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Why Would Anyone Travel to Dubai?


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I read that story and figured that she made the situation worse by recording it. However, that prompted me to google the alcohol laws there and I was shocked. I will never go there. I'm not a big drinker, but wow, their laws are crazy strict. Not only the alcohol laws, but other laws as well. If someone is visiting that area for the first time, they should really know these things ahead of time.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/local-laws-and-customs

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I read that story and figured that she made the situation worse by recording it. However, that prompted me to google the alcohol laws there and I was shocked. I will never go there. I'm not a big drinker, but wow, their laws are crazy strict. Not only the alcohol laws, but other laws as well. If someone is visiting that area for the first time, they should really know these things ahead of time.

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/united-arab-emirates/local-laws-and-customs

The UAE is not the only country in the world with ‘crazy strict’ laws. My rule of thumb is behave yourself and show respect - it has served me well and have never had any issues anywhere in the world (78 countries and counting). Don’t be put off visiting countries that you perceive as having crazy laws - they are just different with different cultural norms and it’s that variety that makes travel enlightening and uplifting.

There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.’ Robert Louis Stevenson.

Edited by Omega1
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Sometimes there are places that are just not of interest to someone. . Dubai is one of those places for me. I’m not interested in going to Rome either and that’s one of the top 3 in the world.

But I do want to go to Egypt, Israel and Jordan. But the UAE just doesn’t appeal.

 

 

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I agree, we’ve been there three times as a cruise port. We did quite like a boat tour we had on the creek, but not much else - it’s just a shrine to consumerism.

 

 

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It’s good that you make a judgement based on direct experience. I just think it’s sad and a little short sighted, that some people make a decision on whether or not to visit a place based on a sensational and potentially inaccurate tabloid media report. JMHO

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I agree, we’ve been there three times as a cruise port. We did quite like a boat tour we had on the creek, but not much else - it’s just a shrine to consumerism.
It’s good that you make a judgement based on direct experience. I just think it’s sad and a little short sighted, that some people make a decision on whether or not to visit a place based on a sensational and potentially inaccurate tabloid media report.
I agree. I've visited Dubai three times (in addition to transits and connections at the airpoort) - although for family reasons, not in connection with cruises - and having no reason to go back there, I have no desire to go back. There are plenty of other places I'd much rather spend my time.

 

But millions of alcohol-drinking tourists (like me) go to Dubai every year without experiencing any difficulty from authorities. This isolated story is certainly not a reason for anyone to form any opinions about the place. And the story itself still doesn't entirely hang together: The visitor herself says that she had a visa problem, yet an ordinary Swedish or British tourist to Dubai will not need to get a visa in advance, with everything simply stamped in at the airport on arrival. So it makes me curious as to why she needed any kind of visa at all. And the decision to video the encounter smacks of extreme arrogance, if not outright racism.

 

At any rate, if anyone tried the same trick on a US immigration official who was being difficult - as some of them can be - they'd probably find themselves in similar trouble. So if you're inclined to accord any weight to this story, you'd better not visit the US either.

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And the story itself still doesn't entirely hang together: The visitor herself says that she had a visa problem, yet an ordinary Swedish or British tourist to Dubai will not need to get a visa in advance, with everything simply stamped in at the airport on arrival. So it makes me curious as to why she needed any kind of visa at all.

 

That’s an easy one. She isn’t British she just happens to live in the UK. She is Iranian by birth but also has a Swedish passport however, the Swedish passport was out of date and she had previously visited on a single entry visit visa issued against her Iranisn passport. When they refused entry on the expired Swedish passport she presented the Iranian one along with a copy of the single entry visit visa which immediately showed up as having been used in the Immigration computer system, so she was refused entry on that passport too. That’s when the ‘incident’ escalated. I have no idea how she was allowed to board the aircraft in Gatwick without either a valid passport from a nation that belongs to the visa waiver group of countries, or a valid visit visa against the other passport?? I am British and have been flying back and forth between here and the UK for more years than I care to remember and they always check my passport and residence visa at check-in....

 

Anne

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Can you support your claim? The article makes it clear that she was detained because she drank alcohol on the plane ("The immigration officer informed her that possession of alcohol, even if consumed, was a crime.") - not because she didn't have a valid visa. You're correct that the alcohol only became an issue while talking to the official about the visa, but the upshot was that she was arrested because of the alcohol not the visa. Until the alcohol issue arose, she was simply informed that she could not enter the country without a valid visa and advised to by a return ticket home.

 

If you read the other news....

1. She did not have a valid passport.

2. She pulled out Iranian secondary passport.

3. She need a VISA for Iran

4. She fought the issue

5. She used foul language (vulgarity is against the law)

6. She tried to film an officer

7. Because of the way she was acting, she was asked if she drank.

8. Arrested/detained for the following, lack of proper documents, vulgarity, and then they slapped the drinking charge on top of it, because they can. Her problem was escalated because of her behavior. This has been widely reported in the news.

 

Lesson is: Don't curse at the police.

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Lesson is: Don't curse at the police.

Indeed. Anywhere.

In this case, the lady was simply stupid to travel with an expired passport and escalating the issue as mentioned in previous posts.

