Dubai is often associated with towering skyscrapers, luxury malls and futuristic infrastructure, but an Indian woman visiting the city for the first time said it was the people, rather than the buildings, that left the biggest impression on her.
Taking to Instagram, Shubhangi Zanan shared a video from Dubai Mall, where she spoke about how fascinated she was by the way people dressed, interacted and carried themselves. She said she and her husband had spent more than an hour simply observing people instead of sightseeing.
Woman shares first impression of Dubai
“I think more than the infrastructure in Dubai, I'm amazed by the people in Dubai. I'm sitting in Dubai Mall, and the only thing that I can think of right now is, wow, kind of clothes women here are wearing, jewelry, shoes, bags, insane,” she said.
She added that although it was their first visit to Dubai, the couple found themselves paying more attention to everyday interactions around them.
{{/usCountry}}She added that although it was their first visit to Dubai, the couple found themselves paying more attention to everyday interactions around them.
{{/usCountry}}“I mean, me and my husband, we're just sitting here, having our coffee. We have been sitting here for over an hour. We are tourists here, this is our first time. So ideally we should be doing sightseeing, but what we are doing is we are just observing the way people are conducting themselves, the way people are walking, the way people are talking with each other, the way these local people are greeting when they are meeting each other,” she said.
‘Such a difference in the way of living’
Describing the experience as strikingly different from what she was used to, Zanan said she could understand why Dubai attracts so much attention.
“It is absolutely crazy and I think I can understand why there is so much craze about Dubai. I know it's all bling and all, but I think it's way more than that,” she said.
She further added, “I have just come from home, like almost just 3 hours flight, right? And then there is just such a difference in the way of living, the way people carry themselves. It's just so different.”
While acknowledging factors such as salaries, taxation and purchasing power, she said those were “a different story”, adding, “but yeah, I mean, I'm just amazed.”
The video was shared with the caption: “More than the infra in Dubai, I am amazed by the people in Dubai. Dubai infrastructure = 10/10. Dubai people = 100000/10.”
Watch the clip here:
Social media reacts
The post drew a few reactions from users who agreed with her observations. One person wrote, “Dubai is definitely more than just skyscrapers.” Another commented, “The way people carry themselves really stands out.” A third said, “Dubai has a completely different vibe,” while another added, “It’s the lifestyle that fascinates people the most.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)