tall big structures, nice looking hotel at the edge of the palm, but nothing feels organic and everything is safe, very safe, primarily because workers and poor can't afford to live there so they live in the another emirate.
Tbh the old town is nothing impressive either, plus i don't think you meet locals there
Take a look at those areas I referred to in my previous comment and you'll see that your image of Dubai is but one part of the wider picture. Ask yourself if the West End and the City are all of London or if Beverly Hills is all of LA?
Plenty of people live in Karama and Bur Dubai (i.e. not in Sharjah), for example, who are not especially rich - those parts of Dubai are in fact the oldest and most populous parts of Dubai! Visit those places - don't just go to the usual tourist traps of the Palm, the Marina, and Downtown!
been to old dubai, it s basically touristy, has an unhealthy obsession with gold jewellery, and i m not sure if the people there are locals or know local traditions.
my guess is , if there s going to be something culturally interesting arising near dubai, it will arise in sharjah where immigrants live
Tbh the old town is nothing impressive either, plus i don't think you meet locals there
What is meaningful about this?