The blogger has shown the most progressive city in the world.
Dubai is the eighth wonder of the world, city of the distant future and in fact my second home. I’ve been here so many times that I managed to remember every street and road fork, and the skyscrapers have grown in my eyes. Made a million photos, but never saw fantastic buildings, artificial Islands and a vast highway from the height of bird flight. Finally a dream came true.
Photos and text by Dmitry Balakirev
1. Could not agree with the company flying. I wanted to fly at dawn or at sunset — the best time for a photographer. They disagreed, citing some restrictions. The last time the stars aligned. In the morning our ride is here “rolls-Royce” — business jet among cars, and we went to the seaplane.
2. The route included all the symbols of Dubai: the Marina district, the artificial island “Palm Jumeirah”, an archipelago of “the World”, the luxurious hotel Burj-al-Arab and Burj Khalifa — the highest in the world.
3. Dubai — city air conditioning. In the summer, when the sun is at the Zenith, and the thermometer exceeds the mark of 40 degrees, the Emirate turns into a hot frying pan. If you do not equip the housing with a cooling system, then life will be hell. Therefore, air conditioning is everywhere: at bus stops, in shops and banks.
From the air they look like ulei with bees. It even seems that all who live under these roofs, are engaged in beekeeping:
4. Typical view of Dubai. Green lawns and trees, to win back from the dead desert, original buildings, fountains and a stunning denouement. Road infrastructure — the engine of progress. If she’s cool with all the city’s economy will be fine if not expect a crisis.
Dubai has always impressed me with the pace of construction. The town I grew for several decades, the projects have been implemented rapidly. Remember in the Marina there is a new road junction, which had invested huge funds. The work was ambitious though, but it found serious failures. Because of them in rush hour accumulate a huge traffic jam.
When I arrived in Dubai next year — the denouement was dismantled and began to build anew. It is clear that the architects got it in the neck, and the expense probably fell on the shoulders of the developer. But I guess it’s cool when people can admit their mistakes.
5. Downtown Dubai. 15 years ago, when most of the skyscrapers existed only on blueprints, he was considered the centre of the city:
6. The Dubai miracle many denominators. Chief among them is the perennial fountain of “black gold” gushing from under his feet. Petrodollars could settle in the Bank accounts of the political elite (as is the case in Russia), but the sheikhs ordered them otherwise. The funds are invested correctly in the Emirates, in business, in education.
Habits is imperative to create “the biggest, high and steep” smack of bragging, but the model works. About the architectural masterpieces of the city tells the whole world. They attract millions of tourists who invest in Dubai, your holiday money. In the end, the projects pay off.
Worked purely economic decisions like free trade zones Jafza located in Jebel Ali port. Companies that are in it are exempt from tax on goods from import and export duties. A business can open any partnership UAE is not required. You just need to have the authorized capital of one million dirhams. Jebel Ali Free Zone provides a very significant inflow of investment into the country.
7. Fly over the famous yacht “Dubai”. It belongs, as you may have guessed, the ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed. According to the closed helipad and unfilled the pool, the ship is being repaired.
It is associated with a funny story. Once Dubai was considered the biggest yacht in the world. Not yet completed the construction of the yacht of Roman Abramovich. And here is the thing: Eclipse turned out to be 46 inches long Dubai.
The Sheikh was indignant. So, I decided to increase your vehicle at 61 cm due to the extra black box. If true, it smacks of teenage bravado. From series: you, of course, great, but I still long 🙂
8. The famous “Sail”, the opening of new platforms which we have come. Not only that, the hotel itself is an architectural masterpiece, it is built on an artificial island based on hundreds of piles.
Burj al Arab reaches for the sky at 321 meters. Arabian Gulf views it offers are simply stunning:
9. The Dubai Marina with an artificially dug channel. 15 years ago when I vacationed here as a teenager, skyscrapers are not built yet. He was just a piece of the desert with the track and several hotels.
Today Marina is new York, is listed in the tropics. For my taste with the high-rises have gone too far. There are so many that they cease to surprise.
