







Heippa! LisÀÀ Dubai-juttua! Sunnuntaina eli viimeisenÀ pÀivÀnÀ mentiin molemmat aamupalan jÀlkeen hetkeksi poolille. Aws ei oo kauhean innokas oleen auringossa, mutta tuli kuitenkin mun seuraksi. Lilluttiin hetkinen altaassa ja sen jÀlkeen lÀhdettiin valmistautumaan pÀivÀn muihin aktiviteetteihin. PÀÀtettiin mennÀ kattoon miltÀ Emirates Mall nÀyttÀÀ, kun minÀkÀÀn en oo koskaan kÀyny siellÀ. Mentiin metrolla, mikÀ oli hyvÀ juttu, koska nyt tiedÀn millanen se on ja tiedÀn, ettÀ voin seuraavalla kerralla mennÀ sillÀ ihan yksinkin.
Hello! Some more Dubai stuff now! On Sunday, on our last day, after the breakfast we both went to the pool area for a moment. Aws is not so keen to be in the sun, but he came there to keep me company. We swam (or floated around ) for a moment and then we went back to the room to get ready for other activities of the day. We decided to go check out the Emirates Mall, because I hadn’t seen it either. We went with the metro, which was a good thing, because now I know how it is and I can go alone the next time.
Kun mentiin metrolle, juna sattui just tulemaan asemalle ja juostiin kyytiin. HypĂ€ttiin vaan ekaan vaunuun, kunnes huomattiin, ettĂ€ se olikin joku Gold Class-vaunu ja siellĂ€ oli sellanen pukumies palvelemassa niitĂ€ gold-asiakkaita. HĂ€n sitten ystĂ€vĂ€llisesti kertoi, ettĂ€ voitte poistua toiseen vaunuun. Seuraavassa vaunussa sitten joku nainen alkoi puhuun mulle ja ensin en ymmĂ€rtĂ€nyt, mistĂ€ se oikein puhui. Hetken pÀÀstĂ€ Ă€lysin, ettĂ€ se yritti sanoa ettei Aws saa olla siinĂ€ vaunussa, koska se on vaan naisille ja lapsille. Taas vaihdettiin vaunua ja sitten saatiin olla loppumatka rauhassa đ
When we went to the metro, the train just arrived to the station and we ran in to catch it. We just jumped to the first car until we noticed it was some kind of Gold Class-car and there was even this man in a suit to serve the passengers. We were told to move away so we went to the next car. There a woman started to speak to me and I didn’t understand what she was saying. After a moment I realized she was saying that Aws shouldn’t be there because that car is only for women and children. Again we moved and the rest of the way we were fine đ
Emirates Mallilla on mm. tuo ekassa kuvassa nĂ€kyvĂ€ “lumimaailma”, jossa on pieni laskettelurinne ja muuta lumijuttua. Kaikesta ne ihmiset maksaa! Tuolta lĂ€hdettiin sitten taas metrolla Deiran alueelle, missĂ€ on yks irakilainen ravintola mihin haluttiin mennĂ€. Oli ihan jĂ€nnĂ€ nĂ€hĂ€ tuotakin seutua, koska se on ihan erilaista kuin vaikkapa Marinan tai Business Bayn alue. SiellĂ€ ei oo mitÀÀn pilvenpiirtĂ€jiĂ€ vaan ihan tavallisia taloja ja ei nĂ€hty varmaan yhtÀÀn turistia. Ihmiset nĂ€ytti olevan enimmĂ€kseen “paikallisia” työlĂ€isiĂ€, eli siirtolaisia muista maista ja jonkun verran oli myös ihan oikeita paikallisia. Sangen erilainen tunnelma oli siis tuossa osassa kaupunkia.
In the Emirates Mall we saw this “snow world” that has a small hill for downhill skiing and other snow stuff. I can’t believe people pay to get there! From the mall we left again with the metro to go to Deira neighbourhood to visit this one Iraqian restaurant. It was interesting to see that area too, because it was very different compared to Marina or Business Bay, for example. No tall skycrapers there, just normal buildings and we didn’t see any other tourists there. The people there seemed to be mostly “locals”, meaning the immigrant workers from other countries as well as some real locals. Very different atmosphere in that neighbourhood.
Oltiin kĂ€velemĂ€ssĂ€ metropysĂ€kiltĂ€ sitĂ€ ravintolaa kohti, kun Aws yhtĂ€kkiĂ€ sanoi, ettĂ€ “O-ou, tuossa on moskeija ja meidĂ€n pitÀÀ mennĂ€ siitĂ€ ohi. VĂ€hĂ€n vaarallista.” Ihmettelin, ettĂ€ mitĂ€ vaarallista siinĂ€ on, niin Aws selitti, ettĂ€ pelkkĂ€ mun lĂ€snĂ€olo moskeijan vieressĂ€ voi olla liikaa jollekin kiihkoilijalle. Sanomattakin lienee selvÀÀ, ettĂ€ mulla oli kuitenkin polvien yli ulottuva mekko, jossa oli myös lyhyet hihat. Siirryttiin kadun toiselle puolelle ja hipsittiin ohi.
