There was not one dilapidated building to cross my path and not one unsightly vehicle. There are standards to be upheld, apparently. Dubai has certainly maintained its aesthetic standards, partly because it is not an outdoorsy city. Not a single used tissue or gum wrapper can be found tucked in the crevices of the sidewalks. No one walks.
Life takes place in offices, movie theatres, nightclubs, hotels and shopping centres.
In the winter, some outdoor activities do take place. A group of friends will hop in a jeep and head for the desert, or go snorkeling at one of the many beaches lining the coast. The population is largely foreign, with some expatriates born in Dubai having never known any other home. But such a tiny minority are they that expatriate dwellers hardly have encounters with them. Much like its more primitive counterpart, the souq, the mall is a common hangout for people of all walks of life.