(Taken in June 2009, as viewed from Atlantis; Grannies holding hands while walking)
I’m not sure if the sheiks believe in numerology or maybe it was purely coincidental, but Dubai Metro train was formally opened to public on September 9, 2009. The first ever trip even boarded at 9:09:09 A.M., with Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as one of the first passengers.
When we were visiting Atlantis last June, we saw the dry-run being done for the launch of the Dubai Metro. Personally, I was hesitant at the thought of being among its first passengers. Unless I want to be part of history… being one of the first 100 passengers is good to imagine, you know what I mean. 😉
Though I’ve been in the MRT of the Philippines not more than 10 times before coming here, I still miss the sight (and noise) of it. During one of my last rides, we even had a photo in Ayala Station.
I think my hesitation to ride the Manila trains emanated from my first try when I was a freshman in college. It was not yet gender coded that time and I had to travel with a classmate going south. We took the train to save time and as we got off, I was already physically out but my bag was still in. So much ala-sardines style.
But aside from that kind of train showcased in Before Sunrise, I enjoyed each ride in Hong Kong’s MTR.
(Can we please have trains like this?)
I find their railway system so efficient and tourist friendly. The octopus card is very helpful, as you can use it, too, to ride the buses. The same ticketing is adopted by Dubai Metro.
(During the launch of Dubai Metro)
I’ve been reading related news to Dubai Metro’s launch and nothing much have changed as to passengers’ take. Most of them tried it to see a view of Dubai from the train and for fun (i.e., to take videos and photos although prohibited, nothing can stop the excited people). I even heard a Filipino taking pride in being one of the first passengers. Also, he rode just to test the waters. In fact, in the recent survey, majority of the people are not (yet) that willing to embrace the system as a transportation staple.
The hesitation and the glitches, are of course, normal. It must be the same situation when any other country was launching its first ever airplane. It’s like seeing a newborn baby taking his first few steps – very careful but vulnerable. But once it becomes a picture of reliability, things would normalize. Right now, the nicest after effect of the launch is that strangers-passengers started to talk to each other. As you probably know, that’s remote in this part of the world.
And guess who’s one of the train officers?
Hence, passengers are in good hands. 😉
Note: Photos without watermark are sourced from The National.
0 thoughts on “When the train is new”
dyanie
ay bakit mas marami ang “no” sa poll? ayaw nila ng train? woohoo! ayan, may pic ka na naman sa posty hehehe! 😛
btw, sino yung train officer?
.-= dyanie´s last blog ..It feels soooo ME (lately) =-.
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witsandnuts
People are still hesitant to ride because the train is still new. The guy in the last picture is a Filipino. I don’t know his name.
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Amelia
that was nice…hearing a new public transpo in Dubai. heard from a friend if wala ka car ang hirap bumyahe….
.-= Amelia´s last blog ..He’s Sick =-.
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witsandnuts
The current traffic situation in Dubai is bad. It’s advisable to get a car if one’s based there. But there are too many cars already.
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dong ho
i particularly like the mickey mouse windows!
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witsandnuts
That’s a connecting train from the Disney station to the Disneyland itself. It’s so cute inside it. I’ll try to blog about that some other time. 😉
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upto6only
train yung nasa first photo. parang hindi train ang itsura. and galing ng timing puro 9 baka pina fung shui sya.
.-= upto6only´s last blog ..PHOTOHUNT: Electric =-.
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witsandnuts
Yep, that’s a train. Yung sa second photo naka zoom na yun. 🙂
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nhemskie
/Personally, I was hesitant at the thought of being among its first passengers. Unless I want to be part of history… /
I’d be hesitant too like you, I suddenly thought of Titanic kasi…LOL! Have a nice day~
.-= nhemskie´s last blog ..The Woes of a Filipino English Teacher =-.
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witsandnuts
It’s a scary thought ‘no? I remember some people were saying that they’ll only ride in that train after a year. Para it’s fully tested na. 😉
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sheng
Lovely train, the one with Mickey windows… I haven’t rode a train yet in my entire life, perhaps MRt when in Manila, soon.
.-= sheng´s last blog ..Krispy Kreme, Finally! =-.
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witsandnuts
Try it, Sheng. Pero dapat hindi during rush hour para hindi ganong siksikan.
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kg
wow…mukhang napagplanuhan ng husto: 9-9-09 at 9:09? grabe ha!
i love the metro. lalo na sa ibang bansa. so efficient and so easy to use! 🙂
.-= kg´s last blog ..Europe post cards: epilogue =-.
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witsandnuts
Did you get to see Before Sunrise? Gusto kong masubukan sumakay sa ganung train!
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Rico
I think the Philippines is trying to imitate HK’s octopus card. Currently you can buy a card that can be used in LRTs and MRTs. Yung sa mga buses mukhang matagal pa.
.-= Rico´s last blog ..ang sofa, baw =-.
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witsandnuts
Medyo mahirap isynchronized yung ticketing sa buses at trains dyan sa atin. They need to invest for an efficient ticketing system.
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lawstude
ang linis at ang gandang tingnan. sana meron din sa pinas nyan 🙂
.-= lawstude´s last blog ..Malico Pine Forest =-.
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witsandnuts
Malinis pa sya kase bago pa sya. Para tuloy gusto ko masubukan na agad sumakay. Baka kase after ilang months eh mabantot na. Heehee.
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fortuitous faery
shiny new train! yay!~
the windows of the shuttle train i rode at disney world in orlando didn’t have the same mickey mouse shape, just mickey mouse window decals!
.-= fortuitous faery´s last blog ..Vintage Soup Mug Love at First Sight =-.
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witsandnuts
I checked the post. The decals are also cute!
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Daphne
I read somewhere that the trains are ‘driverless’ so how come they have a train officer? What is his task?
.-= Daphne´s last blog ..Jack Bauer =-.
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witsandnuts
Yes, the trains are driverless. But the officers are there to oversee the operations.
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Photo Cache
mukhang ang shiny shiny at ang bango bango bagong bago pa kasi.
.-= Photo Cache´s last blog ..If I could Tell the Story in Words =-.
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witsandnuts
I doubt it would be like that by end of the year. Depende rin sa amoy ng magiging mga pasahero. 😉
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onyxx
do people over there think highly of the number 9 (like it’s a lucky number or something?). for the chinese, of course, it’s 8. or maybe they just like the symmetry of it 🙂
.-= onyxx´s last blog ..kanye west does it again! =-.
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