Gridskipper Interview:
Grapeshisha

Grapeshisha is one man's quest to disseminate unbiased knowledge about Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the United Arab Emirates. Grapeshisha's founder, a business consultant and entrepreneur from the UK, has begun to spread the word through his newsletter, website, and blog to the many individuals interested in this new world built in the sandlands.

What would eventually become Grapeshisha started out in September 2003 as an e-mail newsletter. What prompted you to start sending out the newsletter?
Even in 2003, when I first arrived in this part of the world, there were numerous misconceptions about what life was like out here. Some of my friends thought my life was at risk, and others thought that Westerners would find it difficult to integrate into society. And so, an email was sent out to a few friends giving them the lowdown on life with personal anecdotes. Before I knew it, I was getting emails from complete strangers to add them to my "list."

How did the newsletter make the leap to a larger website, blog, etc.?
After a few months, I began to realise that my audience had grown to bunch of people who I really didn't know, and so I decided to take out the personal element and make the whole thing more informative. Thus Grapeshisha, the newsletter, was borne. After a while, I was also receiving hundreds of emails asking me the same questions over and over again. It took a while for me to get some time to actually make it into a website of sorts, but it's there now, and I like to think that it is a valuable resource, at least as a starting point, especially to those who are considering a move out to these parts. The blog evolved from there since there are numerous UAE related issues to both share an opinion on and make people aware of -- and I was itching to share mine!

What has reader reaction been like, good and bad?
It has been generally very positive. I have been taken out for dinner, on numerous occasions, by complete strangers, who have based much of their decision to move out here on information that I provided. While this has caused some issues with my waist line, it is genuinely a great feeling to have helped someone in that way. The negative comments that I do get are very rare, but I do get the odd correction and exchange of emails with someone far more knowledgeable that is great for my own learning.

Who do you see as your primary audience these days?
I am still trying to work that out myself! To be honest, it is probably a mixture of three distinct groups: those moving here, those already here, and those who are watching Dubai evolve from afar. Without naming any names, if you take the newsletter, for example, there are a number of bigwigs from some of the major regional organisations who subscribe. And with the subscriber base edging towards the 5,000 mark, there are subscribers from Belize, Kazakhstan, and East Timor, but mainly from the region, Europe and the US. It has kind of evolved on its own, but my main original target was to help people who are not yet here to get a snapshot of life, whether they intended to holiday, invest or move here.

Have you run into any problems with censorship?
I have actively tried to remain above the line with regards to censorship, and have intentionally tried to remain non-controversial. I did have one incident when I went to the Labour Camps, where the pictures were banned for a while. But that is all by-the-by, since Flickr is now banned in totality. I am trying to remain factual and provide a comprehensive source of information -- and stepping on the wrong people's shoes would be irresponsible in that goal. The reason why I remain relatively anonymous is simply because of some of the sensitive work that I undertake, and to separate that from Grapeshisha, which is essentially a hobby.

How have sites/blogs like yours evolved in the UAE, as compared to other parts of the world?
I think that the web, in general, evolves as the country evolves. So, the UAE has, in the past, been fairly disparate as far as sites and blogs go, but this is beginning to come together with content-focused sites, or those that fulfil a particular niche being developed.

Care to recommend any particularly good sites or blogs about Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or the UAE?
On Grapeshisha and the Grapeshisha blog, I have a whole set of recommendations. As far as blogs go, I regularly visit The Emirates Economist, Secret Dubai Diary, and An Emarati's Thoughts. As far as other sites, AME Info is a massive business resource, Dubizzle is great as a Craigslist equivalent for Dubai, and Dubai City Guide and Time Out are excellent starts for the uninitiated.

Your site includes material of interest for those looking to actually move to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or the UAE, as well as just visit. In your opinion and/or experience, what sorts of people are considering this kind of move, and why?
I think there are three distinct groups: those here to save some money; those who look at the growth in the economy as an opportunity to move quicker up the career ladder than they would have back home; and others including investors and those from newer-type economies. Increasingly I am seeing and getting emails from people from the former Soviet Union and China as well as from the already established nationalities who are already based out here.

