Spirit of the Union

It’s been quiet around these parts as I’ve wrapped up the Month of Gubbi and prepared to start my new job, but I couldn’t let UAE National Day - my favorite local holiday in Dubai - come and go without a mention.

National Day is always a hoot, but given that this December 2nd was the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, the powers that be pulled out allllllllll the stops - including the creation of a fancy-schmancy National Day logo depicting the founding sheikhs of the seven emirates that comprise the UAE, as well as an official National Day motto, “SPIRIT OF THE UNION.”

This logo has been errrrrrywhere over the past few weeks, but fittingly I took a picture of it displayed at a local gas station. Proud ~~of oil~~ to be Emirati, indeed!

(And yes, only in the UAE would there be debate over how you spell the name of your own nationality in English. You say Emarati, I say Emirati…)

When I tell you the logo has been everywhere, please understand that I’m not exaggerating.

Coffee shop specials? Check.

Work telephones? Check.

Car windows? Check.

Although to really do it up properly Emirati-style, it helps if you’re slapping the logo all over a $500,000 car.

I know it’s a blurry picture so you’ll have to take me at my word - but that, my dear friends, is a Bentley with National Day propaganda foiled all up over it. Because honestly, if you have a half a million bucks to spend on a set of wheels, why not cover your ride in celebration of the country that gave you your riches?!

Frankly though, I like it when people get away from the party line and show patriotism in their own ways, like this festive display:

Creative use of apostrophes is also a fitting tribute to the union, ‘cause God knows they love misusing ‘em in these parts.

For the twelve-thousandth time, people! It’s = “it is” and its = possessive! I’d be happy to do the proofreading for all official English-language communications in Dubai if only someone would give me the call… HELP ME HELP YOU.

But my favorite display of patriotism this year goes to the Fairmont Dubai, which spent the past couple weeks painting a gigantic mural of the seven current sheikhs - not to be confused with the seven founding sheikhs in the logo above - that is visible from my bedroom window: