THE CONTOURS OF DUBAI SKYLINE
(By Subbaram Danda)
Burj Khalifa (the Tower of Khalifa) has become an iconic feature of the glittering skyline of Dubai, one of the fastest growing entities of the seven-member United Arab Emirates. For over four years, it has been reigning supreme as the tallest man-made structure in the world soaring to a height of 2,717 feet. On the evening of March 23, 2014 I and my better half went to the "top" of the tower and our exhilaration knew no bounds.
A model of Burj Khalifa
The tower has 163 floors with an observation deck for visitors, called “At the Top,” in the 124th floor. With pre-purchased tickets we made it to the "top," from a reception desk in the Dubai Mall at the base of the tower and through escalators and finally through an elevator. It was a marvellous lifting machine. It moved to the 124th floor in an incredible operation in about a minute, whisper-free and vibration-free.
At the Dubai Mall before proceeding to the "top"
We got the exciting feeling of being on top of the world. In the past we had been on the Empire State Building in the US, the Eiffel Tower in France, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Petronas Towers in Malaysia but they were not so tall. “At the Top” was a broad circular glass-encased corridor built around the tower for hundreds of visitors to walk around in comfort and take a look outside below.
"At the Top" observation deck in the 124th floor
An interesting fact was that the visitors could stay there as long as they wanted and could take photos and videos without any hindrance. We could see lots people from all over the world. But, there were only a small number of “locals.”
A view of the high-rise buildings below
We had opted for a late afternoon time-slot to be able to enjoy the scenario in daytime as also after the nightfall. In the haze-free atmosphere the high-rise buildings around the tower looked uncannily dwarfish. Cars moving on highways and clover-leaf flyovers appeared play things. Distant desert sands and a dazzling horizon proved charming.
Fast moving cars on the roads and the clover-leaf intersections
With bated breath we waited for the sun-set. Orange and crimson patterns started adorning the sky and the sun kept descending slowly and very slowly. Finally as it sank in a radiance of reddish colours, lights appeared on the buildings below.
Another view out of the tower
And almost all of a sudden, the water sprouts of the famous Dancing Fountains at the base of the tower started spewing out. Thus began the star attraction of the evening. It lasted about five minutes. The next show would be after about fifteen minutes.
As the sun set, the Dancing Fountains came alive
We joined a long line to get into the elevator to go down and see the fountains from a close range. The queue moved fast and soon we were at the waterfront at the ground level. The fountains started dancing to mesmerizing Arabic music and at the end there was a show of laser beams.
On the way back to the ground floor, photos of people who built the tower
The facts about Burj Khalifa are awesome. There are hundreds of ultra-luxury private residences, corporate suites, all convenience service providers, hotels and restaurants. The design of the building is the outcome of an international competition. It rises from a triple-lobed base and its wings emerge out of its central core like petals from a stem. Its floor plan maximizes views of the Arabian Gulf.
A close-up of the Dancing Fountains from the Ground Floor
Initial excavation work on the tower began in January 2004 and the official launch ceremony was held in January 2010. It was said that at the peak of work, over 12,000 workers and contractors were on site every day representing more than 100 nationalities.
April 05, 2014
