Living A Dream

One of the things on our "things to do before we die" list was to go see the Burj Al Arab. Officially a 5 star hotel - unofficially a 7 star hotel. It has become an icon of Dubai - much like the Opera House in Sydney or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - not least because it is built on an artificial island of reclaimed land and is a really impressing structure.

Staying at the hotel is not for everyone - the hotel only has suites and the smallest one is 170 square meters (1,830 sq.ft) spread over 2 floors and includes a living room with lounge, dining room, private bar, guest bathroom, dressing room, bedroom and luxury bathroom with jacuzzi.

From this humble suite it advances upwards until the Royal Suite: 780 square meters (8,396 sq.ft) of luxury - with private elevator, private cinema, dining area, reception lounge, library, master bedroom (apparently with a rotating bed?), marble bathrooms with spa bath and walk-in showers - and probably a handful of private butlers to answer to your every need. Check out pictures from their suites here: Burj Al Arab suites

Rates start at around AED 6,490 per night ($1,766/€ 1,283/Kr. 9.548) - and that's before the 10% municipality fee and the 10% service charge... The rate for the Royal Suite is not available - but I guess that if you need to ask what it costs, you won't be able to afford it!

Another way to experience the Burj Al Arab from the inside is to have an afternoon tea there - certainly much cheaper than staying overnight!! So that's what we decided to do on Saturday afternoon (March 6).

At the causeway leading to the island the Burj Al Arab stands on, there is a checkpoint beyond which people are only allowed if they can present a hotel key or a reservation number for one of the restaurants (you don't just show up here - everything is pre-booked). Once we were let through this is how the Burj Al Arab presented itself on a warm and sunny day:


(Burj Al Arab past the main gate)

As you can see on the picture it's a short walk up to the hotel. Of course people staying there would not be seen walking - they would be driven in golf carts or have their Rolls Royces with chauffeurs drive them all the way to the hotel entrance but we didn't mind the walk.


(Reflections of the white sandy beach, the turquoise sea and palm trees in the facade of the Burj Al Arab)

At 321 meters (1,053Ft) it's really impressive once you come up close:



As you enter the lobby there is a really nice fountain:


(Fountain at the entrance)

There are then escalators leading up to the Sahn Eddar lobby on the first floor where we had our afternoon tea (the picture is taken from there):


(The fountain and escalators seen from the Sahn Eddar lobby)

We got a really nice table by the window - overlooking the causeway and sandy beach to the one side - and the impressive atrium lobby to the other side:


(View of the atrium lobby - as seen from our table)

In those beautiful surroundings - and with outstanding service - it is difficult not to feel a little bit special.

The food was excellent too (you would expect nothing less from a place like this) - with a 7 course afternoon tea menu (who ever heard of that? 7 courses?) starting with yummy sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres and a glass of bubbly:


(First and second serving - yummy!)

Every little detail is thought of - the silver stand is shaped like the Burj Al Arab itself and has cinnamon, sugar, lime, mint, honey and whatever else you would dream of adding to your tea:


(Tea condiments - something for every taste)


(Bubbly on the house)


(Close up of a few remaining sandwiches)

After the sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres it was time for some kind of veal Wellington-style - it was sooo tender I could've chewed it with my eye lashes:


(The Chef carving our next dish)

There was a strawberry sorbet in between and then it was time for an all-time afternoon tea classic: English scones with clotted cream and jam:


(Scones, clotted cream and jam on a silver tray shaped like the Burj Al Arab)

Every detail is gorgeous - like the fresh flowers:





(View from our table - one of our waitresses, the champagne cooler and carving station)


(Reflections in the glass)

You have to imagine, of course, the live music being played in the background - first by an Arabic band with traditional instruments and later by a pianist.

Then it was on to fruit salad and different cakes (from a selection on a tray - of course you need to have choices):


(Fruit salad and cakes)


(Yummy profiterole-style cake with orange filling)

And last but not least:


(Final serving - chocolate covered strawberry, truffles, cookie, nougat and a lemon meringue)

And of course there is gold on the strawberry - it is after all a 7 star place :)


(White chocolate covered strawberry wit gold)

As you can imagine, this is a place where saying no to a customer is a mortal sin and we decided to take advantage of that and ask if we could go upstairs to the top floor Sky View Bar for an after-tea drink. As with all food and beverage outlets you need to have a reservation to get in - but they decided that we could go up and have a bar table (which was just as good as any other table). So we decided to go all-in now that we were there and try out the bar as well.

That was also a good way to get to walk around the hotel a bit:


(Gold and red: the outside of another hotel restaurant located on the first floor)


(Gold and red: the reception of that other hotel restaurant located on the first floor)

And another fountain, of course:


(First floor fountain)


(First floor fountain)

It is quite overwhelming to look up into the atrium - it is so tall:


(Looking up: the atrium with the front of the hotel and the rooms on the left)


(Looking up at the hotel rooms)

The architecture is quite impressive:


(Close up of the hotel room entrances, seen from the atrium lobby)



(Close up of the hotel room entrances, seen from the atrium lobby - the man to the right gives you an idea of the dimensions)

Certainly they did not chose the cheap options when they built this place - it's gold all around (whether it's all real I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised).


(From close to the lifts going up to the Sky View Bar)

Even the doors of the lifts:


(Golden lift doors)

And it sure must keep a lot of employees busy polishing:


(Reflections of a palm in the spotless wall panels/mirrors)

Anyway, we reached the Sky View Bar:


(The Sky View Bar, Burj Al Arab)

We had some of the best cocktails we have ever had (from an impressive drinks list that made it hard to choose). Apparently this first one won an award in an international bartender competition - and it's no wonder. The guy who came up with it still works at the Sky View Bar and was happy to hear that we liked it :)

(Pearl Thyme - a concoction including jasmine pearl tea, fresh thyme and vanilla - it sounds strange but it was outstanding!)


(And of course their signature drink - a Burj Royal consisting of champagne and fresh berries with a pod of vanilla to stir)



The Sky View Bar did not get its name without a reason - it offers excellent views of the world below (the pictures are blueish because most windows are polarized to keep the sun out):


(View of the beach and houses below, Jumeirah area)


(View of the Jumeirah Beach Resort hotel and its marina below - it's owned by the same group - the Jumeirah Group - that owns the Burj Al Arab and other luxury hotels)

Although the view is nice, it is just as nice to see the details of the interior of the bar:


(The ceiling in blue and green)


(The world upside down :) - ceiling reflections of the bar)


(The ceiling reflected on the wall)


(I doubt that anyone ever gets a bill like this - but at least it proves we were really there)


(Details from the entrance of the Sky View Bar - looks like something that was hot in the 1980's)

After we left the bar we took a peek inside their famous seafood restaurant (which we did not try as we were still completely full). It's an amazing aquarium wall that you're sitting next to while eating some of their friends...


(The seafood restaurant, Burj Al Arab, from the entrance)


(Giant Arabian teapot in the lobby)


(A reflection of the Burj Al Arab right outside the entrance)

And here are the hotel cars (to pick up VIPs or those that book more than 3 nights, I believe - but then you can choose between the Rolls Royce and a helicopter for your airport transfer...):


(Hotel car)


(Guest must have a choice - also of color - so it comes in black as well)


(And for the younger clientele)

I know I said earlier that people staying at the hotel don't walk - well, there are always exceptions. Like this guy who was walking around on the causeway outside the hotel in his hotel robe (maybe to show off?). But if you can afford to stay there, no one is probably going to comment on whether you decide to walk around outside in your robe...


(Walking around in his white hotel bath robe...)

The beaches next to the hotel are really nice:


(Beachside, in front of Jumeirah Beach Resort hotel)

And they have beautifully green and lush gardens:


(The garden of the Jumeirah Beach Resort - unusual to see so much green in this part of the world which is full of sand)

...With some exotic-looking bird:


(Bird in the garden of Jumeirah Beach Resort)

To digest, we walked to the nearby Souq Madinat - a newly-built souq area that is built in traditional style but with more upscale shops, restaurants, bars and another hotel. There is a nice view of the Burj Al Arab from there - and you can actually see the Sky View Bar - it is in that free floating horizontal 'finger' pointing out from the top (on the left hand side next to the helicopter platform).


(View of the Burj Al Arab from Souq Madinat)


(Traditional wind tower architecture on the Souq Madinat)


(Inside Souq Madinat)


(Inside Souq Madinat)


(Al fresco dining in Souq Madinat)


(Inside the Souq Madinat)

I know it is next to impossible to capture the atmosphere of a place in a photo but going to the Burj Al Arab truly was a magical experience that I can highly recommend - even if the pictures don't do it justice. Now there is one more thing we can cross off our list - although K claims that he wants to go back and try to stay overnight. Maybe if we inherit an oil well from an unknown Kuwaiti uncle, we'll do that...

Dubai - Heaven On Earth or Hell In The Making?

After 9 days in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates I think I understand why many Arabs, Muslims and indeed nations frown upon Dubai and the direction it is taking - and why an equal number of foreigners - and perhaps particularly Western expatriates - absolutely love the place.

I guess most people know that Dubai has undergone a tremendous development from being a relatively small city surrounded by a huge desert to now being an ultra-modern city with islands built on reclaimed land and high rises stretching far into what used to be desert. Apparently the oil is estimated to run out within the next 100 years or so and Dubai has put incredible sums into turning their city into a tourist destination to secure future income. (By the way, don't get confused - Dubai is one of the 7 emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates but it is also the name of the capital of the emirate, i.e. Dubai City).

And when they do something they do it to the fullest: Dubai currently has the world's tallest building (the Burj Khalifa standing 828m (2,717ft) tall), the world's biggest mall (Dubai Mall), the biggest fountains in the world (Dubai Fountains in front of Dubai Mall), the first metro system on the Arabian Peninsula, the world's only unofficial 7 star hotel and one of the most expensive hotels in the world (Burj Al Arab) built on an artificial island of reclaimed land. And the list goes on...

So what's wrong with this? Well, for starters people who have lived there for years complain that the developments are happening way too fast, that much of 'good old Dubai' is gone and the place is full of modern high rise buildings, that everyday the road system changes and everywhere seems to be a huge construction site, not to mention that the place is completely overrun by South East Asian guest workers and tourists lured by the tax-free shopping.

But there is something more fundamental that's gone wrong and I think this picture that I took on the beachside in Jumeirah (south of Dubai City) where most of the luxury resorts are, sums it all up (whowever said that 'a picture speaks a thousand words'):



A tourist in her bikini - a very common sight on this stretch of beach next to high end hotels and restaurants - walks up to a local man wearing his traditional clothes including the head scarf that men most often wear and asks him to take her photograph in front of his camels!

(If you are wondering about the camels it's just that the guy figured out that there is money to be made - many tourists want to have their picture taken with the camels or go for a small ride around the beach - plus it's the closest many of the tourists get to anything resembling original Emirati culture!)

Dubai - as all of the UAE - is a Muslim country with Islam as the state religion. Locals - although a minority - still wear traditional clothes and many if not most women are covered (not because they have to but because they want to) in their abbayas and some with the niqab as well (leaving only the eyes to see). Showing off bare shoulders and knees is considered unacceptable (let alone wearing a bikini, of course) and any display of affection in public is illegal - that is, married couples can hold hands but nothing more elaborate than that. Being drunk in public is illegal as well (although it is legal to drink alcohol in places that have a license) and don't even start thinking about sex between unmarried people (or gays/lesbians for that matter).

