scared to go to middle east ports

I want to go to India but the vast majority of cruises that hit India include Dubai. I think Dubai looks amazing and I'd love to go there but as an American, and a Jewish female to boot I don't feel comfortable. Going to the Middle East is really scary to me. Can you reassure me it's fine?

Think of Dubai as Las Vegas without the casinos but with a coastline. Mega heat, mega architecture, mega-luxury hotels and so sanitized and ruthlessly controlled it's one of the safest places on the planet. The same goes for Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar. You'll be perfectly OK.

I'd like to think that but don't want to be a fool, ya know?

No, problem to go to Dubai. It's a modern city whit friendly people.

I'd like to think that but don't want to be a fool, ya know?

Believe me, as one who has been in and out of the Middle East for almost 9 years for work, you won't have any problems in Dubai. As a female, other than the typical Arab male harassment (no worse than a US construction sight), I feel very safe in Dubai. And your chances of even being mildly harassed by an Arab male are not very great-you are a tourist. I have had to interact frequently because I was working.

I don't feel as safe in other places, Bahrain particularly, because there are LARGE groups of US expats that go to Bahrain to party on the weekends. But that is from a terrorist angle, not from being female or being a Christian or Jewish.

Dubai has a vested interest in keeping all tourists safe. They don't have the oil as Abu Dhabi does. They are totally dependent on their banking, financial and tourism infrastructure. And after the "big meltdown" in Dubai and Abu Dhabi had to bail them out, everyone is watching how Dubai makes money to pay Abu Dhabi back.

How would anyone know you are Jewish unless you tell them? Just make sure you don't have an Israeli stamp in your passport or you most likely will not be let in. Your US passport will merely be stamped at the border-visa on arrival.

If you plan on visiting any of the mosques, make sure you obey the rules-no bare shoulders, covered to at least the elbow, headscarf, long pants or skirt. If you don't provide your own "covering", you are going to have to wear the provided ones. YUCK!!! How many heads have the hijabs been on and how many sweaty people had on those brown sacks they give you to wear if you show up in inappropriate dress.

Enjoy-I won't go to India. TOOOO crowded, too dirty, just too crappy and poor to want to go. Been to Pakistan-that was enough. But I do enjoy Dubai. As someone posted, like Vegas without the casinos.

wow everyone, thank you so much for your reassurances. now I have to get it past my husband who will probably not want me to go there and also find another person who would actually want to go on a crazy journey like this (who can also afford it...)

I have 2 family members, young women, who live and work in Dubai. They assure me that they feel safe and that they take the same precautions they would take in any North American city. They dress modestly, but that is their nature anyway. Not once has my daughter had an issue with harrassment.

I can not speak to the being Jewish part, but as Christians living in a Moslem country, they are respectful of the laws and customs and have not been made to feel uncomfortable.

Sparklebee - Don't forget, to the majority of the world's population, the United States is a foreign country. They do things differently there. Especially in California!

I would go in a heartbeat if I could take the time off work and could afford it.

as a woman traveling alone I would take princess excursions in those ports but that's my cowardly nature. :o

I would have no concerns in Dubai.

Keith

wow everyone, thank you so much for your reassurances. now I have to get it past my husband who will probably not want me to go there and also find another person who would actually want to go on a crazy journey like this (who can also afford it...)

I'm sure you have seen the show "Shah's of Sunset". Just about 1/2 of the cast are JEWISH Persians.

And they all went to Turkey and some crossed into Iran, which is not particularly fond of the USA. I am still trying to figure out why MJ went into Iran and Asa didn't (both are Muslims). Something about her family being political refugees doesn't particularly wash since she was little kid when her family escaped Iran. The show totally fascinates me. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I was still in LA when the huge Iranian invasion came during the 70's. How the whole group of them went from being political refugees running for their lives to wealthy, wealthy American citizens is still baffling to me.

Yes, there are Jewish people all over the Middle East. And there are American Jews that go to the Middle East, particularly for business.

