Jaunted

Middle East

Abu Dhabi Sneaking Out Of Dubai’s (Big) Shadow

November 10, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 0 Comments

Playing little brother to international city of the moment Dubai would definitely suck, but tourism officials are keen to make the UAE’s second city Abu Dhabi famous for something other than bizarre morphing skyscrapers. Abu Dhabi is proudly striving to become the cultural capital of the Middle East instead.

And while we scoffed a bit at first, on closer investigation it seems like Abu Dhabi does know something about culture. There’s going to be a Guggenheim Abu Dhabi by 2012, and in keeping with the UAE's penchant for world records, it'll be the world's biggest Guggenheim museum.

They've also got a bunch of national cultural buildings in Abu Dhabi like the National Theater and the main national library. Perhaps we’ll soon be able to skip the skyscrapers of Dubai and spend our layover soaking up the museum culture of Abu Dhabi. Pity the shopping will probably never be as good.

Related Stories:
· Oil’s Well in Abu Dhabi [The Age]
· The Incredible Morphing Skyscraper [Jaunted]

[Photo: Ioan Barbulescu]

Politics

Prince Charles and the McDonald's-Free Vacation

February 28, 2007 at 8:49 AM | 0 Comments

We woke up this morning to the news that Prince Charles wants McDonald's banned. Everyone's screaming about it. Such a ban--and this is assuming he was being serious--would be a lost cause in Britain, but perhaps not so much in the United Arab Emirates (where the suggestion was made). If they want McDonald's out and McDonald's puts up a fight, the UAE will build a giant, diamond-encrusted, multi-billion dollar robotic lion and keep Micky D's out.

So, what if you are seeking solace from the golden arches? Where can you travel to be free from the Big Mac, or any of its international incarnations? The best answer we've found so far comes from Yahoo!. You can roam free in Benin, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Tajikistan, for starters. Those 'stans always come through.

[Photo: The McGuires/Kramchang]

Related Stories:
· Report: Prince Charles advises banning McDonald's food [Boston Herald]
· Are there any countries in the world without a McDonald's? [Ask Yahoo!]