Friday, April 17, 2009
How many Americans can you fit in an elevator....
Well, after trying to take a short cut through a neighboring hotel in Duba-Festival City we found out. I guess they did not want us in their bar area, so a hotel representative lead us to an elevator whose maximum weight capacity was 1000kg. Our group of 11, not knowing this limit, piled into the elevator to go to the the lobby area that connects to our hotel. Well, we didnt make it. The doors shut, we went up slightly, then down a bit....then nothing. Yep, we were stuck in an elevator. I have never had the privilidge of this experience, but I will not forget it!!! A guy in our group decided to play the "lets jump up and down game" to see if we could get it moving. Nope. We used the phone to call the mysterious voice you call in an elevator....who said they were sending someone. We laughed, tried to open the hatch in the ceiling, the air condtioner shuts off when the elevator isnt moving....no air flow....it started getting muggy, and with muggy comes sweat, with sweat comes smell....nice. We finally decided to pry open the doors and found a group of men doing the same. We were still on the same floor, go figure. Although it felt like it took a lifetime, the whole episode only took maybe 10 minutes. Just another day in Dubai :)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Off to Dubai, UAE
On Wednesday, April 15 I'm off on another adventure, to Dubai, for 1.5 week overseas module for school. We had our choice between Moscow/St. Petersburg, Russia and Dubai/Abu Dhabi, UAE for this trip. Although I would love to see Russia, I chose Dubai because of all the crazy engineering things they are (well were) doing there. I know, I am such the engineering nerd. We are taking one class during the module, Cross Cultural Negotiations. This trip is packed with company visits to places like: Zayad University, Harman International, Johnson & Johnson, Department of Economic Development, Shaikh Holdings, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, US Embassy, IeMQ, BP, CH2MHILL...We are also doing some tourist things like a city tour that includes: Dubai Museum, Gold Souk, Silk Souk, Abra boat ride, sand dune excursian, etc. We are staying at the Crown Plaza in Festival City on the banks of Dubai Creek. http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/dubfc, looks pretty nice!
Dubai History
Some 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, led by the Maktoum Family, settled at the mouth of the creek in 1833. The creek was a natural harbour and Dubai soon became a center for the fishing, pearling and sea trade.By the turn of the 20th century Dubai was a successful port. The souk (Arabic for market) on the Deira side of the creek was the largest on the coast with 350 shops and a steady throng of visitors and businessmen.
By the 1930s Dubai's population was nearly 20,000, a quarter of whom were expatriates.In the 1950s the creek began to silt, a result perhaps of the increasing number of ships that used it. The late Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, decided to have the waterway dredged. It was an ambitious, costly, and visionary project. The move resulted in increased volumes of cargo handling in Dubai. Ultimately it strengthened Dubai's position as a major trading and re-export hub.
When oil was discovered in 1966, Sheikh Rashid utilized the oil revenues to spur infrastructure development in Dubai. Schools, hospitals, roads, a modern telecommunications network … the pace of development was frenetic. A new port and terminal building were built at Dubai International Airport. A runway extension that could accommodate any type of aircraft was implemented. The largest man-made harbor in the world was constructed at Jebel Ali, and a free zone was created around the port.Dubai's formula for development was becoming evident to everyone – visionary leadership, high-quality infrastructure, an expatriate-friendly environment, zero tax on personal and corporate income and low import duties. The result was that Dubai quickly became a business and tourism hub for a region that stretches from Egypt to the Indian sub-continent and from South Africa to what are now called the CIS countries.
Since the 1960s, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum had dreamed of creating a federation of the Emirates in the region. Their dreams were realized in 1971 when Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and (in 1972) Ras Al Khaimah, joined to create the United Arab Emirates.Under the late Sheikh Zayed, the first President of UAE, the UAE has developed into one of the richest countries in the world with a per capita GDP in excess of US$17,000 per annum.In the 1980s and early 1990s, Dubai took a strategic decision to emerge as a major international-quality tourism destination. Investments in tourism infrastructure have paid off handsomely over the years.
Dubai is now a city that boasts unmatchable hotels, remarkable architecture and world-class entertainment and sporting events. The beautiful Burj Al Arab hotel presiding over the coastline of Jumeira beach is the world's only hotel with a seven star rating. The Emirates Towers are one of the many structures that remind us of the commercial confidence in a city that expands at a remarkable rate. Standing 350 meters high, the office tower is the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe.Dubai also hosts major international sporting events. The Dubai Desert Classic is a major stop on the Professional Golf Association tour. The Dubai Open, an ATP tennis tournament, and the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race, draw thousands every year.
Dubai History
Some 800 members of the Bani Yas tribe, led by the Maktoum Family, settled at the mouth of the creek in 1833. The creek was a natural harbour and Dubai soon became a center for the fishing, pearling and sea trade.By the turn of the 20th century Dubai was a successful port. The souk (Arabic for market) on the Deira side of the creek was the largest on the coast with 350 shops and a steady throng of visitors and businessmen.
By the 1930s Dubai's population was nearly 20,000, a quarter of whom were expatriates.In the 1950s the creek began to silt, a result perhaps of the increasing number of ships that used it. The late Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, decided to have the waterway dredged. It was an ambitious, costly, and visionary project. The move resulted in increased volumes of cargo handling in Dubai. Ultimately it strengthened Dubai's position as a major trading and re-export hub.
When oil was discovered in 1966, Sheikh Rashid utilized the oil revenues to spur infrastructure development in Dubai. Schools, hospitals, roads, a modern telecommunications network … the pace of development was frenetic. A new port and terminal building were built at Dubai International Airport. A runway extension that could accommodate any type of aircraft was implemented. The largest man-made harbor in the world was constructed at Jebel Ali, and a free zone was created around the port.Dubai's formula for development was becoming evident to everyone – visionary leadership, high-quality infrastructure, an expatriate-friendly environment, zero tax on personal and corporate income and low import duties. The result was that Dubai quickly became a business and tourism hub for a region that stretches from Egypt to the Indian sub-continent and from South Africa to what are now called the CIS countries.
Since the 1960s, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum had dreamed of creating a federation of the Emirates in the region. Their dreams were realized in 1971 when Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and (in 1972) Ras Al Khaimah, joined to create the United Arab Emirates.Under the late Sheikh Zayed, the first President of UAE, the UAE has developed into one of the richest countries in the world with a per capita GDP in excess of US$17,000 per annum.In the 1980s and early 1990s, Dubai took a strategic decision to emerge as a major international-quality tourism destination. Investments in tourism infrastructure have paid off handsomely over the years.
Dubai is now a city that boasts unmatchable hotels, remarkable architecture and world-class entertainment and sporting events. The beautiful Burj Al Arab hotel presiding over the coastline of Jumeira beach is the world's only hotel with a seven star rating. The Emirates Towers are one of the many structures that remind us of the commercial confidence in a city that expands at a remarkable rate. Standing 350 meters high, the office tower is the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe.Dubai also hosts major international sporting events. The Dubai Desert Classic is a major stop on the Professional Golf Association tour. The Dubai Open, an ATP tennis tournament, and the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race, draw thousands every year.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Wordless Wednesday
Ok, I know, I know...its been months! But I'm going to try to attempt to at least post once a week on "Wordless Wednesdays!"
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