They do not flaunt that they are Jewish. It is against Dubai law to wear a Star of David or any other overt Jewish symbol or clothing. But they "make do" just fine.

Here is a pretty good article about a Jewish guy who wasn't going to Dubai for the same reasons you are hesitating to a Jewish guy who enjoyed his trip and didn't feel threatened in the least. http://jewishthinker.org/2013/01/06/dubai-a-stopover-for-jews/

Yesterday, you were keen to go to India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Now it's Middle East?????

Anyway, as others have said Dubai is a perfect introduction to the Middle East and you'll have a great time whether you decide on India or Middle East:cool:

Why would I go somewhere I had to hide my religion? Why would I spend my hard earned dollars in a country that basically says I do not want you?

I am Jewish not a supper religious person but I do care about my faith and how I am viewed.

Why would I go somewhere I had to hide my religion? Why would I spend my hard earned dollars in a country that basically says I do not want you?

I am Jewish not a supper religious person but I do care about my faith and how I am viewed.

This is not a philosophical discussion nor a politically correct discussion. If you are Jewish, you don't flaunt your religion in the Middle East Arab countries. Why would you??? Why would you ask for trouble?

How would anyone KNOW you are Jewish unless you were Hasidic (NOT recommended in most of the Middle East) or outright told someone?

Back to my "Shah's of Sunset" example. About 1/2 the cast are Iranian/Persian Jews. Did you know that? Could you tell? All looked like people from the Middle East to me and I had NO IDEA what their religion was. In fact, as much time as I have spent working in the Middle East the last 9 years and studying various facets of Middle Eastern culture to make my job easier, I was very surprised there were as many Iranian/Persian Jews in the Middle East as there are. I thought most of them had moved to Israel or the USA. I actually found it very hard to believe there were so many Jews in Iran years ago (there WERE, not now)

You certainly don't have to go to the Arab Middle East. But if you would, flaunting your Jewish religion is asking for trouble and very, very arrogant.

And I just have one question which I have asked a lot of my Jewish business associates and gotten no real answers. How could Judaism and Islam be so far apart when a lot of the underlying rituals and tenets are so very close together-NO Jesus (that's for us Christians), FRIDAY Sabbath, all of the rituals and special things that go along with being both Jewish and Muslim, etc. etc.? Please don't get offended-just asking because the first time I heard Yaweh in the Middle East was out of a Muslim Arab's mouth. I have friends who are Jehovah's Witnesses in Northern Missouri. They call God Yaweh. When I heard it in the Middle East, it started a search for the underlying foundations of Islam/Judaism.

I recently visited Columbo, Mumbai, Abu Dhabi and Dubai on a cruise. I felt perfectly safe in all of them although I stayed in touristy areas and it was during the day. Of course, I would do the same in any large city where I was traveling by myself.

dup post

I am Jewish by birth only so I suppose not an issue at all. My married name is not Jewish and that's what's on my passport anyway.

My intention is to get to India but the idea of visiting Dubai is so exciting that if I could get a taste of it on a cruise that would be icing on the cake.

thanks again to all of you for your input.

This is not a philosophical discussion nor a politically correct discussion. If you are Jewish, you don't flaunt your religion in the Middle East Arab countries. Why would you??? Why would you ask for trouble?

 

How would anyone KNOW you are Jewish unless you were Hasidic (NOT recommended in most of the Middle East) or outright told someone?

 

Back to my "Shah's of Sunset" example. About 1/2 the cast are Iranian/Persian Jews. Did you know that? Could you tell? All looked like people from the Middle East to me and I had NO IDEA what their religion was. In fact, as much time as I have spent working in the Middle East the last 9 years and studying various facets of Middle Eastern culture to make my job easier, I was very surprised there were as many Iranian/Persian Jews in the Middle East as there are. I thought most of them had moved to Israel or the USA. I actually found it very hard to believe there were so many Jews in Iran years ago (there WERE, not now)

 

You certainly don't have to go to the Arab Middle East. But if you would, flaunting your Jewish religion is asking for trouble and very, very arrogant.

 

And I just have one question which I have asked a lot of my Jewish business associates and gotten no real answers. How could Judaism and Islam be so far apart when a lot of the underlying rituals and tenets are so very close together-NO Jesus (that's for us Christians), FRIDAY Sabbath, all of the rituals and special things that go along with being both Jewish and Muslim, etc. etc.? Please don't get offended-just asking because the first time I heard Yaweh in the Middle East was out of a Muslim Arab's mouth. I have friends who are Jehovah's Witnesses in Northern Missouri. They call God Yaweh. When I heard it in the Middle East, it started a search for the underlying foundations of Islam/Judaism.

That religions so similar and supposedly from a somewhat common thread have such feelings of ......... You fill in the rest. My last name by marriage on my passport is ver Jewish sounding and that I can not change. Enjoy your trip Sparkel Bee

I want to go to India but the vast majority of cruises that hit India include Dubai. I think Dubai looks amazing and I'd love to go there but as an American, and a Jewish female to boot I don't feel comfortable. Going to the Middle East is really scary to me. Can you reassure me it's fine?

Don't hesitate - go. We have just been to Mumbai, Muscat in Oman and Dubai among other places on a recent cruise and felt completely safe in all places for the short time we were there.

In Dubai the place is heaving with tourists from all over the world so you will have no concerns as others have already said. We hired a minibus and a driver and he took us all over Dubai and everywhere we went was busy with other tourists.

Dubai is truly amazing and the shopping malls are a sight to behold ;) A trip up to the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa is highly recommended unless you don't like heights! It's best to book the tickets on line before you go though as it's so popular.

IMHO I would rate Dubai as a lot safer than a lot of other tourist destinations.

Traveling from Australia to Europe by air, Dubai is now a major hub and lots of passengers spend a few days there before travelling onwards. The airport is so busy they are building a new one and in a few years it is expected to outrate Heathrow as the busiest in the world.

I hope that you fulfil your wish and jump on a cruise that not only visits India but also includes Dubai. :D

Anybody concerned about the MERS type of disease that is reported coming from the Arabic peninsula? We could go through Dubai on the way to Jakarta Indonesia but wonder if this is a good plan.

Anybody concerned about the MERS type of disease that is reported coming from the Arabic peninsula? We could go through Dubai on the way to Jakarta Indonesia but wonder if this is a good plan.

Are you planning on going to the numerous refugee camps all over the Middle East??? Are you going to be in close contact with someone who has MERS? Sound like the "Iraqi crud" to me, except more "virusy". About 80% of soldiers and contractors to the Middle East have had the "Iraqi crud", which exhibits the same symptoms. A bunch of antibiotics usually wipes it out in about 2 weeks.

It is from the flying dirt floating around all over the Middle East. Stay out of the HUGE dust storms. And MERS is closely related to Valley Fever which is rampant in animals in the US SW and affects a lot of people too. I had Valley Fever-I was lucky. I never knew I had it. But people who do know they have it can be very sick and it can take a long time to get over.

I personally wouldn't worry about it. I would be much more afraid of what is coming over our southern border. One of my employees was in Nogales, Az when they had busloads of people they were going to take to Fort Huachuca AZ for detention. He said you could visually see the lice on people. YUCK!!! How nasty. And now the state of Arizona is ramping up for the LARGE increase in TB. Just what we need-Valley Fever all over the state of AZ (it's in the dirt-you can't get rid of it) and now TB??? People with Valley Fever who also get TB could die pretty easily.

LOTS more to worry about than MERS.

Thanks, greatam for the great responses.

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years (with the Army Corps of Engineers) and traveled widely in the Middle East.

Dubai is in the UAE and I would consider it very safe. One note, for women traveling, avoid revealing clothing. Suggest modest clothing that covers the shoulders and most of the legs. Also, it is better not to be alone unless you are in a highly traveled area with lots of people.