We were walking towards the restaurant when Aws suddenly said “Oh no, there is a mosque right there and we have to go past it. A little dangerous.” I was surprised and asked why, so he told me that even my presence near the mosque might be too much for some fanatic. I think it’s needless to say that I was wearing a knee-covering dress with short sleeves. We moved to the other side of the street and walked past it quickly.
Ravintola oli siis irakilainen ja Aws oli kÀynyt saman ketjun ravintolassa Bagdadissa. Ruoka oli super hyvÀÀ! Irakilaiseen tyyliin kuuluu, ettÀ pöytÀÀn kannetaan myös ekstrajuttuja, mitÀ ei oo tilattu, vaan ne kuuluu hintaan. Kaikki oli tuoretta, laadukasta ja niiiiiin hyvÀÀ! Ravintolan sisustus oli myös tosi nÀtti, mutta nÀköjÀÀn otin kuvia vaan kattolampuista. Illallisen jÀlkeen kÀveltiin ravintolan vieressÀ olleen ostoskeskuksen lÀpi toiselle metropysÀkille. Ostarin ovilla oli isot merkinnÀt, ettÀ siellÀ pitÀÀ olla siveÀsti pukeutunut ja kaikki mahdolliset tunteiden osoitukset (kuvan perusteella myös kÀdestÀ pitÀminen) on kielletty. Ehdotin Awsille, ettÀ kierrettÀis vÀhÀn kattelemassa, mutta sen mielestÀ se ei ollu hyvÀ idea. Paikka oli tÀynnÀ paikallisia, jotka ei ilmeisesti ollu tyytyvÀisiÀ mun/meidÀn lÀsnÀoloon, joten oli parempi ettei jÀÀty pyörimÀÀn.
The restaurant was Iraqian and Aws had visited the same chain’s restaurant in Baghdad. The food was super good! It’s the iraqian way to bring stuff to the table that we didn’t order and it is included in the price. Everything was fresh, good quality and soooo delicious! The interior of the restaurant was also very beautiful, but apparently I only took photos of the lamps. After the dinner we walked through a mall next to the restaurant to go tho this other metro stop. On the doors of the mall there were big signs that modest clothing is required and no signs of affection may be shown (including holding hands). I suggested that we walk around a little to look around, but Aws said it was not a good idea. The place was full of locals that apparently were not happy to see me/us there, so we decided to just walk straight through the place.
Vaikka Dubai onkin kiva kohde työmatkalle, niin on se silti aika kummallinen paikka. Kaikki on niin kiiltÀvÀÀ, hienoa ja modernia, mutta kun astuu askeleen turistialueiden ulkopuolelle, niin meno onkin ihan toista. Suuri osa varsinaisista paikallisista edustaa vielÀkin todella vanhoillista ja jÀykkÀÀ kulttuuria, vaikka sitÀ ei turistit vÀlttÀmÀttÀ huomaakaan. Yks nÀkyvÀ esimerkki tÀstÀ on ne paikallisten valkoiset ja mustat kaavut mihin ne pukeutuu. Nykyaikaisemmissa ja vapaamielisemmissÀ arabimaissa, kuten vaikkapa Irakissa, noita kaapuja harva kÀyttÀÀ. Dubai kaupunkina on niin uusi juttu, ettÀ paikalliset ei oo ihan samalla tasolla kuin mitÀ ulkokuori antaa ymmÀrtÀÀ.
Even though Dubai is a cool destination for a layover, it still is quite weird place after all. Everything is shiny, fancy and modern, but once you step outside the touristic places, it’s all different. Most of the locals still represent the conservative and rigid culture, although the tourists might not notice it. One visible sign of that is the white and black gowns the locals wear. In the more modern and open Arabic countries, like Iraq, almost no one wears those. As a city Dubai is still so young that the locals are not on the same level as the appearance of the city let’s one assume.
Kulttuurieroista löytyis juttua vaikka kuin, mutta lopetan tĂ€mĂ€n nyt tĂ€hĂ€n! Tulihan tuossa jo tekstiĂ€ đ Huomenna lĂ€hden vaihteeksi sitten Oulun yöpyvĂ€lle. Kivaa illan jatkoa! đ
I could write so much more of the cultural differences, but I think I will sop this here! I wrote quite a lot already đ Tomorrow I’ll fly to Oulu for an over-night trip. Have a nice evening! đ