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Dubai Contrast: Sprawling City vs Natural Desert

by | May 24, 2017 | Personal

The ultimate Dubai contrast: a sprawling and ever-growing metropolis with its great towers and endless road networks, and, the beauty that is its natural desert. Two contrasting visions in what is a relatively small city.

Dubai Contrast: City vs. Desert

Dubai Contrast: The sprawling city | Photo by Jens Oliver Meiert https://unsplash.com/@j9t

Dubai: The sprawling city | Photo by Jens Oliver Meiert https://unsplash.com/@j9t

Dubai Contrast: Dubai desert | Photo by Tim de Groot https://unsplash.com/@timdegroot

Dubai desert | Photo by Tim de Groot https://unsplash.com/@timdegroot

I had the incredible luck today to see both sides of Dubai merged. Having just left a construction site in Jebel Ali Industrial 2, I came across a caravan of camels grazing and crossing the road as if it is part of the desert landscape. To think that this developing area still has its natural aspect where camels live freely is quite a sight. It’s also great to leave the rat race of corporate Dubai to see natural at its most basic.

Contrast: Nature meets Development

Dubai Contrast: Camel on a Jebel Ali road in Dubai
Dubai Contrast: Camel on a Jebel Ali road in Dubai
Dubai Contrast: Camel on a Jebel Ali road in Dubai

When I came to Dubai in 2005, it was massively different than it is today (and what it would probably be tomorrow). There was no Downtown Dubai, no Burj Khalifa (just plans for a Burj Dubai). I remember the E311, Emirates Road at that time, was a three lane highway in either direction – a far cry from its current 12-lane thorough way. Business Bay Crossing did not exist. I remember when it first opened – relieving congestion on the Ras Al Khor Road which was just a handful of ways to get to Mirdif from the new areas of Dubai.

How things have changed. With the pictures taken above, a portion still remains the same.