We are kind of over Dubai and its endless artificial constructions. And we're wondering, if you've already built the world's tallest building, why would you feel the need to go and build yet another one?
In case we're missing something, we thought we should let you know that the new one will be called the Nakheel Tower, and with 200 floors it'll reach something like two-thirds of a mile into the sky--the kind of building even Superman probably can't leap over. It'll take at least ten years to build the Nakheel--and the forty "small" 90-floor towers that will surround it.
Given that world bragging rights for tallest towers are apparently pretty valuable, the developers won't say exactly how high it'll be... only that it'll be more than 3,281 feet. Perhaps whoever guesses the correct height wins a jar of jellybeans?
Remember how we mentioned that the future of Australia's Big Orange was bleak? You can all breathe a sigh of relief because it seems like there's a solution--but not one to please citrus fruit lovers.
The Big Orange (and the land and water around it) is up for auction on October 29, and one idea being kicked around is that the Big Orange could be turned into the Big Golf Ball. Liquidator Des Munro came up with the idea, saying:
I think that could be an icon for the area because that area's such a mecca for golfing people.
It'll be at least a month before we know the Big Orange's fate. And then it might be goodbye to one Aussie tourist icon, and hello to an even stranger one.
All around Australia you'll find odd big things, like the Big Banana or the Big Potato, and this year the town of Yungaburra in Queensland has added another: a Big Frog.
But it's proving controversial. A local artist made the giant sculpture for the top of the local Frog's Takeaway and gas station complex, and now the council says it's not approved and must be taken down.
Plenty of Yungaburra residents support the frog--fair enough, in a town where there are more frogs than people--but we have to wait and see whether or not we can add it to our list of Big Stuff to see in Australia.
The emirate known for ridiculous stuff, Dubai, will soon be home to one of the world's biggest fountains. It's going up in front of the Burj Dubai and is slated to be finished by 2009.
The as-yet-unnamed fountain will be 25 percent larger than the one in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas; that makes it 900 feet long with jets that shoot water more than 500 feet in the air. Like the massive fountain in Vegas, this one will feature a light and sound show timed to the water.
There is even a contest open to name the fountain--though it's only open to UAE residents. If that includes you, enter your idea here for a shot at $27,000.
The developers of the Trump Ocean Club in Panama City just obtained a protective order against Dubai's Jumeirah Group from a Panamanian court. The Ocean Clubbers say they've faced "veiled threats of legal action" from the Middle Eastern luxury hotel chain because Jumeirah feels that Trump's new $220 million tower copies the design of their flagship Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
The Trump Ocean Club, pictured at right, does look a lot like the Burj, at left, but you'd think Jumeirah would be flattered. The Burj Al Arab's sail-style construction has been described by critics as the "pinnacle of tackiness," so it's no surprise that Trump would admire the design. Besides, it's not like the Trump folks copied the Burj's amazing rooftop tennis court.
Jumeirah hasn't tried to sue yet, and we doubt they actually will: This whole thing smells like a Trump publicity stunt. Selling your place as a Burj knockoff is probably a lot easier than getting mega-rich tourists excited about Panama City.
If you travel around Australia and order an orange juice on the way, the chances are good that at some stage you'll be drinking Berri. This famous brand of juice is backed up by one of those ridiculously over-sized food sculptures the Aussies are renowned for: That's right, near the town of Berri, you can visit the Big Orange.
That is, you can at the moment. But the Big Orange, one of Australia's most recognized big things, is under threat. Apparently numerous owners in the past decades have struggled to attract enough visitors to the South Australian town to make running the Big Orange worthwhile; the current owner is thinking of selling.
There are a few ideas in the pipeline: There's one potential buyer who's considering moving the Big Orange to a more profitable site. Perhaps even a Jaunted reader with a spare A$100,000 (that's less than $95,000) could be the new owner of the Big Orange? You'd have to be ripe for a few juicy jokes though.
Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. --P B Shelley, "Ozymandias"
Not even a giant self-portrait in sculpture can assure immortality, as fans of the late president of Turkmenistan are discovering. Saparmurat Niyazov's reign as president for life abruptly ended in 2006 with his death, and now a 246-foot-tall tower with a rotating gold statue of him at the top is facing exile from the center of the capital city of Ashgabat, says Reuters.
The new president's rationale for moving the tower, known as the Arch of Neutrality, is that it belongs on Neutrality Avenue, in the south of the city. But it's hard not to see the symbolism of removing a very prominent statue of the man who called himself "Turkmenbashi," or "Leader of all Turkmen," marking the final chapter of his 21-year reign.
Oh, hell yes. Legoland is coming to Dubai. Now we finally have a reason to go!
Given that recent developments include bridges and a replica of a French city, it's about time for something more appealing to the kids--and those of us who act like kids. The new park, scheduled to open by 2011, will have just about everything you want:
Similar to the existing four Legoland Parks at Billund, Denmark; Germany; Windsor and California, Legoland Dubailand [will feature] more than 40 interactive...kid-powered rides, cool building challenges, spectacular Lego models, interactive attractions, family-friendly coasters and shows.
Now the only drama is figuring out how you'll get your kids to behave on the long-haul to Dubai. Lucikly, mom-travel expert Wendy Perrin has some tips on that.
