Bird’s eye view.

Hello, is it my blog you looking for? I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile (finally I can see it in my blog’s statistics))….and I want to tell you so much I love you! © (took from a song “Hello”)

Yeah, that’s a romantic beginning from a hopeless romantic Cinderella)).

Anyway, I am back from a short break without my blog. Today I am continuing with Dubai-stories. I hope this will be the highest post of mine as it’s going to be about the tallest man-made structure in the world! (Unfortunately, it’s not a castle of my prince, but Burj Khalifa of a somebody else’s prince. I was late again as my clock is always not correct))

On the 19^th of March me and my people (meaning the Siberian family accidently joined me when I was born)) went to the tour inside the building. Even though being a special Russian delegation from Emirates economy class, having already bought tickets, we needed to stay in the queue for a while (and we could have spent this time productively such as waiting for the green light on the traffic)) before getting to the 124^th floor. C’est la vie! (I learnt a phrase in French and trying to show off, unfortunately with the only one phrase for now)). Before telling you all the incredible facts, numbers and emotions about the building itself, I cannot resist from mentioning the elevator we were going so high with. It travels with a speed 10 meters per a second! There is a screen inside the elevator where a user can observe how it goes…just incredible…1,2,3,4,5,6,7….15,16…(it was almost impossible to count the numbers, that much fast it was). In addition to that, there is an Arabic music and some kind of light-music going on (inside the elevator), which makes the journey even more enjoyable.

When the lift makes you finally speechless, you arrive at the 124^th floor, which is an observation deсk and it’s also the main point of the tour. Hmm, how to explain what it is – I don’t know. All I know – the beauty does exist over and down there. It is more than a bird’s eye view. It’s a combination of everything you can think of (recently read about somebody’s invention which was a subtle butt package contains five “fart pads” that you attached to your underwear. It was designed to filter the fart and alleviate the smell! Or another one which was handerpants! Surely, there, at the very high point where you could see a marvelous world, you would not think of such stupid things I mentioned above)).

So here we are…at the 124^th floor (or 99+25 still for those who like complications and mathematics))). Of course, I forget about being with the family and straight away run to the windows, trying to calm down with my hunger of capture everything I can see from the point. The view is above all expectations: skyscrapers around, amazing structures, roads, swimming-pools, famous Dubai fountain, Emirates deserts,… and most of the things are pretty small compare to their look when you observe it from the ground (especially, when you are a meter height)))  (don’t want to abuse anyone, just joking at myself as I always do. I think I might sue myself in a court one day)). I took a lot of photos from that observatory deck and two of them you can see above the post. It was such a clear sunny day fulfill with absolutely stunning pictures from Burj Khalifa’s floor. Apart from feeling very emotional and impressed by the human beings who built it, I also gained some information such as knowing the height of the building which is 828,8 meters. It cost around $1,5 billion. The building is expected to hold up to 35,000 people at any one time, and so on…

For those who like movies, actions and particularly “Mission Impossible”, there is a video that cannot leave you unimpressed (in my opinion) https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_ZKeJhOyb5o. When I watched the film I thought “Oh, yeah, very cool!” but when I watched that short video “behind the scene” I was speechless…while was imagining myself jumping outside the building. I might be afraid of such things because I am a little bit weaker than Tom Cruise)). I will have some workouts and can do same stuff…in my dreams)))

At least I wasn’t afraid to be on the 124^th floor and did enjoy such a splendid landscape view from there which I wish for all of you, dear readers!

Always here, for you – Natasha from Russia!

From Youtube to reality!

 

(please click on the picture to see it in a bigger version:)

Good day, dears!

You should all be happy as you entered my blog which means that you have some free time, you see the lovely snow that goes under my post, you are ready to get some positive, to feel the beauty of life and so on. What can be more exciting than that!?! (Some people would think: “What? A lot of things are better! It’s, for instance, travelling with a lover by your side, amazing house on a beach with a sea-view, it’s a modern flat in the capital of the world (everyone would chose for themselves which capital it is – London, New York, Abidjan, Tripoly, Dhaka or Omsk)), etc…) but I am telling you – nothing is better than to read my blog because I do write it with pure LOVE!!! (with Love, Microsoft, Youtube, Google and other feelings as I am 21st century’s Cinderella)))

Anyway, I am still sharing my Dubai-experience and it’s not about how my family was trying to sell me there))) as they wouldn’t do this anyway. The thing is that I have to design my grandparents’ hence in their garden therefore they still need me in Siberia)) but otherwise nobody knows what could’ve happened to me)).

To leave all the jokes behind (and wait for some more later on)) I want to tell you about the thing that impressed me very much (as much as you just thought but multiply it by million times! That is how big my impression was!) And it’s not the lovely and delicious ice-cream I enjoyed in the city’s shopping mall, noooo!! I am a very romantic person (not only a hungry one as you could think of me)).

I don’t want to tell you all the details about our arriving and shopping and so on but to come to the point straight away! (Otherwise it will be midnight and I will have to leave the blog in order to not show my real Cinderella’s face which was made of a pumpkin…I think I should read the story again as I am kind of forgetting why there was a pumpkin in the book)).

And so…and…and Bloskar (it’s my blog’s Oscar)) goes to…to…Dubai Fountain!! I remember one of my friends sent a video with this magical thing some years ago and I couldn’t believe my eyes! (And I didn’t dream that time that one day I will see such a beautiful beautiful beautiful beauty in real life! On that day we were discovering a world of goods in Dubai Mall and suddenly we came up with an idea to watch the fountain! I am glad I met a Russian friend with her husband there and they showed me and my family where we needed to go if we were keen on seeing the performance. I was really surprised when I knew it was actually near the Mall we were in. So after a very long and tiring 5 minutes walk)) we arrived at the place and started to count seconds until the fairytale begins (around 4 123 049 999 120  seconds. Haven’t I told you that my family consist of world-known mathematics including myself?)))