Tourists tend to forget that - some because they probably don't care at all and have not spent any time reading up on the destination they were about to visit and some because they are not reminded enough. If you go from the airport straight to one of the beach side resorts you will not realize that you are on the Arabian Peninsula - you will not necessarily pass mosques (nor hear their 5 daily calls to prayer), not necessarily see any locals or hear any Arabic spoken, you will be served alcohol in the bars and restaurants and be surrounded by other tourists who also wear bikinis and go lie on the beach to enjoy the sun - along with heaps of honeymooners for whom it is in many ways a dream destination (sun all year round, wonderful beaches, fantastic hotels, excellent food, major shopping). There are signs in the malls reminding people to dress appropriately and not display affection in public - but many tourists seem to be too busy staring at the shop windows to even notice...

And while the tourist might be excused for not knowing better, the (Western) expatriate community is largely doing the same thing!

It is no wonder that both the locals and other Muslims/Arabs living in Dubai find this highly offensive and disrespectful toward their culture. And it is no wonder that things end really bad for some tourists - like the recent incident where an unmarried couple allegedly kissed on the mouth in a beach side resort and were reported by a local woman who was dining there with her children. They are both facing possible jail-time (and I am sure the jails are not as new and fantastic as the malls!). The story is here: British pair face jail for kissing in Dubai restaurant but actually the comments from the readers are equally interesting. In 2008 another British couple ran into some serious problems with the authorities after they had sex on the beach and only narrowly escaped a 6-year jail sentence for sex outside marriage, public indecency and being drunk in public: 'Sex on Dubai beach couple' (...)

Creating a tourist destination really is a two-edged sword I guess. On the positive side (apart from the income and all that) is that Dubai is really trying not to forget its heritage and there are many excellent museums giving detailed explanations (in English) about the original life style, architecture and traditions - something that is much harder to find in Kuwait. I suppose partly because it is not a tourist destination at all and partly because they feel their culture less threatened (by development, foreign influence etc.). On the negative side, I myself saw how Russian prostitutes (I am sure they come in many nationalities) were working the tables in a Turkish restaurant where we had dinner, seeking out men without female company, asking for a cigarette and exchanging phone numbers. While I am sure prostitution exists everywhere to some extent, it is not pleasant to have it out in the open like that. And as one journalist wrote in an article about some of the Dubai incidents:

"It would be very easy for Dubai to turn a blind eye to the behaviour of British tourists and expatriates: to say to themselves, we may not like it, but we like the foreign currency too much to discourage these free-spending Westerners.(...) That is the Faustian pact into which so many holiday destinations around the world have entered, with inevitable results: Westerners start to behave like outlaws, doing things that they wouldn't dare do at home."

"If (the sex on the beach couple) expect me to write an Amnesty International-style letter to the Emir begging for mercy, they can forget it. They haven't just been stupid, they have been thoroughly irresponsible. There is no better recruiting sergeant for al-Qaeda than the sight of Westerners trying to thumb their noses at the laws of Islamic countries."

You would think that it would not be too difficult to respect the country you're in but apparently in the case of Dubai it is. I actually appreciate that in Kuwait you will never forget that you are in a Muslim country and you will not see disrespectful tourists. I admit that when the temperature reaches 40 degrees (104F) as it has this week, I too would like to wear a sleeveless t-shirt and a skirt - but I don't. And if one cannot accept this one should not live in the Middle East.

On a lighter note we had a wonderful time in Dubai (wearing respectful clothes and showing no affection in public :)), did our fair share of shopping and ate like there was no tomorrow. Dubai is one of the places we have wanted to visit for a long time (we looked into it for our honeymoon back in 2007 as well) and I am happy that by coincidence we had the chance to go so soon (K had to do various paperwork and medicals as well as some company training and we needed to get some papers translated and stamped as well). I will upload pictures in the coming days but just wanted to share this perspective on Dubai first.

