Meandering the Middle East : Part I

Dubai : The modern marvel

Musings from ‘At the Top ‘

Constructed on these once very red dunes

A spectacle for the world to see

Is  the height of pinnacle of man’s quest

For higher greater and further…

In the heart of Modern Arabia

Stands the Burj Khalifa a marvel of man.

And as I stand on top of it this evening

In awe and wonder I am drawn

More to admiring the ingenuity

Of men who made it stand and shine.

Behind the glamour of its sparkling glass & lights

And the elegant sheen of its metallic constructs

For me what stood out was that

It stands strong in spite of its ridiculous heights

A labour of co-creation in collaboration

As the sweat and brains of many nations

Whose ingenuity built this structure

A majestic piece of human engineering …

The worlds tallest building.

At the top with its panoramic view…

Across  the sunsets  and the curving  horizon

That blurs into oblivion.

While the betwitching landscape enthralls

I am watching the horizon fade away

My eyes fall on the shimmering sunlight

On the red dunes beckoning me…

And across the distance tideless sea so invitingly blue.

Stepping back to ground in a minute or so…

You are brought back into one of the largest mall Dubai Mall that withstands and supports the entire structure .

In all an amazing experience of  gleaming glass the allure of metal and the glitzy glamorous spaces.

At the Top of the Burj Khalifa  the tallest man-made structure in the world is a one of a kind experience indeed .

An expansive evening view of the horizon curving  towards you greets you and the enthralling lights of Dubai by Night is a treat indeed .

The lights dazzle the senses and perhaps more oft than not, even the most earthy traveler is left struck at first sight by the sparkle of the city.

…Although truth be told I am left wondering  the necessity of such dazzling displays of opulence and materialism which is symbolic of  the very modern Downtown Dubai.

Perhaps such are the stakes when a city develops so rapidly and begets names like the City of Gold , City of the Future as even the City of Dreams and boasts of the largest landmarks and sets a global standard in lifestyle as it continues to develop its infrastructure and works at providing excellent opportunities for cosmopolitan life and living with an unbelievable 80% of  its population being of foreign origin making its culture a melting pot of different nationalities. And that in all is truly a stellar example of the strength of the interconnects in the interdependence .

Savvy Raj

Contd in Part 2 …The Meet and the Greets