The Laser Light Show portion...So, due to my extended (but lovely to have extra time with family and friends) time in Boston, I missed the biggest event (arguably) of 2010 in Dubai... The Grand Opening of the World's Tallest Building, the Burj Dubai!! I have been counting down to this event since we moved here and had been excited to be able to watch from our garden while enjoying a glass of wine, but alas, snow and reckless plow drivers intervened...
Despite my absence, though, Jared was here to catch the show and took some amazing photos of the fireworks displays that accompanied the opening on January 4, 2010. During the ceremony it was announced that the formal name of the tower would be changed to the Burj Khalifa in honor of the ruler of Abu Dhabi (term of the economic bailout, perhaps??). Weird since we've been calling it the Burj Dubai for years (since watching the very early stages of construction when Jared was in Dubai from '07-'08) and all the signs around the area still call it the "Burj Dubai." We haven't been to the top yet (we're waiting for our visitors coming in March!) but I am sure the view is amazing and can't wait to see it. In the meantime, enjoy some of Jared's fantastic photography of the opening below...
Yup, those are fireworks coming off the building...
Yes, they literally tied fireworks to the actual structure of the building itself...
Yet somehow, it didn't burn down...
Also, here is a Youtube video of the opening as well... Soooo disappointed I missed this... You can see the various stages of the opening in the video, all set to Arabic music in true Dubai fashion.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxxv6AZ_xg
Wow! These are stunning photographs!! What an incredible celebration! Kinda blows the 4th of July fireworks out of the water! :) What does the tallest building in the world house? Hope you guys have fun visiting the top in March!
ReplyDeleteWell, the tenants have not moved into the Burj yet, but next month they will -- 2-3 hotels, some apartments, some shops, a bunch of offices, and I am sure more than one restaurant. They like to do 'soft' openings here in order to have celebrations on symbolic days (Jan. 4th was the anniversary of the Sheikh coming into power) even though the inside wasn't completely ready. The inside will allegedly be complete by Feb. 2010. That's yet to be seen...
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