EDITOR’S LETTER

AAnother month, another piece slating Dubai. Andrew Marantz’s piece in The New Yorker – usually a magazine you can rely on – trod a similar path to that of many others; essentially, land, have a brief look around for a few hours, then fly off again to write a scathing ‘expose’. I find the thing with these features – and there have been oh so many – is that they come with so little in the way of any real reporting, instead relying on preconceived ideas. And that’s only ever going to go one way. Marantz rode the Metro to two malls – Dubai Mall and Mall Of The Emirates – and took a trip to the top of Burj Khalifa, from which he felt able to confidently label Dubai as “a non-city”. He can’t have been here longer than 12 hours – although longer than Germaine Greer, and her four-hour effort for The Guardian, via a Big Bus tour – but still, that was enough for him to file his report to a no doubt eager editor. “Dubai bashing? I’ll take it – give me 500 words!”

It’s all too easy – Dubai, as far as they’re concerned, with all its glitter and gold, is asking for it. A city out of nowhere, now the talk of the world – the tallest this, the most expensive that? How very dare they.

Truth is, there’s plenty you can say about Dubai, both good and bad, if you actually bother to check the place out properly. We make no secret of the fact that we here at What’s On love Dubai – and, for me personally, the city has been incredible. I met my wife here, my son was born here, I have a great job and fantastic friends. Is that the same for everyone? Of course not, and everyone that lives here or has spent a lot of time here will have their own story. But spare me the wisdom of yet another visiting ‘expert’, please.

This month, our team of real experts on What’s On gives you our Dubai hidden gems – things to do, places to go, a real insight into the city. The kind of insight you get when you know the city very well, like What’s On – founded in 1979 – does. It takes slightly more than a ride on public transport. Enjoy the issue.