It's really amazing that every type of food is available in this country, which has some of the finest restaurants in the world (Challenge the plate: 16 unique dishes to try in the UAE, January 19). However, this is not entirely surprising as more than 200 nationalities live here, while millions of people from all over the world visit this country. They influence its sophisticated and innovative food culture.
In recent years, celebrity chefs have launched a variety of fashionable restaurants in the UAE’s five-star hotels. The most notable include Gary Rhodes, Vineet Bhatia, Marco Pierre White, Nobu Matsuhisa, Yannick Alleno and Pierre Gagnaire.
I am a seafood lover and I find a great selection of local specialities. I can also get freshly flown-in cod, salmon, mussels, king crab and monkfish from Norway. Why should I miss home?
Siv Hartvigsen, Dubai
Charlie Hebdo’s sick cartoon
One of the worst things humans can do is misuse freedom (Drowned Syrian toddler's father cried over Charlie Hebdo cartoon, January 18).
Only a sick mind can think that the innocent child would have grown up to be a sex offender and justifying his unfortunate death as something that worked out in humanity’s favour.
The opinion of the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo about people who are different from them is as absolute as terrorists’ opinion about non-believers.
I sympathise with Aylan Kurdi’s family.
Aaron Antonio Pinto, Dubai
One year ago Charlie Hebdo’s team felt the blow of death.
I hope they are human. So, what was the goal of this drawing? What message did they plan to give?
Didier Coenraets, Dubai
How do children get drugs?
How do drugs get in this country (Children as young as 10 are experimenting with drugs, experts say, January 15)? One thing I have always been proud to share with family and friends back home is about how diligent the policing is here. So how come there is such a huge problem?
Name withheld by request
Getting a car is a terrifying idea
With reference to your editorial The human cost on our roads (January 18), I am terrified of the idea of getting a car here. I regularly see questions on Twitter that are quite disturbing. For example, people ask: "How much over the speed limit can I go without setting off the cameras?" "How do I dispute a fine as I was only driving 19 kph over the limit?" and "Can anyone tell me if this speed camera is still switched off for roadwork?"
The point of speed limits isn’t to go as fast as you possibly can; it’s to indicate that anything over that limit is not at all safe.
Ela Jayne, Dubai
UAE’s policy is perfect
This refers to Alan Philps's opinion article, Will the migrant crisis spell doom for the EU? (January 14). One year ago during a high-level meeting in the UAE, I was asked why Europe – Italy in particular – was accepting immigrants without any plan in place.
This is all about preserving values and principles. Migration has become a problem and the solution is not an “open-door” policy. Just look at France. The solution lies in extending every possible help to the people in distress. That’s what the UAE is doing.
Respect for others and religious tolerance have nothing to do with immigration.
Roberto Gallo, Dubai