An Afterthought On The National And Liberation Days

During the long weekend (25 - 28 February) we also took the time to walk along Al Soor Street - the innermost ring road around the central part of Kuwait City. It's a couple of kilometers long and in a few places parts of the original wall that surrounded the city can be seen - or at least the reconstructions of the city gates that were destroyed during the Iraqi invasion:


(An old city gate, Al Soor Street)

The walk also offered a nice view of the Kuwait City skyline:


(Kuwait City skyline at dusk)


(Another city wall gate along Al Soor Street, high rises in the background)


(The Liberation Tower at dusk)

We walked into the city center after having done the entire ring road, had a bite to eat in the souq and used the last chance to see the light decorations on many of the government or large corporation buildings in downtown:


(The Liberation Tower dressed in red, green, and white)


(Buildings in downtown, displaying flags as well as the number of years since independence from the British and since liberation from the Iraqis)


(The Kuwait Stock Exchange displaying the '26' for the 26 February Liberation Day)


(See the '49' in the background - celebrating 49 years of independence from the British)


(Close-up of '25' displayed on the front of the Kuwait Stock Exchange)


(Another office building displaying '19' and '49')

On a different note: this must be the first time we have seen an electrical socket in a curb (we are standing on the pavement looking towards the road and a green area with palm trees)... Well, I guess they need power to light up all those decorations...



We also finally got to try the local item on McDonald's menu here - the McArabia. It's not bad but certainly not great either compared to the food you can get here. Idea is not bad though: flatbread with chicken and salad - made like a shawarma.



And in Kuwait you don't get regular ketchup with your fries - ohhhhh no, you get FANCY ketchup!! :-) (Maybe someone who speaks Arabic can help solve this mystery?)


(Fancy ketchup with your fries?)

All in all we had a very nice long weekend and I'm happy we got to see how the Kuwaitis (along with many of the foreigners who live here) celebrate their national and liberation days. I do hope, however, that with time there will be something else or more going on than just spraying foam on people and cars - something displaying the Kuwaiti culture and heritage that can be difficult to spot in between all the American style malls and Western restaurant franchises.

According to Arab Times Online, the holidays resulted in 11 people dying in road accidents, 13,821 citations being issued, 724 cars and 68 motorbikes being compounded. In addition, 143 people were treated - 46 hospitalized, 97 treated on the spot. Of those hospitalized, 26 cases were due to quarrels (Arab temper, I guess), 6 due to road accidents and 14 due to tumble and fatigue injuries in various sites including the Gulf Road (where they were spraying the cars - but with the efforts they put into it, I'm not surprised to hear of the fatigue cases).

(Source: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/150231/reftab/96/t/11-die-13821-citations-issued-724-cars-68-bikes-seized-in-24-Feb--27-Feb-bash/Default.aspx)

Let's hope next year will be more peaceful (although I doubt it).

From the National Arabian Horse Show on 19 February

I didn't find time to upload these photos before we left for Dubai (more on that trip later) - they are from the Arabian Horse National Championship that we went to see on the 19th of February.

The event was organized by Bait Al Arab, which is a Kuwait State Stud - this event was the first of its kind in Kuwait (championships like these have been held for years in the region) and they are trying to promote Kuwaiti-bred horses. Horses play a big role in the entire region - and is something they are really proud of. I guess the Gulf War really had a huge impact on the development of Kuwait compared to other Gulf countries that did not experience war - but it is nice to see that such initiatives are now being taken and that many people are working hard to put Kuwait back on the map for some positive things.


(Getting ready to go before the judges)


(Showing off in front of the judges)


(Another contestant showing off its abilities)


(Being judged during a closer look)

Funnily enough all the judges appeared to be Westerners and many of the jockeys were as well - but I guess it takes time to build up these capabilities nationally (especially in a very small country like Kuwait).

There was no shortage of local dignitaries, however. Sheiks and/or horse owners along with other prominent people sat in the VIP lounge and were constantly interviewed for television:


(The VIP section)

The whole event was transmitted on national television - apparently filmed from the roof:


(Tv crews on the roof)

When we go to events it is just as much to see the locals - what they do, how they behave, how they spend their free time - and since the horses were being presented only in Arabic anyway, we just observed the locals:


(A common sight at any event - sitting behind a local man in traditional clothes commonly worn here)


(Resting their tired feet - two locals in front of the band that played in between the presentations of horses)

Somebody has to do the dirty job...: