For the uninitiated, Dubai conjures up images of 5-star opulence, shiny skyscrapers, designer shopping and vast stretches of desert extending as far as the eye can see. And the reality isn’t too far off …

For the uninitiated, Dubai conjures up images of 5-star opulence, shiny skyscrapers, designer shopping and vast stretches of desert extending as far as the eye can see. And the reality isn’t too far off …