Thread by @AlexAndBooks_

I'm American.

I recently visited Dubai for the first time in my life.

I was stunned by the city.

10 things that surprised me the most:

1) Dubai's buildings are insane (in a good way).

I thought the buildings in NYC were impressive until I visited Dubai.

They have some of the most unique structures in the world, such as the largest frame building and tallest skyscraper...

all built in the middle of a desert.

2) Deserts are as beautiful as they are scary.

It's nothing but sand for miles and miles.

No trees or water.

Yet it's gorgeous to look at.

Riding ATVs in the desert and watching the sunset is a must-do life activity.

3) It feels like everyone is rich.

I saw more Lamborghinis and Ferraris in 1 day in Dubai than in 1 year in NYC.

There are also real estate agents selling million-dollar apartments everywhere you go (malls, airports, etc).

And countless high-end stores and restaurants.

4) When everyone is rich, people invent new ways to look richer.

Since luxury cars are common in Dubai, people flex their wealth with license plates.

The lower the number the wealthier they are.

Ex: The license plate 5 sold for $9 million (which is more than the cost of the car it's on).

5) The government moves fast.

A week before I visited, Dubai experienced 75 years worth of rain in 2 days which caused massive flooding.

So the government directed all city workers to help with cleaning and repairing the city.

48 hours later there were almost no signs that a flood had happened and our trip worked out perfectly.

6) Don't give a thumbs up or yawn in public.

Giving someone a thumbs-up in Dubai is the equivalent of giving someone the middle finger.

You also want to cover your mouth when you yawn to be polite but also to prevent spirits from entering your body.

7) Big cities can be clean and safe.

I rarely saw any public trash cans in Dubai, yet there was no trash on the streets, sidewalks, or beaches.

I was also surprised to see that there were no homeless people or even dog poop anywhere.

It felt incredibly safe even late at night.

8) People are respectful and polite.

When we went to the main square, there were no aggressive street merchants or salespeople.

When we went to the beach, there was no loud music playing.

When we asked for directions people we always happy to help.

9) Cities with limited alcohol are the future.

It's refreshing to be in a big city that doesn't have loud bars or drunk people everywhere at night.

Another positive of less drinking is less violence, less crime, and fewer drunk drivers.

I wish more cities limited alcohol use.

10) Humans can build anything.

Dubai has built multiple islands including one in the shape of a literal palm tree.

They've also built the largest mall, hotel tower, aquarium, flower garden, and airport in the world.

It's incredible to see what humans are capable of building.