I also sympathize with the inhabitants of high-rise floors of the towers. You’re paying for views of the Bay, and then it closes the new building. The bases of the bases:
10. Fly up to the palm Jumeirah — to the original bulk of the island of Dubai. See unfinished in the middle of the photo? It is an ambitious project, The Perl, frozen because of the crisis of 2008. On the idea, it should consist of 4 towers that will connect the sky bridge:
11. It was planned that it will look like this:
12. Giant village “Jumeirah village”. You can get here only to pass. I tried to enter the territory of the village, but vigilant guard at the checkpoint decided not to let the tourist with the camera:
13. The UAE is a country of sand, and the water here is certainly associated with well-being. To live by the water in the village “Village” people are willing to pay for homes from 700 thousand euros:
14. The Marina district from a different angle:
15. Fly in a seaplane and see some endless fence. In the mid — luxury gate to hidden estates sheikhs. The territory they occupy is huge, comparable to the Turkish “pyatizvezdnaya” on the first line. Then you and a few villas, and a private racetrack, and even a small artificial island:
16. Near the manor had spotted the yacht of the ruler of Dubai. Perhaps photos of one of his residences:
17. Return to palm island, which consists of a trunk and 16 leaves. Around their axis in the form of a Crescent. The creation of artificial sushi – a brilliant solution and stimulated for the Arabs. The coastline is considered the most valuable resorts, and Dubai is an acute shortage of land it originated in the 90s Here and dare Sheikh Mohammed on a risky project that grew into a world tourist attraction:
18. The closer to the end of the island, the higher the cost of the Villa. The price tag some punches mark in the 25 — 30 million euros. Although construction is dense, large areas of the libraries, and the mansions all look like cheap townhouses. For the money you can easily buy a house in France. But the owners of the palm villas was driven not logic, and prestige:
19. Views of Atlantis, the Palm. Pieces of sand palm trees connects the metro line, which runs underground car tunnel:
20. Flew “Sail”. Due to the lack of a private beach, I used to take it as a business hotel. Yes, guests could always sit on elektrobaggi and get to the neighboring resort across the bridge. But, extra troubles.
The owners of the Burj al Arab have solved the problem by opening the terrace. The platform gathered at the shipyard in Finland. Before to increment to “Sail”, she has done 8 thousand nautical miles. On the platform there are two huge pools with salt and fresh water, bars, restaurants and cafes. And the loungers and closed rooms, called cabanossi. In General, it’s quite a realistic simulation of the beach:
21. Fly in the archipelago “the World”. It is 4 kilometers from the coast and is shaped like the continents of the Earth. The project is ambitious, but unsuccessful. Plus, the “World” of disgruntled environmentalists. According to green, the construction of buildings on the Islands will harm the flora and fauna of the Persian Gulf.
22. No, from the point of view of marketing idea is brilliant. The powerful of this world from all corners of the planet offer to buy a piece of the homeland. Even located far away. Oligarch of conditional Peter (in the presence of adventurism and Imperial pretensions) will certainly be fun to buy an island with the name of St. Petersburg. To build palaces with gardens and fountains. High in front of your friends. And then what? Then how to get to the mainland? On the Islands for complete privacy. They are not connected and land roads. You need to use fast boats or helicopter, which is not always convenient. It turns out, live on them problematic, and in service will have to invest. Dubious asset.
The Islands have been redeemed individuals, but a just one. In short, a complete failure:
23. Dubai is a port city. There are two huge sea harbour (Port Rashid and port of Jabel-Ali), which continually come in cargo and passenger vessels. Green ships from the air looks almost like a toy:
24. Flew up to the famous tower Burj Khalifa height is 828 meters maximum distance. Closer impossible. The government of the Emirate of permits to fly in their main character only in the case of cool promotions. Or if you are Tom cruise and star in Dubai in “Mission impossible” 🙂
I really want to fly over Dubai in January-February. At this time the city is enveloped in the fog. The tops of the buildings peeking out from a thick haze, for sure will look epic.
25. Dubai and Abu Dhabi look green cities. But the creation of oases in the middle of the Sands was very expensive. For each tree, summed up the special tubes that are feeding of their nutrients and do not allow to die in the desert:
26. Dubai still has somewhere to move and grow:
27. Artificial Islands were built from the 17th century to protect against military incursions. But only the Arabs were able to put them on the thread:
28. Hippodrome “Meydan” from the air looks cooler than the track for “Formula 1”. The present superstructure with a Seating capacity for 60 thousand people. The longest grass track in the world and a private Parking for yachts. Its construction cost exceeded $ 2.5 billion.
Huge investments in the racetrack is a necessity. The world Cup in Dubai is very popular, it attracts major oil companies, Industrialists and celebrities. While the VIPs drink fine whiskeys in the boxes — the thoroughbred stallions of the planet torn tendon on the track. The entry fee for the competition is 60 thousand dollars, and it’s worth it. After all, the winner of the Cup taking with them $ 10 million.
Competed on horses from the stables of the ruler of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. But I don’t know, successfully or not.
29. Store called Wafi centre, a stylized Egyptian pyramid. This is not some supermarket. Here awesome interiors, luxury boutiques and very wealthy buyers. You can come here just for a tour. Sit in a cafe for a coffee and see how the Arabs with retinues of wives empty shops. Even at the price tags do not look only have time to sign checks.
