Category: Middle East

  • Celeb watch

    For those of you interested in celebrities, Matt Damon and George Clooney were apparently out last night in the pub across the road from where I am staying. I think they are out here filming something or other. Sure holy jaysus!

  • Iran 'increases missile range'

    Iran says it has missiles with a range of some 2000km, bringing Israel into striking distance. The Israelis are clearly worried: The Israelis say they are concerned, not simply about signs of Iran’s growing military potential, but about Iran’s belligerent manner. The chief of Israeli military intelligence says Iran could be six months from being…

  • Burj Al Arab, Dubai

    I went to the Madinat hotel the other night, after my few hours inside the Burj al Arab. The Madinat is actually 3 hotels, interlinked by a network of canals. Boats take guests to restaurants, bars and shops in the hotel. It is unique as far as I can tell. Here is the Burj at…

  • Burj al Arab – inside the sail hotel

    Well it is not often one gets the oppurtunity to go inside such an opulent hotel as this. But the interior of the Burj al Arab is quite simply unlike any building interior I have ever seen. I went for afternoon tea in the Sky View Bar, located on the very top of the hotel.…

  • Jumeirah Mosque

    Of course being an Arab country, there are mosques everywhere, this is the rather nice one on Jumeirah Road. And in case you are curious about the wealth of this country, just outside the picture was parked two Porsche Cayenne Turbo SUV’s, one black and one white, and an Escalade had just driven by two…

  • Beach in Dubai

    This is one of the many beaches in Dubai, but one of the public ones. Many of the hotels own private beaches where you pay for entry etc. You can get a lovely view of the skyscrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road from the beach. Sheikh Zayed Road view from beach Here are the lovely clear,…

  • More drinking and cavorting

    I went to the Madinat Jumeirah/Mina A’ Salam in Dubai tonight. The inaugural concert, in the brand new Madinat Theater was on, with a group of Rat Pack cover singers. It was a great night out, and I am extremely impressed with the Madinat Hotel. I will post photos soon, but needless to say it…

  • Emirates Towers at night

    I tried some longer exposure night photos (without tripod), its hit and miss really. This one turned out reasonably well. Emirates Towers at night

  • Burj al Arab at sunset yesterday

    I spent the day at the Wild Wadi waterpark beside the Burj Al Arab yesterday. I managed to take a rather nice sunset picture from the top of the “Jumeriah Sceriah” waterslide. It’s a 4 storey high waterslide. And its pretty scary too. Burj al Arab Oh and I will be going for afternoon tea…

  • Dubai aiport terminal 3 collapse

    News today of a collapse at the construction site at the new Terminal 3, with a confirmed 5 people killed. Buildings here are usually built at break neck speed, indeed since my first visit in late 2001, I would guess some 30 skyscrapers are built or are under construction, where before there was desert. The…