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Published: January 1st 2008
The Burj Al Arab
Here it is, one of the main pieces of note here in Dubai. The school I am working for, Universal American School in Dubai, has many activities and events for its students and staff. Recently I was given a chance to attend a school student party for those who made the honor roll. The principal, Dr. Einder, felt it was important to give some recognition to the students who do well. Overall, it made for a fun day and gave me a chance to see some new things, besides spending time with some great students.
The first place we went to was the Burj Al Arab. Once again, this is the world's only 7 star hotel. It is quite the attraction around here, and it does give you a chance to see royalty. The hotel was very gracious and gave a group of students and teachers a tour of some of the major parts of the hotel. Just being inside the place is certainly an experience. When you are in a building of this nature that exhibits such a high amount of art work and perfection, it can be very overwhelming. Like many amazing structures, it takes a time a or two to absorb all that there is to see. Of course, the
Christmas?
Yes, even the Burj displayed the Christmas spirit with this tree! tours that I have received of this place I'm sure cover only a part of what is available. The experience of the hotel though does shed some light and beg questions about Dubai. While I may see some opulent and luxurious places in Dubai, I am also witness to places that are, well, on the other end. In much of Dubai, and from what I have seen in the Middle East, there are many that live in poverty. While this is a part of every major civilization in the modern age, I think often we overlook what needs to happen to make such buildings as the Burj Al Arab. I find this important because I have also seen the housing for the workers who are building these amazing structures. There is certainly a wide income gap in Dubai. I think it is worthy to question, "What is being made and at what cost?"
Of course, sometimes it is also important to make sure you enjoy life and not evaluate everything. After the tour of the hotel, we were taken to the history museum of Dubai. I found what was most interesting is that the museum, an old Portuguese fort,
The Palm islands
This is the man made Palm islands, from the view of the hotel. was right in the middle of a modern city. It looked certainly out of place, but it did provide a worthy comparison of history. Within the museum, many exhibits showcased life in Dubai previous to its modern boom (or income from oil). Interesting note points is that Dubai has been a small fishing village and made most of its income from pearl diving. In fact, most of the growth that has happened in Dubai started around 30 years ago. As many already know, the ruling Sheikh Zayied, decided to invest the limited oil money in developing other forms of business. Currently, Dubai is a building boom, perhaps unheard of ever in history. When you see the tall skyscrapers surrounding the old fort that resembles where Dubai was less then a hundred years ago, it's hard to believe so much change could happen so fast. At the very least, Dubai is proving to be an exciting place of change and growth on the Middle East.
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Linda Bryant
non-member comment
Museum Tour
Nathan, Another interesting addition to your travel journal. Museums continue to be a very interesting place for our family. I do remember how you and your brothers enjoyed playing with your toy G.I. Joe toys when you were children. Yes, the cannon would have been a great addition to your side when doing battle with you brothers with your G.I. Joe toys. It is good to know that you continue to enjoy your memories of your childhood. All this aside, what a great experience you continue to appreciate with your time in Dubai.