It should be mentioned as well that there also are no political parties, no labor unions and no one has the vote. While foreigners find Dubai freewheeling, Islam is taken seriously by its own people. Mosques are found throughout the city, and the call to the faithful to prayer is heard five times a day. Islamic law is followed in affairs involving human relations. Cocktail lounges and discos are popular gathering spots in every international Dubai hotel.
Foreign residents buy their liquor at authorized retail shops.
Visitors come here expecting things to be like in Saudi Arabia where women can't drive, and you can't wear a short dress. They're really impressed with the restaurants , the shopping and the tours . There are some practical reasons for this progressive attitude toward outsiders. Dubai has oil , and for some years has enjoyed the benefits that came with having those revenues pour in. But the petroleum reserves are limited.