Monday, June 08, 2009

On the Palm

With a couple of occasions to celebrate, we joined up with my uncle & his family to do something a bit out of the ordinary over the weekend. We drove onto Dubai's famous Palm Jumeirah island to see the Atlantis resort (pictures uploaded on my photoblog).

Atlantis is the only commercial establishment there open right now; the rest are in varying stages of construction, currently stalled due to recession woes. The residential apartment complexes and villas are up and ready, and its nice to see from the monorail that runs the length of the Palm.

There are many attractions within the Atlantis, including its water park, aquarium and what I think is a dolphin show. I believe they have an area where you can swim with the dolphins and feed sting rays. Someday perhaps, it'd be fun to try, but in this murderously hot weather, none of us was game to be out in the open for too long. So we just rode the monorail and clicked loads of goofy photos with the resort as a backdrop.

Having lived in Bombay and Abu Dhabi, we're no strangers to reclaimed land, but I have to say, the Palm is certainly the most creative of them all and also the most controversial. On the one hand, it is a stupendous engineering feat, but on the other, the project has also drawn intense criticism for the resultant environmental damage.

I fell into the latter category initially, but having actually been there, I'm torn between both viewpoints; I can't decide if its a testament of human ingenuity for mastering a bit of Nature, or of human stupidity for messing too far with Nature.

Either way, it is a sight worth seeing at least once!

19 comments:

  1. I agree it is beautiful, but I strongly believe humans tamper with nature way too much. And the Palm Jumerah is a shining example of that.

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  2. ahhh!! We both seem to have echoed each others thoughts with our posts!! Wow...
    and i agree with u.. its taking chances with nature one step further :S

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  3. Well, the pic looks wonderful and as you say -can't decide between, it being a testament to human ingenuity or stupidity.. Guess the years to come will tell... But I do thing messing up too much with nature will have a heavy price to pay...

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  4. Goofy Mumma - yeah, and can you believe it, there are two more Palms in process. Why couldn't they have left it at one???


    Amrita - Comin over to see what you wrote :D


    Smitha - yup, only time will tell, though I also feel whenever it comes down to man vs. nature, nature eventually wins.

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  5. It's definitely very spectacular, esp the arial view. everytime a tree is cut down to build a building or a house, man is tampering with nature. no amount of trees we plant in returns will ever balance it, but yes that can be one step.

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  6. I echo GM's thoughts exactly:)

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  7. hmmmm....i am off to your photoblog.......hope you have been doing great......i have been meaning to write to you since sometime...i would before long :)

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  8. A - if you cut down a tree, you can plant another....but if you invade the ocean this way, how do you compensate?


    Renu - yeah, as beautiful as it looks, I don't think its the wisest project.


    Moi - I'm doing fine thanks :) Have been a sloppy visitor at your blog of late, but will rectify that asap :D

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  9. I know what you mean...

    How is the baby doing???

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  10. In my view its engineering marvel.. its master piece.. and as far as environmental damage is concerned it is there with our every single step. we can take steps to minimize the effect..

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  11. I must have come here some 3 times to comment but got distracted & went away thru some link or the other;-P.

    Guess what, I never knew anything abt this monorail. Gimme details...it will come in useful when we have guests;-D

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  12. Agnes - lil one seems to be doing well thanks, quite active :D


    Nitin - certainly agree that we damage the environment otherwise too, but this feels like too much damage concentrated on one area.


    Reflections - its just a train line that'll eventually connect to the main metro. You can drive upto Atlantis & board it from there. Return ticket for 1 is 25 aed. It goes all the way to the start of the Palm & then heads back, about 3-4 stations in between, but since nothing else is ready, there's no point getting off, so you just ride back to the Atlantis. But you get a good view of the hotel & the Palm fronds & those fantabulous villas & kids love it when trains pass each other in the opposite direction.....worth a one time trip I think :D

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  13. Hey...thanks for the info...will come in handy when we have guests;-D.

    Came to tell u that u r tagged:-)).

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  14. Oh! that's beautiful. Well! we have tempered with nature so much that I don't think I can add anything more than what's being already said.

    Is this the place where SRK and Pitts are going to be neighbors?

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  15. Dubai is out of this world...

    How is the baby doing???? :-))))

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  16. Reflections - yeah its fun if there are a lot of ppl, worth a one-time trip. Thanks for the tag!!!


    Solilo - yeah, them & many other celebs....supposedly! I don't think any of them have actually spent any time there though.


    Agnes - Dubai is certainly an experience.....they have artificially created so many things its mind-boggling!!! And the baby is doing well, thanks :D

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  17. Hello !! how are you doing ? long time no see?

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  18. How r u??? Busy I'm sure. But come on make some time & post all the details:-))

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  19. Salom... cant wait to read about your thoughts, feelings and expressions on motherhood... :) do write when u can make sometime. Love and hugs to you and the little angel :)

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