Busy weekend of sightseeing with our visiting friends Mark and Lisa. Above is the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world at 880M. After sunset, they use it as the canvas for an incredible light display. Thousands of lights are built into the sides of the building and are choreographed by computer into something uniquely spectacular. I’ve attached a 4-5min video at the end of this post. Below, a daytime view of the Burj Khalifa, which literally means Khalifa’s Tower. Khalifa, the ruler of the UAE at the time and brother to the Dubai sheik, rescued the financially troubled project in its latter stages of completion in 2010 and was honored with the name
View of the roof of the Dubai Mall (the largest mall in the world) from the top of the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world). The Dubai Mall contains over 1200 stores across 13 million square feet (roughly the size of 50 football fields). It is also the most visited venue in the world, boasting over 105 million guests annually.
The Guinness Book of World Records certification. The Burj Khalifa holds the record for the highest lounge on earth occupying the 154th floor of the structure. We got to hang out up here for an hour or two and enjoy some Prosecco while taking in the view
View of the Palm Jumeirah from atop the Burj Khalifa. The Dubai Marina, where we live, can be seen to the far left.
This is the Address Sky View Hotel, or as I’ve dubbed it, The Sewing Machine. Impressive in and of itself, it stands 220m tall and boasts a unique twin tower design which connects in the upper floors via the “Sky Bridge”
A broader view. Truly dwarfed by the shear height of the Burj Khalifa.
Our friends Mark & Lisa enjoying the view from the 154th floor
A little odd to see triple digit floor levels at the elevator
Another aerial view. The Museum of the Future can be seen just below the Big Ben-looking tower to the right.
View of Deira, an older section of Dubai. The Dubai Frame can be seen in the forefront on the left
Dubai Fountain, directly below the Burj Khalifa. It is the largest dancing fountain in the world. I’ve attached a video at the end of this post.
Waterfall sculpture of pearl divers inside the Dubai Mall. Prior to the advent of cultured pearls in the 1950’s, pearl diving was a major part of the local economy for several hundred years.
The Museum of the Future. Its five floors inside are comprised of exhibits of speculative future science. The outside is aluminum displaying arabic poetry written by the sheik.
Massive hand sculpture showcasing the sheik’s famous hand gesture representing Love, Victory, and Winning. The first letters of these words are found in the three fingers.
The poetry that is displayed on the exterior of the building
Below is the Burj Al Arab which translates into “tower of the Arabs.” It is the most expensive hotel in all of Dubai and claims to be a seven star hotel, although a couple of stars may have been appropriated for good measure. It is comprised of suites only, one of which is priced at $23,000/night. There is a Jetsons-like helipad near the top right. However, it has never been used as such. In 2017, it was the venue of an exhibition tennis match between Roger Federer and Andre Agassi. It is designed to resemble a sail and has become an iconic part of the Dubai skyline
Artistic camel
Hanging lamps
Burj Khalifa light show
Dubai Fountain
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