What do UAE locals in Dubai and elsewhere think of the influx of foreign workers -- specifically, those coming in for administrative or entrepreneurial work, rather than manual labour?
Many of the UAE Nationals understand that the entrepreneurs or trained expats are vital to the continued growth of the economy, and that they bring valuable knowledge and know-how to the country. While the expat is benefiting, so are the UAE Nationals. There are a few who are against any expats being here, which is understandable in the case of unemployment; but to think that the long-term diversified goals of the leaders could be met with just the local population is a little naïve.

Given Dubai's history as a city of noncitizen expats, do you see certain generational differences -- i.e., have there been waves of immigrants arriving at different times, for different reasons, who have established themselves in different ways?
I think the large nationality-specific waves will continue until such point where the amount that people are able to save will not be as much as they are able to make back in their home country. I think we will see an increase in labour from places such as Eastern Europe as well as the ex-Soviet Union over the coming years, especially due to Dubai's relative proximity as a central world destination, bridging the gap between Europe, North America, and the large Eastern economies of China and India. There will be a new wave in the coming years, as there will be significant staff requirements due to large projects such as Dubai Land coming to fruition, and as industry strengthens to require top-calibre personnel to lead the regional growth.

Dubai seems to get the majority of UAE buzz. Other than obvious differences, what distinguishes Dubai from Abu Dhabi in terms of culture, attitude, atmosphere, etc. (i.e., the intangibles not readily apparent to outsiders)?
Abu Dhabi is a little more laid back and traditionalist than its neighbour. While there is a lot going for Abu Dhabi, namely the oil, it has begun to diversify its own economy, but with a little less gusto than Dubai did. You won't see Abu Dhabi turn into a space-starved city, but increasingly, companies are starting to consider Abu Dhabi as a viable alternative to Dubai. You could put it like this -- Dubai is Vegas without the casinos, and Abu Dhabi is a modern Middle Eastern city.

Dubai's emir, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has been admired internationally for his ambition and ability to bring in all this new construction and development. What's your opinion of him as a local?
Sheikh Mohammed is one of those rare individuals who, if you stripped his royalty tag from him, would be equally successful in the business world. After all, he has built Dubai on those terms. Aside from this, he has tried to bring a meritocratic nature to the emirate, taking western ideals to create a plethora of opportunities for his own people, as well as the many expats here. I think the word "failure" does not enter his vocabulary. His plaudits are more than justified.

How do other leaders in the UAE and the region at large view Sheikh Mohammed?
All the leaders in the region have the utmost respect for Sheikh Mohammed and what he has done. He is seen as the ally of the greater good, a diplomat and man of significant ability.

Dubai's vast noncitizen labor force seems to be at the beginning of a struggle to get recognition of their contribution to the emirate's transformation. What do you make of the strikes and other forms of labor unrest?
I think that such unrest has been a long time coming, and the workers have been taken advantage of due to the tight margins that some of these companies are working under. I think that by mid 2007, when legislation is in place to prevent such mistreatment, as well as giving workers the ability to argue their case, large-scale disruptions of this nature will be dealt with through discussions at a union-type level.

Is there any chance of such labor unrest manifesting in other parts of the UAE?
I think it is unlikely, unless there are large groups of workers in a particular industry, say taxi drivers, who believe they are underpaid and take issue with that. But hopefully such issues will, going forward, be dealt with in a more constructive way than through mass demonstrations.

What do locals in Dubai or the UAE generally think of tourists? Are there different (or potentially unexpected) reactions depending on the visitors' country of origin?
In the norm, UAE nationals are warmly welcoming of the tourist, no matter the nationality. There are stereotypical opinions that exist among all nationalities about all others, as in society in general, but this would not really affect the tourist, per se.

