The Leaning Tower of UAE?

One of the most high profile buildings in the capital, the ADIA tower situated at the Abu Dhabi Corniche remains unoccupied long after completion allegedly due to a 'tilting basement' besides problems with wiring and power supply.

The unique building, shaped to resemble 'shifting sand-dunes' and featuring a double-glazed facade curtained with automatic blinds took more than 5 years to complete and cost Dhs 500 million. But if the problems remain unresolved (reportedly it has sunk 3 inches and has had frequent fires due to short circuits), who knows, some world-renowned project consultants and architects might give us the world's first leaning tower where people actually work.

Hold on to your desks and bring a candle, folks!

Image courtesy : Skyscrapercity

The Hartal Way to ease your traffic woes

Happy New Year to everyone! Let me begin 2007 in the true expat whining spirit.

My hopes of having a dubai-less holiday did not start on the right note after I found the UAE Labour Minister in my home town back in India.

The minister expressed his pleasant surprise at the sparse and orderly traffic over there (just like Dubai he said - pleasant, orderly traffic without a hint of irony. Good for him that the Dubai traffic situation is not front page news around the world), only to be wryly informed by an official that there was a 'hartal' in the city and drivers were wary of being pelted with stones by the protesters; black-tinted glasses being their obvious favourites.

Meanwhile, the possibilities of seeing free-flowing traffic in Sheikh Zayed Rd will remain as remote as a hartal organised by UAE's disgruntled labourers.