UAE VIP

The concept of VIP in Dubai is a bit different here than in other places. Obviously all the run-of-the-mill celebrities and rich businessmen from all over the world that roll through get the usual attention, but there is another group of people in Dubai that are treated with as much, if not more, reverance and respect.

The local emiratis, in many cases families and descendants of sheikhs, have the money and social prestige that is centuries old, and often it's the little things that show you how much they are catered to but in a more automatic way. Though many of them don't really buy into all the hype that everyone else does, if they do decide to try out some of the luxury hotels, restaurants, etc., they get the best from start to finish. They always get the valet to park their Ferrari, Mercedes, Range Rover, etc., and get the best parking spots. They are always the first ones to be waited on or attended to in any store or restaurant. They get the coveted reservation spots, the best tables, the best quality everything.

Their status is very much reflected in their appearance, which is why they wear their traditional dress everywhere--it actually helps to distinguish them from "the rest", i.e. many of the people who have flocked to Dubai who have crowded, sullied, and complicated the locals' world. Their disdashas and abayas are always ironed and clean, the men have immaculately groomed facial hair, the women wear tons of makeup and wear designer shoes and carry designer handbags that cost thousands of dollars. Many of them wear designer clothes underneath their black cloaks/dresses.

As I've mentioned a few times, one of the curious showcases of wealth and status is how low a number one has on one's license plate. So, for example, the Dubai plate with just '1' is the ruling Sheikh of Dubai's car. Anything under 200 or so is pretty legit, but 3-digit plates get preferential treatment for the most part, since it means that the person shelled out a sizable sum for a piece of metal stamped with a low number.

Imagine my surprise when I went to the mall the other day and parked next to this gem:


Talk about a celebrity siting--and I didn't even have to see the actual person to know that it was a VIP. I'd say anything under 100 is ultra-VIP. Speaking of which, I saw '6' at the mall yesterday, and was shocked that it was affixed to a BMW X5, since you'd think with that kind of leverage, it'd be an even more outrageous car. Go figure.