Dubai used to have a reputation as an excellent port for smuggling gold and other commodities, as well as an occasional refuge for criminal tycoons. Is this still the case?
I think that in recent years, there has been a clam down on any such nefarious activity, and if anything does ever transpire, the authorities are quick to quash it, lest it tarnish the long-term reputation of the emirate and Dubai as a whole.

Do you think the development boom in Dubai is sustainable?
I think Dubai's rising costs were inevitable, given the speed of growth over the last five years coupled with lack of real control over inflation. But the speculative short-termism will give way to sustainable growth. The dream will be there, but the fantasy will be just that, fantasy. What I mean by that is that the growth will continue but will be tempered in the medium term, though still significant in comparison to developed economies. I think others may learn from some of the mistakes that Dubai has made along the way, but so long as it continues its policy of "nearly everything goes" and has the backing of the government, success is guaranteed. I don't think Dubai will become a "must be" location for businesses, but a lot of companies will find it difficult not to be there if operating globally. The tone of publicity has changed from unsure of the perceived predictions to realization that the drivers for growth do indeed exist. As far as legislation goes, some are concerned that the legal framework does not exist in a robust enough form to guarantee security of their capital, with the constant deferral of the enforcement of the property law a case in point. And, in the main, Dubai has delivered. But this decade will be known as the transition decade. In 2010 or 2015, Dubai will look back and say "This is what we set out to do -- did we get there?'" And I think we will look back positively. Perhaps the journey was not what we planned or intended, but we got there and reached most of our goals. Why do we feel the teething issues now? Well, Dubai is going from sand dune to global hub within a decade. That has never been done before, not in the way that Dubai is doing it.

What do you usually recommend for first-time visitors to Dubai, in terms of advice not generally found in guidebooks, etc.?
Strangely, I think the best thing to do is once you have seen the main attractions that Dubai has to offer, is to go see somewhere outside of the metropolis to put things into context: Check out the Blue Souk in Sharjah; go snorkeling in Dibba; experience the Hajjar mountains; drive down the Jebel Hafeet Road; and have tea at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. There is so much more to the UAE than just Dubai, but, of course Dubai is the heart of the action, and must-do's include the bus tour though the city and coast, coffee at the Burj al Arab, scouring the Souk at Madinat Jumeirah, as well as the sand-duning in the desert. Being able to ski (Ski Dubai) and sand surf on the same day is also something worth attempting.

What are your personal favorite venues in Dubai -- restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes, sights, or anything else?
There are just so many things to do. For me, Madinat Jumeirah and the Royal Mirage are great places to spend the afternoon and evening. Zheng He's at the Madinat is a great restaurant, but there are many many more, all over Dubai. The rooftop bar at the Royal Mirage, the Barasti Bar at Mina Seyahi, and Buddha Bar at the Grosvenor are all bars to chill out. For the hardcore clubbers there is the Peppermint Club at the Fairmont, but I prefer something a little low key such as the Blue Bar at the Novotel. The best places are the small restaurants that you find while walking through Karama or Mina Bazaar that will serve you Indian food at prices you just won't believe.

If there's one misperception you could correct about Dubai or the UAE, what would that be?
In light of recent events, I think it should be know that the UAE is completely anti-terrorism despite its geographical location. The UAE is one of the safest places in the world that is trying to create the ideal of Western ethic with Islamic values, thus developing a country that is completely different from anywhere else. It may not be to everyone's tastes, but before you criticize it, come see it -- and I am sure you will change any negative sentiments that you may have preconceived. The UAE is one of those hot-spot locations that everyone is talking about, and rightly so.

Grapeshisha [Official site]

Previously: Friday Suggestion Box: Dubai Edition, The World's Newest Skyscrapers, Drag Racing - It's Not Just for Americans Anymore, Grapeshisha: UAE & Dubai Resource, LUXE City Guides