Dubai is somewhere that may already seem familiar. In the age of globalization and rapidly transferred information, it's all too easy to think that you know all there is to know about a city thousands of miles away. However, although it's easier than ever before to obtain accurate information, this is also the age of myth and rumor, and Dubai is the subject of many misconceptions, some more major than others.

For example, if you think that a place surrounded by desert is going to be inhabited by people riding camels, you will be surprised to see a proliferation of 4x4s and a modern road network. And many people have heard the horror stories about being served sheep's eyeballs in restaurants. Yes, sheep's eyeballs were a traditional delicacy for Middle Eastern nomads, but in Dubai you will find a choice of eateries to rival that of any modern, multicultural city, and you're more likely to find a good curry than anything to make you squeamish.

Oddly enough, the more outlandish the tale about Dubai, the more likely it is to be true. Stories about the landmark hotel, the Burj al Arab, having real gold leaf in its d