There are lots of reasons to travel by Dubai's Metro: cheaper than owning a car, no traffic hassle, better for the environment...
All valid reasons, but I bet you the one I'm about to give you doesn't figure on the conventional list: brush up on your Arabic.
Having spent the first few years of my life in this city, you'd think I'd be fluent. Think again. Salam walaikum. Walaikum as-salaam. Kaka is cake. I know my numbers till 10 (ashra). Those words were the extent of my knowledge.
Here's what I've learned so far because of the Metro:
Etihad is union
Abraj (singular-burj) is towers
Al kadima is the station
Almaliya is financial
Khaleej can be either gulf or bay
Alawal is first (Bank ulkhaleej alawal = First Gulf Bank)
Abouab is doors
Murkuz is centre (as in World Trade or Financial)
Madina is city (Dubai Internet, Dubai Healthcare)
Altijariya is business or trade. Which makes Alkhaleej altijariya... Business Bay!
If you can't read the script- no worries! Listen to the pronunciation and learn the words anyway!
Puzzles- you gotta love 'em.
Languages are puzzles. Train scheduling must be a puzzle.
But if you manage to put the pieces together correctly, you have something shiny and new to travel to unknown worlds in. Happy journeys!
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