Concord
In coversation the topic of "best city" was discussed. My choice was New York (by a country mile). Someone actually compared Dubai to New York City - Fuggedabout it!
What say you?
easternjewel
erm only people who've been to both Dubai & new york Qualify to answer this :roll:
cadmus
new york is better than dubai...but not the best city un the world
sniper420
mmmmmmmm Dubai sucks @ss when it comes to weather......God damn when i was there I forgot to park my car in garage and i was parked in open hot sun, by the time i returned I saw my coke bottle inside the car exploded! and the cokes in Dubai has way too much gas in it.
Concord
Of course I think New York is better than Dubai. I also think it is a better place than Paris, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles (Dubai could be better than that), Amsterdan, Sydney, etc. etc.
MaaaD
The question of "best city" is a stupid one in my opinion. The best city for one person could be the worst nightmare for another and vice versa.
But its obvious that Dubai and New York are not in the same league to be compared. The population of NYC is double the population of the whole UAE...
Personally i dont like NYC, i prefer Boston or DC in the east coast.
constantine
dubai isnt in the same league as NY...but having said that...the lifestyles we lead in dubai...you'd have to be real rich to afford that in NY...does that compensate for central park/broadway plays/best pizza slice around the corner/grocers who are always cranky/little mexican resturants/amazing personalities...i could go on and on and NY...i cant imagine living there unless i earned shitloads of money....personally my best city in the world would be somewhere in spain...ONE thing common between NY and DUBAI are the clubs/bouncers/policies....they both think they own and control the world :lol:
xibit
i dont think new york and dubai are comparable
new york is 100 times better
arniegang
I have been to both and my opinion is clear
New York sucks
Dubai Rocks
end of.................
Concord
I note that constantine's profile picture is one of him standing in Times Square (NYC - if that is him). When I see someone on the forum putting up a profile picture of him or her standing on Sheik Zayed Road then maybe there is a grain of comparison. Till then...
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constantine
arnie...
sorry mate but really beg to differ...dubai is good...but NY is real and has a lot of history...and yes concord thats me...2005...it was an amazing trip...
arniegang
Cons
I suppose it depends on how you view NY, at the end of the day its down to personal choice.
The reasons i didnt like NY was mainly centred around the issue of safety and smoking. As you know the Yanks are totally obsessed with the political correctness of treating smokers like the have some kind of disease. Basically you cant smoke anywhere except the pavement, and it looks like they will shortly stop that as well.
On concerns of safety, the total number of "robberies" in NY exceed in one week that of the whole middle east in a whole year. It is not a safe city by anymeans, and the advice to all tourists is keep your wallet very close and watch out for the huge number of lunatics branding guns.
The shops are mediocre by any cities standards. Yes they have big dept stores, but so what. London has bigger and Dubai has better malls.
The food is crap, well brill if you like cheap fast food inc Burgers etc.
Just my opinion.
irish vanessa
Lived in Nu Yawk for a summer - 3 months of sunbathing on our roof, working till 6am bartending and living on champagne and jack daniels....great great time & love the city to pieces....
Dubia has yet to have the chance to impress me...but time will tell...
Summer is in the air in my fair city...im betting that the desert is reaching boiling point at this stage????
Happy day to all,
xxxx
veee
constantine
- arniegang wrote:
Cons
I suppose it depends on how you view NY, at the end of the day its down to personal choice.
The reasons i didnt like NY was mainly centred around the issue of safety and smoking. As you know the Yanks are totally obsessed with the political correctness of treating smokers like the have some kind of disease. Basically you cant smoke anywhere except the pavement, and it looks like they will shortly stop that as well.
On concerns of safety, the total number of "robberies" in NY exceed in one week that of the whole middle east in a whole year. It is not a safe city by anymeans, and the advice to all tourists is keep your wallet very close and watch out for the huge number of lunatics branding guns.
The shops are mediocre by any cities standards. Yes they have big dept stores, but so what. London has bigger and Dubai has better malls.
The food is crap, well brill if you like cheap fast food inc Burgers etc.
Just my opinion.
arnie
a city is more than stats and crime :P ....at the end of the day where would you come away with a satisfied mind and your curiosity being truely stimulated...NY!!...dont get me wrong...i love dubai...i think living standards wise we have it the best in dubai compared to NY...but cultural and intelectual point of view...no comparision...arts/plays/music/...man i'm almost tearing my hair out :lol: ....anyhou...food in dubai rocks!!...especially the indian and the paki ones...oh man!!...
arniegang
Quote:
- arnie
a city is more than stats and crime ....at the end of the day where would you come away with a satisfied mind and your curiosity being truely stimulated...NY!!...dont get me wrong...i love dubai...i think living standards wise we have it the best in dubai compared to NY...but cultural and intelectual point of view...no comparision...arts/plays/music/...man i'm almost tearing my hair out ....anyhou...food in dubai rocks!!...especially the indian and the paki ones...oh man!!...
totally agree with you Cons
But..... at the end of the day art and stuff doesn't float my boat in the least. All i want is SSSS
(prizes for guessing what SSSS is :lol: ) Brits Excluded from entering.
8)
constantine
shag shag shag shag???...i tried...wot is it then? :lol: :lol:
arniegang
Nope
good try though Cons
:lol: :lol:
Concord
Amazingly,
Although NYC has over 9 Million residents (excluding commuters) and its "infamy" for guns and crime, Dubai has a much higher per capita death rate resulting from violent death (5 times higher!). Just comparing (2005 statistics) the number of murders (and don't tell me there are none in Dubai as I read the papers) of 540 in NYC to the 236 vehicular deaths in Dubai (Gulf News 28-2-06) and 62 pedestrians killed in Dubai (Gulf News 23 April 2006) for a total of 298 violent deaths for a Dubai population of less than 1 Million (857,233)means that
you are more than five times as likely to die a violent death in Dubai than in New York C ity (go figure).
And don't tell me death of a motorist or pedestrian are not violent deaths.
arniegang
What a load of crap . Talk about creative statistics.
A violent death in a car in not the same as being shot for your wallet.
:roll: :roll:
GoodBai
I've got to say that for me New York is one of the truly great cities of the world. The first time of visiting I found it a jaw-dropping exprience, the buzz of the place. It is a city with so much to see and do and an awesome sight on the eye but more than that it has a soul and character about it that is rare to find. The people also have a character and soul about them that has, if anything, deepened since those murderous barstewards tried to rip the heart out of it by killing thousands of people going about their daily lives in the city they love.
New York rocks and, I'm afraid, Dubai, despite its confidence, vibrancy and inredible growth, can't hold a candle.
Concord
- arniegang wrote:
What a load of crap . Talk about creative statistics.
A violent death in a car in not the same as being shot for your wallet.
No one said it was, the point, not based on "creative statistics", is that you are more than five times likely to die a violent death (regardless of the comparison type) in Dubai that New York. Either way you woud be as DEAD as a doorknob.
Habibi
...comparing Dubai with New York ?
Personally, I think you either love the West or the East..and if you can't decide, then Dubai has a nice mixure of both.
I always enjoy the East better than going West. I love to experience a complete different culture, which you find going East straigth away.
By now, Europe is quite the same as the US. The US is just more overrated (still bigger cars, streets, burgers & steaks). I do like going to the US, also great people over there, but whenever I've got a chance to go East, I immidiately enter a different world.
I especially love Dubai for that, the Arabic culture, but not as enforced and it has a cool integration of the western culture.
But then again, maybe New York is not just like the US, it's a special community in itself, just like Amsterdam is not like Holland, it's more like a seperate country within the country.
My 2 cents..
Greetings
H.B.B
scarlet
It's not fair to compare unless you do so based on certain criteria
I have spent equal time in both cities and was blown away for different reasons in each
NY I found to be the most expensive city ever visited (even when on UK pounds) and a starbucks o every corner was off putting
Dubai I loved for it's glitz plus combination of clash of cultures (Bur Dubai etc) It seems more prounounced
NY has excellent "art" culture but Dubai has it's own culture (haven't you seen the ad campaign " as old as history itself"
In choosing the better city you could judge on:
Locals
Would you live there (as opposed to visit)
Food
Nightlife
Shopping
Ease of obtaining work
Liberty - Equality - Fraternity
Weather
Goodness you could get really nerdy and do a balanced scorecard on it. :lol: But realistically you can't decide like that. I'm from the Gold Coast (Aus) and think it's the best city in the world, but I'm ready to try something new
kanelli
I vote for Toronto or Montreal instead of New York or Dubai. :D
scarlet
Hey Kanelli - I saw you said that on another post :)
Concord
- scarlet wrote:
In choosing the better city you could judge on:
Locals
Would you live there (as opposed to visit)
Food
Nightlife
Shopping
Ease of obtaining work
Liberty - Equality - Fraternity
Weather
Here is a comparison that blows Dubai, Toronto and Montreal away.
"Locals". That is the beauty of New York everyone is a "local" (i.e. it takes anyone two weeks in NYC to think he/she owns the place and belongs there. That way everyone is a "local" no "royalty" for if you think you are "royalty" New Yorkers (whether there an entire lifetime or recent arrivals) will let you know you are not!!
"Would you live there as opposed to visit". In a New York second!
"Food" pick the cuisine and it is there (and there is a choice with each not just one restaurant for each type)
"Ease of obtaining work": the difficulty is obtaining a visa but this is not unlike Dubai (where like in NYC many work on visitors visas)
"Liberty - Equality - Fraternity": Perhaps the main reason NYC has no comparable city in the world.
