Skip to main content

Worlds Tallest Tower

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
An image of a turquoise door popped-up on my computer screen, [Incoming video from 1740 Tsavorite Lane]. Magically, his front door opened and Hercule Peridot appeared on my monitor. As always, he was impeccably dressed; a fine silk vest, and dashing gold necktie. His lean, congenial, smiling face radiating from my screen.

Sensationnel, how in the world does he do it? I thought. He is always dressed to the T.

“Adamas Bontemps, how are you my boy?”

“I’m better than ever Peridot, and you?”

“Fine, absolutely splendid. Have you considered the trip to Dubai?”

“Yes, I’ve been reminiscing about my last adventure there.”

“Your thoughts?” asked Peridot.

“You mentioned visiting a Pearl dealer but . . . ” I hesitated a moment, “I’m wondering?”

“Yes?”

“Have you made plans for our accommodations yet? I asked.”

“Well, interesting that you ask.” said Peridot. “I’ve narrowed it down to three possible hotels; The Emirates Tower, The Burg Khalifa, or The Burj Al Arab. Do you have a preference?”

“That’s quite a sophisticated range of choices.” I said.

“Only the best - retirement suits me well,” said Peridot.

I could see Peridot pour a glass of wine from a small carafe his desk. Settling into his luxurious leather office chair, he took a sip of wine, dabbed his mustache with a napkin, cleared his throat and began; “Are you aware of the provenance of these particular hotels?”

Short on time, I quickly responded before Peridot could launch into one of his extended lectures. 

“As a matter of fact I’ve visited two of your three choices; The Burj Al Arab, and The Emirates Tower. They are magnificent!”

It was early evening, the conversation with my colleague about visiting Dubai to examine Pearls had piqued my interest. My last trip to the Emirates of Dubai had been over eight years ago.

While tapping my chin, I wondered just how much Dubai had changed?

Instinctively I grabbed my phone and engaged Siri, “What is the Burj Khalifa?” I asked.

“Let me think about that.” was her response.

“This is what I found.” said Siri. Within seconds my iPhone displayed the following; 

Burj Khalifa (2,717 feet)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
163 floors
Construction cost $4 billion (U.S. Dollars)
Completion Date, January 2010.

With a quick motion, my office chair rolled to the bookshelf behind me. Scanning the titles I pulled the book Emirates Towers. My last trip to Dubai I was invited to visit a dear friend who worked for a diamond consortium. His office was in the Emirates Towers, completed in 2000. Decidedly one of the most stunning architectural highlights of the Dubai skyline. At that time it was the tenth tallest hotel in the world at 1,0000 feet; now ranked 61st.

To provide some perspective; One World Trade Center in New York stands 1,792 feet tall. The Willis Tower, formerly the  Sears Tower is 1,450 feet. The Empire State Building at 1,250 feet. Wow, the Burj Khalifa is over twice the height of the Empire State Building.

With a melancholy expression on my face I smiled as I examined the souvenir Emirates Tower shaped key that sat on my desk.

“How things have changed.”

Peridot’s voice brought me back to the present. “Splendid, that settles it then, we will stay in what is now the Worlds Tallest Tower - The Burg Khalifa. Pack your things my boy, next week we leave for Dubai!”

To be continued . . . 
Labels:
Location: Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Sunflowers, French Steel, and the Yellow Jersey

Watching Le Tour de France this year, I found myself transported back to August 1983 as the Peloton in Stage 10, Bastille Day, flowed through the French countryside like a brightly colored ribbon. I was in my twenties, visiting family in the Charente-Maritime region of France, completely obsessed with bicycle racing—and convinced I was much stronger than I was. My connection to cycling—and to France—runs deep. I was born in France, and my very first real road bike, at age fifteen, was a Mercier . To me, it wasn’t just a bicycle; it was a work of art made from beautiful French steel. I rode that bike for miles, through high school, into college, and until the day someone decided they needed it more than I did. I hope they at least appreciated the craftsmanship. Its untimely disappearance led me to a Schwinn Voyageur, and later, when I started racing around Illinois, to a Raleigh Competition . But during that summer of ’83, while staying with my Uncle Jean Paul in Lagord, just north of L...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Yellow Legal Pad

In this episode, the Art of Refiring July 1st is staring me in the face, less than two weeks away. For years, retirement seemed like something that happened to other people. Suddenly, it's on my calendar. I've been thinking a lot about the dreaded "R-word" lately. Not because I'm worried about having enough to do. Quite the opposite. What fascinates me is this strange paradox: Why does retirement make so many of us nervous, while having a job—even one that regularly drives us crazy—somehow feels comforting? Let's be honest. Most of us spend years complaining about meetings that should have been emails, reply-all disasters, impossible deadlines, and that one coworker who insists on microwaving leftover fish in the breakroom. Yet when the idea of walking away finally arrives, we hesitate. I think I've figured out why. A career isn't just a job. It's a highly structured coping mechanism. For forty-plus years, somebody else has basically decided what I...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Big Rip and the First Tee

The telescope (Celestron) sits quietly under its cover, temporarily blinded by Southern California's annual meteorological hostage situation – June Gloom. Somewhere above that thick gray ceiling, photons that began their journey before humans appeared are streaming across the cosmos, only to be intercepted by a marine layer that seems to have veto power over astronomy. Instead of observing the universe, I find myself imagining – The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by physicist Katie Mack. According to modern cosmology, the universe may eventually end in a Big Rip, a Big Crunch, Heat Death, Vacuum Decay, or some other catastrophe that sounds suspiciously like a rejected heavy-metal album title. Astrophysicists spend their careers calmly discussing the possibility that reality itself could suddenly cease to exist because a quantum field had a bad day. It's a remarkable way to start a Saturday morning. One moment you're contemplating the ultimate fate of spacetime...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rediscovering the Magic of Summer . . .

Summer mornings, especially on a holiday weekend, have a special magic. The air is cool, the world quiet, and the day full of possibilities. This July 4th weekend, Lori and I decided to capture a bit of that magic by beating the holiday traffic with an early morning bicycle ride. We went through our usual pre-flight checklist: Stretched out the morning stiffness. Filled the water bottles. Strapped on the helmets. Checked the tires. Three tires passed inspection. The fourth had apparently declared independence. The rear tire on my e-bike was flatter than a Kansas highway. “Well, it looks like we’re not riding today,” Lori said, with the calm acceptance of someone who had already mentally promoted coffee to the day’s main event. “Why not?” I replied. “I’ll ride my old bike.” She gave me that look —the one that safely translates as, "Are you sure about this? " “Absolutely,” I said. “Why not?” I dragged the bike stand out and surveyed my options. One glance at the aggressive gear...
Post a Comment
Read more