As always it’s difficult to explain what it was and how it was felt but Tom Cruise has said to me once in his film “Dear Natasha, nothing is impossible!” and therefore I am trying to pass my emotions to my loveliest readers who deserve to see what I’ve seen and even more! I do hope you will visit a lot of wonderful places while travelling! Continuing with the show…It’s started with kind of fumes and then the gorgeous musical notes of “The Prayer” by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli! And a team of water and fire joined “The Prayer” in an absolutely stunning way! From the beginning I knew I would love it from the bottom of my heart and the core of my soul! With the song “The Prayer” I would pray to those people who designed it and made a dream come truth! In my opinion, it looked like a painting but not the reality! That water-dance with the musical beauty, projectors, lights and skyscrapers on the background. I had tears on my eyes that much I was touched by the wonderland called Dubai Fountain.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM59vw8KA_s  this is for you to experience the dream!)

I would like to leave my emotions behind for a while and to give you some real facts about the fountain:

– Was designed by a company called WET Design;

–  It can spray 83,000 liters of water in the air at any moment;

– Illuminated by 6,600 lights and 25 coloured projects;

– It shoots water up to 152 m;

– It cost $218 million at the time it was built.

I hope the numbers added some more professional flavor and framed my emotions in a proper shape. Unfortunately, the fountain works with a timetable with a 4-5 minutes performance and then 30 minutes break and again a little show and a long break. I wish it was the other way around)). However, we had a chance to enjoy 3 songs with “I will always love you” by Whitney Houston at the end of our individual programme…and I can definitely say that I will always love that spendid fountain!

Could I ever think that I will see such a beauty in front of me when was watching the show on Youtube?! But Nothing Is Impossible. The word itself says I’m possible!))) Believe in things you want and you will get them! All the best for dreaming and reading people! 🙂

P.S. A very interesting and spectacular beginning of “Triller” by Michael Jackson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoxxK-8MeWw .

While waiting for the flight

(Photo: Emirates ©)

مرحبا يا عزيزي القارئ!

It’s again me, again from cold but lovely Russia. However, my greeting looks a bit unusual today because on the 7^th of April my post is going to have an Arabic flavor and it’s going to be about a problem that was solved incredibly well by the largest airline in the Middle East (which one you will know soon. I hope you didn’t look at the picture above)).

It was such a gorgeous day on the 16^th of March when me and my family were about to leave India and enter Emirates (give you a clue – the name of the airline is hidden (hidden very well)) in the sentence). Our flight from Trivandrum to Dubai airport supposed to be around 12am (I am glad this time doesn’t affect Cinderella at all, so I could be relaxed)). We had a very funny check-in because my family doesn’t speak English and 2 weeks spending in India wasn’t enough for learning the language. Well, at least my grandparents knew “Hello” and “Thank you” that was very helpful)). While we were going through a metal detector I heard “Natasha, what do they want from me?? Translate it please!” from my dad, my mom, my grandparents. I wouldn’t be surprised if strangers would ask me to translate something for them, because I felt that everyone wanted me to help them. I didn’t know where to go…It was hilarious because my grandma put a scissors in her hand-bag (of course, it’s the most important thing to have while being on a plain)), anyway we should all forgive her because she is 77 years old). My mom had some strange locks in her hand-bag (not surprisingly as she is a daughter of my grandma)) and my dad simply forgot to take his mobile from a cage and afterwards, staff didn’t believe it was his phone, so we had to prove it. I had so much fun knowing that it was my family. I hope the airport’s staff will remember us!))

After all we were relieved – sitting in the airport, waiting for the flight and dreaming about Dubai! Our boarding time came insensibly (after 2 hours delayed)) and we started to enter a jet bridge (it’s good I have this opportunity to learn new words while writing the blog. Of course, I meant the preposition “our”, which I wasn’t aware of before))). Anyway, we had to stop our journey through the wonderful and mysterious jet way. We waited for some minutes and finally returned to the gate. It was the shortest journey I have ever had)).

I should also add that while we were waiting for the delayed flight we were provided with some beverages and snacks which was so kind of Emirates-company. (By “We” I mean not only me and my family (even though we were special people from Economy class))), but all the passengers!)

However, later on the airlines announced that the flight was delayed for 12 hours more and we could fly only at 2 30am! Now you may think that we were all shocked and disappointed! Why didn’t we fly with a bird)), but then we wouldn’t have a TV to watch and some food to eat during the flight)). And now, the main point of my post today – how Emirates handled the situation. All the passengers (even my grandma, already without her scissors, now everyone should be sorry for her)) were provided with transport and absolutely lovely hotels! Indian dinner was included as well. To be honest, we enjoyed the hotel very much. Well, it was a bit sad that we missed a day in Dubai(( as I really wanted to spend more time there, but on the other side – nothing can be better than a company that does take care of it’s clients and can show this great respect to everyone. And even it wasn’t a fault of the company (as far as I know it happened due to the weather conditions and as the weather couldn’t give us accommodation, Emirates-airlines did so)).

I believe that nothing happens in life accidently and it does occur for some reasons. Why did we spend a day more in Thiruvananthapuram (the city where the airport is based) when we could’ve enjoyed such a modern and extraordinary Dubai? I think we needed to say a proper “good bye” to India (or better “see you soon”), we needed to see how foreign company (such as Emirates) can prove that “A problem is a hidden luck” (“12 friends of Oshen”, movie).

I hope, my dears, you won’t have any problems on your way, but even if you do – just think that it’s your luck and it will be!