"Weather": A city with 4 distinct seasons (Toronto and Montreal have Winter and a few warm days and the summer is about 3 days long, if you blink you miss it)
"Nightlife": There happens to be more to "nightlife" than clubs and arenas and NYC has it all including of course the clubs. But if you are not a clubber then, unlike Dubai, there is something for you too.
With respect to expenses, Dubai is ridiculous for what you get (though on average NYC is more expensive but it is NYC!). Hey a cup of instant (immediate) coffee in NZ is 3-4 Dollars!
So there,
shafique
I've spent time in NY and could easily get a job there. However I'm a recent expat am in Dubai with my family.
For me, the answer to the question NY or Dubai is obvious.. and I've voted with my feet.
The biggest con with NY is the violence... the stresses of the city combined with an insane view of the right to bear arms equalling the right to carry hand-guns is scary.
Dubai is not without its faults, but for quality of life, schooling and safety - I vote Dubai.
Just my 2 fils.
kanelli
Toronto and Montreal have 4 seasons as well, I don't know where you get the idea that there are no warm days in those cities! Summer temps can be 35 degrees in the shade. If you don't like winter that much, then Toronto is a better option. Montreal gets bloody freezing.
Toronto might come out on top because,
It is cleaner and safer than NYC (just don't go to Jane and Finch area ;))
Multicultural food and festivals all the time
Rocking night life
Canadians are generally very tolerant and easy-going people
Toronto is a friendly city, people help each other out
Excellent work prospects
The rents are cheaper than in NYC
Within an hour you can be in Muskoka (cottage country!) or other green areas, as well as the Niagara Region which is full of wineries, antique shops, golf courses, huge waterfalls, theatre and entertainment.
shafique
Kanelli, I have a few relatives who live in Toronto and we intend to visit one day.
Toronto has a lot going for it.. but the guaranteed snow and -20C temperatures in winter... brrrh... (but then again, I haven't experienced the summers here yet!)
:)
Concord
People watch too many movies and believe every one in NYC carries a gun or owns a gun. FYI, anyone carrying a gun witouth a license receives a MANDATORY sentence of one year in prison (more added depending of where and under what circumstances the gun was found). It is next to impossible for a private citizen to obtain a permit to carry gun in NYC.
shafique
Concord - I blame the media more than the movies. I was apalled at the daily reportings of shootings in NY (and Conneticut for that matter) when I visited.
And the stats speak for themselves.
I think no one would argue that in terms of personal and family/kid safety, Dubai comes off more favourably than NYC (in fact, I'd be hard pressed to think of a major city that doesn't... perhaps Baghdad? :) )
Concord
I was surprised to learn that new york is one of the safest "large" cities in the USA. Even "safety" has become a media hype. If enought people repeat something about a place then it becomes that. Prime example, mention "middle east" to most americans and guess what? An overwhelming majority (90% perhaps) associate it with: unrest, terrorism, bakcwardness, behadings (thanks to Iraq), etc. (Dubai not being part of it but most americans don't know that and with the DWP fiasco Dubai is still lumped together...).
shafique
Concord - safest large city makes me wonder what the others are like! :)
Bowling for Colombine had a great contrast of a Canadian city vs Detroit - literally across the the lake from each other, contrasting the number of gun related killings!
Just to do a quick reality check and to ensure I wasn't being brainwashed by Hollywood, I did a Google search and the following news article from just a few days ago cropped up:
/
"Menino said he met recently with a sixth-grade class in Boston in which nine out of 10 pupils said they knew where they could find a gun. The 73 homicides in Boston last year marked the highest number in 10 years, he said."
I know NYC is not Boston.... but I hazard a guess that there are more killings in NYC than Boston..?
Here in Dubai, I can't legally own a gun and I suspect no one in my daughter's school will know where they can lay their hands on a gun.
But hey, perhaps NYC is safer.. Dubai is sunnier. :)
cheers,
Shafique
GoodBai
On my visits to New York the one thing I have always felt is safe. High-visibility policing and zero tolerance seem to work. Of course it has warts, doesn't any city, but the place has so much style and such a buzz about it that the wow factor grips most people who visit.
As a bloke, you don't get accosted by prostitutes on a night out as much in NYC as opposed to Dubai, it has real shopping, art and culture as opposed to the kitsch of Dubai and, as far as I am aware, New York doesn't have gigantic slave labour camps in the area or a big people trafficking trade.
Dubai, which has grown up at an incredible rate, has its worth with great opportunities, less crime and the chance to rake in the bucks in the sunshine but, as a city, it's not in the same league, in my book.
scarlet
Quote:
- New York doesn't have gigantic slave labour camps in the area or a big people trafficking trade.
No NY just off-shores their slave labour. Out of sight out of mind
Nucleus
Both cities have their charm, but I prefer Dubai. I like the beach here.
Concord
- scarlet wrote:
Quote:
- New York doesn't have gigantic slave labour camps in the area or a big people trafficking trade.
No NY just off-shores their slave labour. Out of sight out of mind
Scarlet,
Did you finish the joint yet? What the hell are you talking about?
redbullny
I've lived in Dubai for about 20 yrs and been in NY for 4 yrs.
and its a really simple equation = Dubai sucks b@lls.
Speak of terrorism, Dubai is way more corrupt than NY. You can get away with anything if you got the contacts. Not in NY. Dubai just does a good job in hiding it from the public eye. but once you live here for a dame long time and get to know ppl workin in police, immigration, dubai govt = you'll know exactly what really goes on here.
New York has become a very safe place over the past 10 yrs thanks to its previous mayor.
NY is more expensive, but it's pretty easy to find a decent paying job. Dubai...4gettaboutiT. In terms of salary : expense ratio = NY is cheaper.
Discrimination: Im Indian. I've never had a problem making friends with americans (italians, hispanic) or even dating them. And no they werent hoes, even though some of them were as hot as the supermodels over here but down to earth and real ppl. When it comes to working: I get paid for what I'm worth and not for the color of my skin.
Social life : NY rules period. Ppl are real not like the glass fish here in DXB.
Freedom: no1 understands that concept here in dubai.
I can write a whole freakin book on NY vs DXB but its really pointless. Gettin back to the main point of this thread, yeh I absolutely feel that NYC is the best city in the world. Its real, got ppl from every corner of the globe, has all 4 seasons, has 1 of the best clubs and one of the best places to make money (i think).
Finally, I just cant wait to get back to NY coz im tired of the 2 inch mentality that Dubai lives on.
GoodBai
What I find about Dubai is not may people refer to it with what I would call real affection. They like the opportunities and the lifestyle under the sun (for part of the year) but there doesn't seem to be a great deal of genuine warmth for the place. The words "fake" and "bubble" are used quite a lot. You'll find a lot of warmth and affection for New York and an almost fierce loyalty for the place.
constantine
- GoodBai wrote:
What I find about Dubai is not may people refer to it with what I would call real affection. They like the opportunities and the lifestyle under the sun (for part of the year) but there doesn't seem to be a great deal of genuine warmth for the place. The words "fake" and "bubble" are used quite a lot. You'll find a lot of warmth and affection for New York and an almost fierce loyalty for the place.
goodbai
very valid point...i think becoz NY is an old city...with a lot of history...now i am not saying i advocate whats happening in the US today...but NY is and has always been a cultural icon and bench mark for other urban megacities to follow...where else could you soak in all kinds of different influences in the span of a day...the more i remember my trip...the more fond i grow of the times i had there...
Majestic
Every city in the world has its own appeal. NYC and Dubai are totally different, but both have advantages and disadvantages.
A64Venice
- MaaaD wrote:
The question of "best city" is a stupid one in my opinion. The best city for one person could be the worst nightmare for another and vice versa.
But its obvious that Dubai and New York are not in the same league to be compared. The population of NYC is double the population of the whole UAE...
Personally i dont like NYC, i prefer Boston or DC in the east coast.
I agree with Maad, this is like comparing apples and oranges. In my opinion I liked London over NYC. I guess it is because I have lived in NYC and I was touring London. Sometimes when you live in a place for too long you tend to get bored of it.
leelola
New York is amazing if you have the patience for it. There is so much to see and it seems like it is neverending. There is a great variety of cultures all mixed into one and the fashion scene is phenomenal!
Princess Banana Hammock
Having been to New York (my close friends live there), having lived in London and now living in Dubai, each has their own individual charms.
I couldn't say which was my favourite City as they are all so close. I have a genuine love for London, being home. I liked New York, but I think I love the idea of NYC and not for the actual place. I didn't get the buzz walking through times square like I do walking down Oxford St, even though I'd walked down Oxford St a thousand times.
Dubai is a new city and it's history and culture will, within time. flourish. However, it is a fascinating place. And everywhere has to start somewhere. New Yorks Skyscrapers haven't been there since the beginning of time. There are many things to discover here and I know I feel lucky to be here...
Wonderwoman
- Concord wrote:
- scarlet wrote:
Quote:
- New York doesn't have gigantic slave labour camps in the area or a big people trafficking trade.
No NY just off-shores their slave labour. Out of sight out of mind
Scarlet,
Did you finish the joint yet? What the hell are you talking about?
I think scarlet was referring to the fact that most US companies manufacture products using cheap labour out in asia.
The point being that although people find the treatment and use of cheap labour in the M.E. shocking, it's not like Europe and America don't also exploit such labour - just not on their doorstep.
Back to the topic of this thread. NY is pretty cool - but I could never live there. I'd choose London or Dubai over the US anyday.