This was my first view of Dubai. At dawn, with the sun rising up over Jumeirah Beach, the light filtering through the hazy dust of the desert, minarets visible in the skyline.
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It was more fantastically beautiful than I could have expected. More breathtaking than I imagined in my mind’s eye.
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I hear a lot about Dubai, including a lot of conflicting information about Dubai. It’s much more conservative than you’d think; it’s much more relaxed than you’d think. It’s a bigger, more glamorous Las Vegas; it still has a lot of Gulf culture intact, if you know where to look. As a woman you’ll feel more on guard; as a woman you’ll feel more relaxed and at ease than in most Western countries.
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I love traveling because it lets you see for yourself. For the few days I’m here, that’s what I will try to do.
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