megastructures dubai on ch 5 last night
Discussion
technically i didn't think that there was much by way of difficulty in the construction. one point that i will concede is the volume and scale of the undertaking, it was more of a logistical issue getting that many workers synched.
ps. claim to fame, i placed the project manager of the Burj al Arab many moons ago, so i have an insight into the setup over in Dubai.
Greg
ps. claim to fame, i placed the project manager of the Burj al Arab many moons ago, so i have an insight into the setup over in Dubai.
Greg
[quote] it's just all sun and desert isn't it?[/quote]
Yes but they have huge and I mean huge shopping malls where ladies can shop till the drop whilst the guys head off to watch the Desert Challenge..Featuring the likes of Team Saluki and Peterhansel etc...
>> Edited by crmcatee on Tuesday 7th February 13:35
Yes but they have huge and I mean huge shopping malls where ladies can shop till the drop whilst the guys head off to watch the Desert Challenge..Featuring the likes of Team Saluki and Peterhansel etc...
>> Edited by crmcatee on Tuesday 7th February 13:35
FourWheelDrift said:
I give it 10 years and a 6 inch increase in sea levels 
If that! My understanding is they only need a large wave! Wish I had seen the programme as seen these being built on trips to Dubai. On the latest trip got grit blasted by sand blowing off one of the islands by strong onshore winds. Was not pleasant and a foretaste of what is to come I suspect.
Did they say how many workers have been killed during construction, as I hear its a lot.
They're certainly going to excess in Dubai - at the last count they were building 73 skyscrapers all at the same time.
Crap resolution but if you look closely enough most of the skyscrapers have cranes on them
Last time I was there - one of the major construction companies Hameed (?) were getting a right slating I think they're involved in either the Palm or the Earth (or perhaps even both).
>> Edited by crmcatee on Tuesday 7th February 19:57
Crap resolution but if you look closely enough most of the skyscrapers have cranes on them
Last time I was there - one of the major construction companies Hameed (?) were getting a right slating I think they're involved in either the Palm or the Earth (or perhaps even both).
>> Edited by crmcatee on Tuesday 7th February 19:57
crmcatee said:
Yes - not to mention the environmental impact that they've had on the natural habitat that was there before. i.e. there is no habitat left.
Did you watch the same show?
they commented on how it had improved and there was new life in the fronds of the palm tree as the water was more suitable for slower moving fish.
yes there is some impact on the beach line but they are keeping that under control.
In general for something done on the whim of a very very (hmm do i need another one in here?
) very rich man, seemed to be decent levels of paying attention to the environment with checks on the quality of the water around the palm and checking of the structure and stability.Code Monkey said:
Yes - not to mention the environmental impact that they've had on the natural habitat that was there before. i.e. there is no habitat left.
Did you watch the same show?
they commented on how it had improved and there was new life in the fronds of the palm tree as the water was more suitable for slower moving fish.
yes there is some impact on the beach line but they are keeping that under control.
In general for something done on the whim of a very very (hmm do i need another one in here?
Something they didn't mention about the environment was the impact on the local weather patterns and whether all these species that are migrating to the area will kill off the resident species.
I think the idea and the realisation of the project is fantastic, but in reality it's got to be a short term situation, nature and world economics will eventually have it's way!
>> Edited by zzr on Tuesday 7th February 14:41
My parents are just back from Dubai literally two weeks ago. Stayed in the Hilton and dined in the Burj (they like their nice stuff). Suffice it to say that they will never go back. As you can see from the pic below, there is too much construction with nothing to do once it's all built. The beachs will be too small, the weather isn't great at this time of year and too hot the rest, the golf courses are ok but the resteraunts are a bit naff. Nothing was worth the money they paid (remember, Ireland is in-itself a rip-off, so we're used to paying alot for stuff) especially the food. The gold is cheap but garish and there are too many restrictions on where westeners can go to have traditional food (simply not allowed it to many places!) thus restricting them to hotel food.
Flying via Paris, they cancelled their Dublin flight and stayed there for a few days to enjoy themselves. I missed the programme, but just to answer a few questions on what the place is like. No doubt there will be people who enjoyed it, my parents definatly didn't.
Yes, they were that bored, they went on an open top bus tour
Flying via Paris, they cancelled their Dublin flight and stayed there for a few days to enjoy themselves. I missed the programme, but just to answer a few questions on what the place is like. No doubt there will be people who enjoyed it, my parents definatly didn't.
