Dubai update, #7 (?)

[GlocknSpiehl]

Starting to lose track. Anyhow, despite being on the forefront of the Virus Outbreak, things are very calm here. No TP or Alcohol rub shortages. Business as usual, mostly.

 

What is happening is that any hotels that have guests from abroad are taking your temp as you enter the hotel and then having you scrub up with alcohol wash. The airports are screening everyone’s temps as they enter and nasal swabbing anyone suspicious. If you are coming from someplace with a high likelihood of disease e.g. Italy, you are automatically sent to a quarantine facility, all expenses paid, by the govt, for 14 days or until you overcome the virus, whichever comes first.

 

Otherwise everything is biz as usual. No panicking, no cancelled events, malls are open. They did move up their school break by 2 weeks and may extend it for 2 weeks, but that’s it. My wife’s job is going great and I’m still job hunting. More pics to follow. Let me know if I’m boring you!

 

 

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[GlocknSpiehl]

The one that looks vaguely like a Saturn V rocket is the world's tallest building.

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[Mrs.Cicero]

Not bored at all!  I'm enjoying the pics and updates, keep them coming!

[tadbart]

One thing I can say without a doubt, is that those architects over there DO NOT PLAY.

[Historian]

2 minutes ago, tadbart said:

One thing I can say without a doubt, is that those architects over there DO NOT PLAY.

I had the same thought.  Wow.  Serious buildings.  Love how they don't all look the same,

Must be interesting to have a place at the top of the tallest building in the world...and drink a cup of coffee there. 

[DWARREN123]

Well in places like that everything is usually done by foreigners and the results claimed by someone from the country, usually a prince or from the government.

[holyjohnson]

Good Stuff!

[GlocknSpiehl]

I had the same thought.  Wow.  Serious buildings.  Love how they don't all look the same,
Must be interesting to have a place at the top of the tallest building in the world...and drink a cup of coffee there.  [emoji4]

I’ve thought about it, but it costs US$100 to go up there and have a drink. Also, the top of the tower moves up to 10 ft due to the winds... [emoji33]

And I’m afraid of heights.

FYI, they are thought to be starting work on an even TALLER tower!


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[GlocknSpiehl]

Well in places like that everything is usually done by foreigners and the results claimed by someone from the country, usually a prince or from the government.

Not quite. The Sheik wants everything to be the best and different, although there are the “Twin Chrysler Buildings” here. The only buildings he himself has put his stamp on, per se, are the Burj Khalifa (worlds tallest building), which they acknowledge the design was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wrights “The Illinois” which was to be one mile high.

The other is the “Burj Al Arab”, the “Sailboat Building”, the most famous building from here. When they first started developing the Modern Dubai skyline, the Sheik wanted a building to set it off. He hired a, British I think, guy who presented him with a bunch of semi conventional designs, which the Sheik hated. The gu then took some colored pencils and blank paper and made a sketch of kind of a sailboat sail. The Sheik loved it and said “Build that!”

The Sheik was heavily into the design process and even helped design the helipad and where it was located on the building. You know this as the 70th or so story tennis court. That is one of the buildings he was heavily involved with the design and execution. Otherwise, he stays out of the way, other than making sure everything gets done on tome and budget.


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