Somewhere it was mentioned that the officer said that drinking and possessing alcohol is illegal. He must have identified the lady as being Muslim. Drinking is not illegal for non-muslims here. Being intoxicated however is. Not saying that the lady WAS drunk, however any ticked off official (or even any local Emirati) will win THAT argument if the chose to play the Infidel card.

People here are very sensitive to bad language or swearing and can quickly take offence. Best to keep calm and friendly.

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People here are very sensitive to bad language or swearing and can quickly take offence. Best to keep calm and friendly.

 

Bit of a shame more countries around the world are not like that.

 

It is not so much the bad language and swearing as such, that would bother me if just said in a normal situation (just to put that one in perspective I have spent much of my working life in academic research, so am used to a very casual environment, with research students around), but nowadays bad language is often used in a very aggressive, provocative manner, which is just totally unnecessary. The western world is far too keen to accept such behaviour in fear of being seen to be discriminating.

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At any rate, if anyone tried the same trick on a US immigration official who was being difficult - as some of them can be - they'd probably find themselves in similar trouble. So if you're inclined to accord any weight to this story, you'd better not visit the US either.

 

 

 

Or the UK. Or Australia. Or Canada. Or Russia. Or India Etc etc

 

 

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I agree, we’ve been there three times as a cruise port. We did quite like a boat tour we had on the creek, but not much else - it’s just a shrine to consumerism.

 

 

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We will be there for 3 days and plan to take the boat tour of the creek. Anything else you recommend for a first-time visitor??

 

 

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Go on a dune safari that includes dinner.

Go up the Burj Khalifa for spectacular views of the city. Pre Book a time slot for that one. Cheaper that way.

There is a new multi attraction pass on the market that is good value for money and saves time. Google Dubai city pass.

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We will be there for 3 days and plan to take the boat tour of the creek. Anything else you recommend for a first-time visitor??

 

 

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We took a boat tour as part of the Hop On Hop Off bus tour. Taking the Hop On Hop Off bus is quite a good way to see Dubai in a day. https://www.bigbustours.com/en/dubai/dubai-bus-tours?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrIXtrYX73AIVbb7tCh0DTQzDEAAYAiAAEgL***D_BwE

 

 

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That’s an easy one. She isn’t British she just happens to live in the UK. She is Iranian by birth but also has a Swedish passport however, the Swedish passport was out of date and she had previously visited on a single entry visit visa issued against her Iranisn passport. When they refused entry on the expired Swedish passport she presented the Iranian one along with a copy of the single entry visit visa which immediately showed up as having been used in the Immigration computer system, so she was refused entry on that passport too.
Somewhere it was mentioned that the officer said that drinking and possessing alcohol is illegal. He must have identified the lady as being Muslim. Drinking is not illegal for non-muslims here. Being intoxicated however is. Not saying that the lady WAS drunk, however any ticked off official (or even any local Emirati) will win THAT argument if the chose to play the Infidel card.
Producing an Iranian passport showing that she had been born in Iran would probably have been good reason for the officer to suspect that she is Muslim.

 

Thanks to Jayayeff for those details.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

The lesson for keyboard warriors here is not to believe the headlines. They never present the full story as that would contradict their headlines. 

We’ve been to Dubai several times. There is no problem with drinking alcohol at all.  Just don’t get drunk and behave badly. Immigration procedures are to be treated seriously but everyone will pretty much say USA has some of the most difficult border control people and we were questioned significantly coming in to the UK for a wedding. This person did not bother to check she had everything sorted, assumed she was fine then gave the Agent sass for doing their job. The alcohol was easy to prove and suddenly the media just jumped in that because none of the other stuff was headline worthy. I hate the media. We no longer know the truth. 

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  • 4 months later...
On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 10:11 PM, Go-Bucks! said:

As a Christian, I and all the women in my denomination already wear a veil on our heads all the time. So a scarf is fine with me.

 

Check the exact dress code for visiting a mosque. It's long sleeves covering your wrists and long pants or skirts covering your ankles. Scarf should be large enough to cover all hair and not be see-through. Preferably it should not have loud colors and wild patterns. Dark colors are preferred but not necessary.

The great mosque in Abu Dhabi is simply amazing. Artists from Italy, the UK, Austria and Germany contributed to its design. 

Edited by Floridiana
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Gold Bar at the top of the Burj al Arab- sipping cocktails and Gins. 

 

No outside drinking but all the major  hotels cater for all tastes.

 

Show respect for local customs and you'll be fine 

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Edited by Rotherham_Cruiser
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  • 1 month later...

I lived in Saudi Arabia in the early 80s for five years and remember that as soon a we got on the airplane to leave the country many of the Saudi women would shuck their abaya's (black body covering) and many would start drinking immediately.

 

When in Saudi, the black market value of a bottle of whiskey was from $200-$150.   There is a lot of hypocrisy in that part of the World.

 

It may be that the woman was a bit surly with the immigration officer, but being thrown into jail for three days for any reason stated was outrageous.

 

We have visited Dubai and did a great 7 Emirates tour while there.  Each of the 7 Emirates is like a state and his a lot of autonomy.  Some states are very conservative (like Saudi Arabia) and others, like Dubai are more liberal.

 

The UAE, in my opinion is one of the more stable and more liberal Arab countries, but I think caution is best when dealing with officials.  

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