Connecting Glamour and Real Life on Dubais’ JBR Beach

Dubai, U.A.E. has a reputation as glitzy and glamorous, a megacity brimming over with skyscrapers, beaches, expensive hotels and wealthy royalty. And it really actually is all of that.

I personally love Dubai. I do enjoy the glamour of it, and I also enjoy its uniqueness. There is nowhere in all the Middle East like Dubai. Approximately 89% of its population are expats from all over the world. Dubai is more diverse than anywhere else in the region. You can encounter people from dozens of different cultures by simply walking down a street.

The glitz is not all there is, though. After you finish shopping at its ritzy malls and take a minute to peek under the surface, you’ll see that Dubai has a dark side. It is a very strict Islamic society operating under Sharia law. Before you visit Dubai, you need to research what you can and cannot legally do so you don’t risk getting arrested once you’re there. Also, the government of all of the U.A.E. is not exactly very concerned with human rights. For this reason, many of the expats, especially those from developing countries, may end up exploited, treated inhumanely or worse. My Somalian friend, whom I met while I was living in the neighboring emirate of Sharjah, herself has a heartbreaking story of how she was treated in the U.A.E.

I took this Dubai photo in the extremely hot waters of the Persian Gulf one September day at JBR Beach. In the background, the luxury Jumeirah Beach Residence apartments tower over the water. In the foreground, expats and tourists from all walks of life from all over the world relax on the sand and play in the water. Dubai has its highlife and Dubai has its downsides. Yet in Dubai, the opulent and the ordinary usually blend together without any problem naturally and effortlessly.