Yes, they were that bored, they went on an open top bus tour
up-the-dubs said:
My parents are just back from Dubai literally two weeks ago. Stayed in the Hilton and dined in the Burj (they like their nice stuff). Suffice it to say that they will never go back. As you can see from the pic below, there is too much construction with nothing to do once it's all built. The beachs will be too small, the weather isn't great at this time of year and too hot the rest, the golf courses are ok but the resteraunts are a bit naff. Nothing was worth the money they paid (remember, Ireland is in-itself a rip-off, so we're used to paying alot for stuff) especially the food. The gold is cheap but garish and there are too many restrictions on where westeners can go to have traditional food (simply not allowed it to many places!) thus restricting them to hotel food.
Flying via Paris, they cancelled their Dublin flight and stayed there for a few days to enjoy themselves. I missed the programme, but just to answer a few questions on what the place is like. No doubt there will be people who enjoyed it, my parents definatly didn't.
Yes, they were that bored, they went on an open top bus tour
Gotta pick you up on a few of these points though to be honest the gist of it is true.
People come here for many reasons and I would be the first to say if culture and history are your thing then this isn't the place for you. The place is a bloody building site and they are risking a lot with this rush to build.
The weather IS great at this time of year the roof has not been on the Chim since summer
we have a 60 40 split to great weaather and bloody hotter than the surface of the sun. Dubai is an expensive town but mostly those expenses are stuff that we need to live here, for tourists the main expense is booze which is dear, drinking with a meal makes it expensive the actual food though is pretty reasonable.
There are no restrictions on where westerners can go except into most mosques, I regularily eat in traditional Arabic or Indian restraurants and have done for years so I don't know where that came from, maybe a bit of bad advice or rumour.
There are some excellent restaurants including 2 in the Hilton, maybe it isn't their thing but both Pachanga and Bice in the Hilton are top quality, the other two are a bit naf though.
Gold is cheap but quality of workmanship very variable.
The main problems with the building boom though is the real estate bubble that is building up, our rents and housing costs are very high and most imported stuff is pricey.
Nakheel the palm developer are pretty appaling and there have been many many problems with the first palm, personally i wouldn't live there in a gift. (though no-one does yet since it's over a year late)
Cars and gas are cheap as chips as is garage labour however the total lack of any public transport means the traffic can be horrendous.
All in all, its a good place to live and there are some great surprises tucked away that no-one ever seems to think the tourists will want to see. It is bizarre living in a building site though.
I can remember when it was all sand
Seriously, the Dubai clocktower was pretty much out on its own on a large roundabout, only a handfull of new buildings around it.
The bods over at Ajman decided to do a traffic survey as the place was getting busy, they put a bloke on their only roundabout and told him to take the number of every vehicle, by mid afternoon he had a neat pile of number plates stacked up
Our place was always surrounded by the moos because we had grass, went shopping for a lawnmower once, that was fun, and surreal.
Seriously, the Dubai clocktower was pretty much out on its own on a large roundabout, only a handfull of new buildings around it.
The bods over at Ajman decided to do a traffic survey as the place was getting busy, they put a bloke on their only roundabout and told him to take the number of every vehicle, by mid afternoon he had a neat pile of number plates stacked up
Our place was always surrounded by the moos because we had grass, went shopping for a lawnmower once, that was fun, and surreal.
up-the-dubs said:
No doubt there will be people who enjoyed it, my parents definatly didn't.
personally its one of the last places I would recommend for my parents to go. I really enjoyed the place but would have said its a young person's city and very little for the older generation to enjoy.
IMO The area around Dubai/Marina is definitely not nice any longer - too built up. I'm glad we didn't buy there (entertained the thought for a few seconds - initial research said no anyway).
We recently went over to the Indian Ocean side, stayed at the Hilton in Fujairah. Much more peaceful. I just love listening to the racket the mosques put out (believe it or not). There's a Le Meridien near there too - you'll need a car though, but driving there is no chore once you work out where the roads go (distinct lack of signs sometimes).
Girlfriend wants to go to Oman next - sounds like Dubai 15 years ago in all the guides.
We recently went over to the Indian Ocean side, stayed at the Hilton in Fujairah. Much more peaceful. I just love listening to the racket the mosques put out (believe it or not). There's a Le Meridien near there too - you'll need a car though, but driving there is no chore once you work out where the roads go (distinct lack of signs sometimes).
Girlfriend wants to go to Oman next - sounds like Dubai 15 years ago in all the guides.
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