Egypt is another story. I know people that just came back from Egypt and they said the trip was great, since there were very few tourists. The government is taking it to the radical Muslim Brotherhood, so the security situation is improving, but terrorists are targeting tourists. Armed security is provided for each tourist group, but there are still risks associated with going to Egypt.

Israel is normally quite safe, but I would wait until the current HAMAS vs Israel conflict dies down. HAMAS is a cousin to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and now sending many rockets into Israel at the moment.

Thanks, greatam for the great responses.

 

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years (with the Army Corps of Engineers) and traveled widely in the Middle East.

 

Thanks for the compliment.

When you were in Saudi, was your family with you? Just curious. I was offered a job a lot of years ago working at the Aramco complex. That would have been fine-great job, great money. But knowing me, I would have gotten in a vehicle, driven out of the compound not even thinking that women can't drive in Saudi, and been living in a Saudi jail instead of posting on CC.

I am going to miss going to the Middle East. I really like Kuwait and could actually live there for an extended period instead of dipping in and out every 3 months. But my contract is supposed to be up this month. And I have NOT completed my job because I refused to go back to Afghanistan when the violence started up again in April.

I was usually surrounded by 3-4 Triple Canopy private security contractors in an MRAP with the helmet and flak jacket on. My last pass, they wanted to give me military support. I KNOW how that works-if they need soldiers to go on a mission, I either have to wait or take what is available. That may only be 2 soldiers and me in a HumV. I spent almost 9 years in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Made it out in one piece and was there during some of the really bad fighting in Iraq. Spiraled into BIAP many, many times to avoid the mortars. I am just not putting my life in jeopardy now for what is sheer insanity pulling our soldiers out when neither Iraq or Afghanistan can control their countries. Politics looses another war.

Thanks for the compliment.

 

When you were in Saudi, was your family with you? Just curious. I was offered a job a lot of years ago working at the Aramco complex. That would have been fine-great job, great money. But knowing me, I would have gotten in a vehicle, driven out of the compound not even thinking that women can't drive in Saudi, and been living in a Saudi jail instead of posting on CC.

 

I am going to miss going to the Middle East. I really like Kuwait and could actually live there for an extended period instead of dipping in and out every 3 months. But my contract is supposed to be up this month. And I have NOT completed my job because I refused to go back to Afghanistan when the violence started up again in April.

 

I was usually surrounded by 3-4 Triple Canopy private security contractors in an MRAP with the helmet and flak jacket on. My last pass, they wanted to give me military support. I KNOW how that works-if they need soldiers to go on a mission, I either have to wait or take what is available. That may only be 2 soldiers and me in a HumV. I spent almost 9 years in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Made it out in one piece and was there during some of the really bad fighting in Iraq. Spiraled into BIAP many, many times to avoid the mortars. I am just not putting my life in jeopardy now for what is sheer insanity pulling our soldiers out when neither Iraq or Afghanistan can control their countries. Politics looses another war.

greatam,

Thank you for your service. Now I understand why you are so knowledgeable about the Middle East.

Yes, my family was with me in Riyadh. We had secure compounds where we lived and worked. We had a commissary where we could buy our food (including pork) at US prices, free housing and travel benefits.

I was a contracts attorney and the job was very interesting. The COE had hired many nationalities, so I had the opportunity to get to know Egyptians, Palestinians, Pakistanis, Indians, Philippines, Brits, and others.

Further, the Saudi people that we came into contact with were friendly and we never felt any hostility. My Daughter has friends that have worked in Saudi recently and they say that the friendly atmosphere is no more. The hostility is obvious.

There is something about the Middle East and its culture that is intriguing, but unfortunately, the extremists seem to be spreading and the mostly of the population that is non-threatening can't seem to stop the extremists.

I agree with you about the failures in recent years. Just getting out was more important that trying to maintain the gains.

I still think the greatest treat to the West is Iran.