At Da Shi Dai restaurant last night, looking out of the glass panel, I noticed a newly completed apartment block in the distant with a large hanging "FLATS TO LET".
Daisy and I asked one of the waitress, how far away is that apartment block? Is it within Dubai Marina or across the SZR freeway in Jumeirah Lake Towers?
Her polite response is that she is not familiar, and doesn't know.
I bet, were this in Singapore and I asked a question like this, the waiter/waitress would know.
In Singapore even if it has become harder than before, you can still dream of that possibility that one day if you are smart, hard working and lucky, you could live in a nice place. Over here, such thoughts are just plain hopeless thoughts. They only want to earn, save and send money home.
It is the dreams of a people that build a place. Most of the people here are just paid, mostly meagre wages to help a small group of titled people realize their dreams.
History has it flow and ebb, and what pull people into Dubai is nothing more than narrow commercial priorities. As the tide goes out there is nothing to anchor this place. Then like bankers always discover repeatedly, those you want to lend money to, they do not want your money. Those who ask to borrow you do not want to lend. Likewise, during the ebb, Dubai will fail to attract those she wants, and those who want to remain had to be asked to leave.
Except for the very few times that it rains, every day I see sand being blown across the road as I drive. The too tiny to be seen grains of sand are just like the many people here.
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