Indications of the downturn can still be seen amid the glamorous Emirates Boat Show, which opened in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night. A sign hanging over the Duretti 85, a 25 meter super yacht parked at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center marina reads “Special Offer: Dh 6 Million”. Shaju Sreedhar, Purchasing Manager at Dubai Marina, which makes the Duretti, attributes the ‘special offer’ to the recession, explaining that only two years ago, these boats with luxurious entertainment systems, dining lounges, and other comforts cost Dh6 million.
Similar special offers can be seen in Boat Trader magazine, which has advertisements emblazoned with “Reduced Price” and “Big Discount”. Manufacturers say the boating industry is only now beginning to emerge from the economic downturn. The wealthy continue to spend millions of dollars on high end boats, but sales of smaller boats aimed at the middle and upper middle class are just starting to recover. General Manager for yacht builder Sunseeker Middle East, Francesco Pitea, said “The rich are still rich, the middle class are strong but scared.”
If you’re looking for a quiet place that is also the biggest subtropical garden in the world then Roma St Parkland is the place to go. Broken up in 16 precincts, you’ll find all sorts of flora: lilies, native gardens, rockeries. You’ll also find works by local artists among the nature as well as an outdoor theatre and lots of public BBQs so you can partake in the Australian picnic tradition. ...
Christ Church Cathedral is considered the oldest building in Dublin. The original building dates back from Viking times, sometime shortly after 1028. The church stood on a hill overlooking the settlement and was one of just two churches serving Dublin at that time. It was completely rebuilt in the 1180s by Robert de Clare (aka Strongbow), the Norman conqueror of Dublin. Over...
Founded in 1998, this is a comprehensive museum dedicated to art in the Islamic world. It is one of just a few museums dedicated solely to Islamic art, and perhaps the best. The building itself is elegantly designed and decorated. There are five different domes. In the entrance hall is an inverted dome, adorned with arabesque and gilded cartouches. While the focus is on Malaysia, there ...
Town Hall, located in the Fort area has been influenced by Greek and Roman architecture and is one of the heritage buildings of Mumbai. The massive pillared edifice with eight Doric pillars is impressive. A flight of 30 steps leads to the portico. The building has wooden floors, spiral staircases, wrought iron loggias and exquisite marble statues of late benefactors of the island city. It houses t...