And today, finally, after playing hide and seek with the Burj Khalifa a number of times, we finally had a date with this beauty today...
After returning from Abu Dhabi, we stopped by at Dubai Mall for some time window-shopping before heading next door to the Burj Khalifa...
The Dubai Fountain...
The fountain show was delayed but we had our tickets for the Burj Khalifa observatory, so we gave the fountains a pass...
Dusk setting in...
Burj Khalifa was designed to be a mixed-use development that would include 30,000 homes, nine hotels, 3 hectares of parkland, the Dubai Mall, and the 12 hectare Burj Khalifa Lake. The concept of the Burj was based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy to one that is service and tourism based and it was felt that developments like the Burj would catalyse that transition.
Construction of the Burj Khalifa began in 2004, with the exterior completed 5 years later in 2009. The building was opened in 2010. The tower was known as Burj Dubai until its official opening in January 2010. It was renamed in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan;, who had bailed out Dubai in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008.
The building was and still is the tallest building ever constructed.
Visitors gathering to watch the show at the fountains...
Using a selfie stick to grab the Burj...
The camera lens got fogged out...
The Burj Khalifa has two observation decks located at levels 125 and 148 and are branded as "At The Top", making them the highest observations decks in the world.
Our ride to the top...
We were headed to the deck on level 148. After we picked up our tickets, a concierge escorted us to a dedicated waiting lounge where we were served amazing Arabic coffee with dates and fresh and flaky baklava. After waiting about 20 minutes, we were personally escorted to a dedicated elevator.
Waiting in the lounge, enjoying coffee, dates flaky and baklava...
The elevator...
And here we are at level 148...
Looking down at glitzy Dubai...
Elegant decor at level 148 - the lounge here was quite understated unlike the rest of Dubai...
Come to think of it there was nothing but dunes of sand around here just about 20 years back...
And then, they went on a construction frenzy...
And 20 years from now, I can bet the landscape will be dramatically different, one way or the other, I don't intend to be prophetic here...
The roads and highways look like slithery snakes finding their way around buildings...
The fountains 555 metres below...
Looking down at Business Bay...
Looking up beyond level 148 - the Burj goes up to level 160...
Heading down...
As we descended, we passed by an exhibit that showcased the construction of Burj Khalifa. The exhibits take you behind the scenes where you can listen to testimonials of the ‘People Behind Burj’, the people who made this architectural and engineering marvel...
As we headed out, thick mist was setting in covering the Burj, giving it a magical feel...
No comments:
Post a Comment