The Dubai Dress Code

For evening prayers, the entire Dubai airport is filled with muezzin singing from Bang&Olufsen loudspeakers. Fully veiled women and scantily clad New Arabs go to prayer. While the eternally yesterday at home consider a national referendum necessary for even the most modest mosque, here in the airport prayer room even non-believers are welcome – at least in the men’s area, but even barefoot.

I have seven hours to spare. After a cigarette at 8 o’clock in the evening, still a good 40°C, I am perfectly prepared in terms of perspiration for a classy dinner in the panorama restaurant of the Burj al Arab. If there is any “inappropriate” here, then I should fulfil it perfectly with my backpack and my 18-hour-old travel clothes. (more…)