Tired of the UAE Bashing?: Here are some cool and interesting things

[JCMach1]

about the UAE



Burj Al Arab is the world's tallest structure with a membrane facade.
- This is the tallest operating hotel building in the world (not counting mixed-use buildings like Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai or the unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea).
- "Burj" is Arabic for "Tower".
- The building's external lighting schemes, from white light to a multicolored one, change from one to another every 30 minutes expressing the evening's progress.



The Palm Islands, also referred to as The Palm Dubai and The Palms, are the three largest man-made islands in the world, which are being built on the coast of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Its concept was announced in May 2002 and the three resort islands are expected to maintain Dubai's position as a premium tourist destination. The Palm Islands is also the self-declared 'Eighth Wonder of the World'. http://realestate.theemiratesnetwork.com/developments/dubai/palm_islands.php



The Burj Dubai (Arabic: برج دبي for "Tower of Dubai") is a skyscraper currently under construction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its exact final height remains a closely-guarded secret, but is believed to be at least 705 metres (2,313 ft).

Expected to be completed in 2008, the Burj Dubai is a formidable threat to other bids to the title of world's tallest building. These include the 547 m (1,776 ft) Freedom Tower in New York City, the Shanghai World Financial Center, the planned Fordham Spire in Chicago, Illinois, and the current record holder, Taipei 101. The Burj Dubai's developer Emaar Properties has suggested that the Burj Dubai will become the tallest manmade structure of any kind in history. The highest structure to date was the 645.4 m (2,120 ft) Warsaw radio mast which was built in 1974 and which collapsed during renovation work in 1991. The current tallest man-made structure on land is the KVLY-TV mast in North Dakota.

The Burj Dubai has been designed to be the center of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include commercial, residential, shopping, entertainment, and leisure outlets. The complete development will cost about US$ 8 billion.

The Burj Dubai will be the latest feather in the cap of Dubai, also home to the largest man-made marina, the Dubai Marina; the world's largest artificial island, the Palm Islands; and the world's tallest hotel, the Burj al-Arab.

Developers say the silvery glass-sheathed concrete building will restore to the Middle East the honor of hosting the earth's tallest structure—a title lost circa 1300 when Lincoln Cathedral upset the 38-century reign of Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Dubai


Al Burj is a skyscraper proposed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and is expected to rival Burj Dubai for the world's tallest building title. If built, it will form the centrepiece of the Dubai Waterfront being developed by Al Nakheel, which is also the developer of the famous Palm Islands.

Like the Burj Dubai, officials have said the tower will be at least 700m tall although the official height will remain secret. This certainly will make it among the tallest buildings in the world. Some rumours have even suggested it will break the 1 km mark and there are indeed renditions of it with at least 205 floors and huge twin spires which would suggest something within this height range... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Burj

Disneyland in the desert, you could call it. "Dubailand," though, is the chosen moniker for the massive project now rising in the Middle East.
By any name, though, it's a doozy of a development: a $5-billion plan to build an inordinately broad-ranging destination for tourism...
Dubai officials, who have studied the idea for more than two years, readily admit that they were initially inspired by Disney's successful theme parks. Dubailand, though, takes theme-park scale several steps further. The design contains 45 "main projects" and 200 "sub-projects," government officials said.
The main projects will include Arabian Theme Park (an equestrian center); Aviation World; Dinosaur World; Motor Racing World; Pharaohs' Theme Park, and Snow World (an indoor ski-slope), as well as The Mall of Arabia, which project officials are billing as "the biggest shopping mall in the world." Not to mention other Dubailand components that include the largest zoo in the Middle East; a sports complex; several new five-star hotels (including one built among desert dunes); an artificial rain forest under a huge glass dome; a modern art gallery, and a water amusement park.
In short, Dubailand could be unlike anything the world's seen. "Anyone who does not attempt to change the future will stay a captive of the past," said Sheik Mohammed... http://www.conway.com/ssinsider/snapshot/sf031117.htm

These are just some of the things you can find going on here. Night life if good. Shopping is WORLD CLASS. Hey, if FOX news thinks Dubai is the hippest city in the world, it must be so.


t's the latest hot spot for the rich and famous, and it doesn't have a Park Avenue address or a Los Angeles ZIP code.

In fact, it's a place many Americans can't find on a map.
Dubai (search) — a seaside city in the confederacy of sheikhdoms known as the United Arab Emirates (search) — has gone from being a sleepy desert town to the destination of some of the highest-profile names in the United States and Europe, and the fastest-growing city in the world... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,173452,00.html

[Fox Mulder]

1. I've wanted to spend the night (or few) at the Burj al Arab...

ever since I saw a program on it on The Travel Channel last year. Such a beautiful place! Plus, it's the world's only seven star hotel...imagine the service you'll get there! :wow:

[xchrom]

3. yeah -- me too.

but i'ld have to have a little more money in my bank account.

[JohnnyCougar]

2. My old roommate's family lives there.

I've heard great things about Dubai.

[nickgutierrez]

4. You missed maybe the coolest thing about the UAE

The indoor ski park.

http://goasia.about.com/od/uae/a/skidubai.htm

[JI7]

5. they deserve to be bashed for the anti gay policies

just as the United States should be bashed for siding with the anti gay, anti choice crowd at the United Nations.

[JCMach1]

7. THE U.S. ISN'T FAR BEHIND

When was the last case of gay bashing you heard of in the UAE...

Answer: It doesn't happen. People are very tolerant and open as long as things take place in the private sphere...


Cases of gay bashing in the U.S.? Britain? Western Europe?

[goodboy]

6. I've seen specials on the Travel Channel ,,,incredible

[Scooter24]

8. Dubai will also be home to Hydropolis...

The worlds largest underwater luxury hotel.



The hotel
Work begins on a £344m underwater luxury hotel over the next couple of months. Crescent Hydropolis Resorts will construct the 500-room hotel 10m below the sea's surface off the coast of Dubai, with completion expected by 2008. Room rates are estimated at £516 a night, and further underwater developments in Las Vegas, Monaco, Oman and China are being discussed. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/travel/story/0,,1702234,00.html

[JCMach1]

9. Yep, the cool projects are almost too numerous to name...

The UAE is one place in the Middle-East where the government has consistently re-invested oil capital to benefit the people of the country

[Robeson]

10. I was checking out UAE before all the bashing started....

...and it looked liked a very nice place. The architecture is mind blowing. I would love to visit sometime...:thumbsup: