Recent pic of Burj Dubai...

[casaguy]

Very cool shot posted by Skybean on SSC... almost Emerald City-like if it weren't for the dust and choking pollution..

 

[adma]

You know, I find myself more urbanistically fascinated by all that stuff in the foreground than by all that stuff in the background...

 

[Edward]

Me too. Could spend many days checking that area out.

 

[ganjavih]

But is there anything worth checking out? Of all the oodles of Dubai pics I've seen, I've never seen one depicting any street life.

 

[theowne]

It seems kind of odd to see such technologically advanced towers surrounding by almost barren looking areas. When I went to Sri Lanka, they had very developed areas one place, and then underdeveloped areas in another place, in these pics it looks like those two are mashed together. But maybe I just haven't looked into it enough.

 

[adma]

But is there anything worth checking out? Of all the oodles of Dubai pics I've seen, I've never seen one depicting any street life.

Yeah, but how many pics (moreover, how many ground-level pics) have you seen of that foreground zone? Betcha that if that suppressed street life is anywhere, it's there...

 

[ProjectEnd]

/\ Good point. There is so much of Dubai (and many other cities for that matter) that we never see since its not under construction. I'm going to hunt for some pictures and report back...

 

[adma]

There is so much of Dubai (and many other cities for that matter) that we never see since its not under construction.

...or, for that matter, glossily photogenic.

I guess, just like that "Shabby Toronto" thread, call it "Shabby Dubai". As a compliment, yet.

 

[theman23]

A quick google image search for "Duba old city" reveals some old markets with at least some pedestrian activity.

 

[Hydrogen]

Yeah, the old city is more pedestrian-oriented. The new parts have a contemporary Disneyesque streetlevel quality to them - and plenty of cheap foreign labour to keep them spotless.

I have heard that this place has one of the highest rates of multiple car ownership on the planet. I'm sure that comes as no surprise.

 

[BobBob]

^ I'm sure they'd have to exclude most of Dubai's poor workers when coming up with that statistic, on the basis of their non-citizenship and therefore only temporary residence.

 

[Dan416]

^ I'm sure they'd have to exclude most of Dubai's poor workers when coming up with that statistic, on the basis of their non-citizenship and therefore only temporary residence.

but of course. have to keep the myth of Dubai alive.

 

[Hydrogen]

^ I'm sure they'd have to exclude most of Dubai's poor workers when coming up with that statistic, on the basis of their non-citizenship and therefore only temporary residence.

You are probably right about that. Amazing how some stats work so successfully at eliminating the unseen populace. Good eye.

 

[BobBob]

Extreme societies often produce weird statistics. I always think back to the fact that the Vatican has by far the highest crime rate of any country in the world. It is due to the fact that there are very few capita (citizens of the Vatican), so the few thefts that occur among the tourists produce a sky-high crime average for the country.

 

[Dan416]

Extreme societies often produce weird statistics. I always think back to the fact that the Vatican has by far the highest crime rate of any country in the world. It is due to the fact that there are very few capita (citizens of the Vatican), so the few thefts that occur among the tourists produce a sky-high crime average for the country.

lol thats an interesting statistic