny is as follows: Yanni is a Greek, mullet-haired, uber-performer musician, famous for two things, his relationship with Dynasty's Linda Evans who played Krystle Carrington and for his composition, Aria, which…
Inshallah
Being in the Middle East, you hear it all the time: Inshallah this, Inshallah that. We look into the catchphrases of the Arab world and examine what they really mean. InshallahYou must have heard it once in your life if not multiple times daily. Inshallah literally means 'If Allah wills it', or gene…
Ramadan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Where exactly did the last 12 lunar months go? It seems like only yesterday that our stomachs craved for food during the day, and then craved space after feasting at night. And now the countdown is upon us, the talk is all about on which day the first of Ramadan will fall. The predicted date is the …
Books to Learn Arabic
You can get away without knowing any words of Arabic in the UAE, apart from 'mafi mushkil', 'Inshallah' and 'shoo hadha', but for those who wish to pick up a little more than just the basics, here are our recommendations. Teach yourself Gulf Arabicby Jack Smart Buy from:amazon.com amazon.ca am…
Halal and Haram
There are rules set down on what can do and can't do. Specifically there are rules in the Quran on what a Muslim can or can't eat. Things that are permitted are halal, whereas those things that are forbidden are haram.Haram items include:- Alcohol (and other methods of intoxication) , and all things…
Right versus Left in Arabic Culture
From the right? No we're not talking about giving way to traffic. We refer to courtesy when approaching a door or a lift. The tradition is that the person on the right should enter the door first, but this can become tricky. Since an Arab expects the person of more importance to go through the door …
Arabic Perfume
On visiting the UAE, and even the Greater Arab World, you will notice the predominance of scent overpowering you whether from burners or actually perfume itself. The concept of smell is an important part of society and is used under various guises. Many people wonder what the smell actually is, and …
Arab versus Western Values
Bridging the divide between cultures is based upon understanding the perspectives of each other. It is not a matter of who is right or wrong, but respecting each others' beliefs and way of life. Religion is an obvious difference, but religion aside, we have provided a simple table so that in underst…
Travel guide Dubai
We have put together a selection of trusty guides that are definately worthwhile purchasing, if you are venturing to the UAE. If you are moving out to the UAE, or indeed coming on holiday, consider getting one of these recommended 'must haves'. Dubai Explorer 12th Editionby Alistair Mackenzie Bu…
Alcohol in Dubai
To drink or not to drink, that is the question. Can you drink alcohol in Dubai? Yes. Despite being a Muslim country, Alcohol is available all over the UAE. It is more prevalent in Dubai, having more of a tourist focus, but, alcohol is essentially available in most hotels, which have a license to sel…
Arab Politics
Firstly, it should be defined what the Arab world actually is. Essentially, it stretches right across from Morocco across Nortern Africa to the Arabian Gulf. The Arab world is sometimes used interchangeably with the MENA region, but crucially, MENA does not include Somalia, Djibouti and the Comoros …
Islamic Finance
What is Islamic Finance - and what are the principles? Islamic finance is becoming more and more prevalent, not only in the UAE and the Middle East, but also in the West. On request, we give you the bare bones guide to Islamic Finance to understand the basics behind the concept. What is Islamic Fi…
Maps of the UAE
With all the change that is going on, getting an accurate map of any city in the UAE is a hard task. A map of Dubai, for example would be out of date as soon as it is produced, with new regions being built on. Similarly a map of Abu Dhabi that was produced a few years ago wouldn't have any of the information about Yas Island on it - which makes it useless. Well, we can do our best to get the best …
Famous People in the UAE
The UAE has its own celebrities, some of which cross Arabian boundaries to places like Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt. And there are many celebrities from around the Gulf, the East and the West that have made the UAE their home. The list of a who’s who in Arabia would be a long one, especia…
Shop opening hours in the UAE
The weekend is Friday and Saturday. That has only formalised over the last few years, where, for some, the weekend was Friday and Saturday and other it was Thursday and Friday. For the unlucky, Friday is the only day off. With regards to shops, the malls tend to stay open from 10am to 10pm, Sa…
Working Days in the UAE
In the West, traditionally, the Saturday and Sunday rule applies. Things are a little different here. Friday is the core holiday. Government and schools have Wednesday off, in addition. Some private institutions have Saturdays off, while some institutions align themselves to the West. It all dep…