Burj Khalifa

My trip to Dubai is a last minute decision, although in the works for nearly a year. I book my ticket only two weeks before I board a plane in LA, and I have 22 hours of flight time to ponder that decision before landing in this tiny emirate on the Arabian Peninsula. It is night when my plane floats in over the lights of the Palm Jumeirah, past the sparkling tower of the Burj Khalifa and over the busy city surrounding it before touching down at Dubai Int’l. A landmark for tourists and residents alike is the quiet beauty of the Burj Khalifa. Burj means “tower” in Arabic, and as the largest free standing structure ever built, it is indeed. The Burj is a symbol of Dubai and the economic trials it has faced over the past few years. Funding to finish the Khalifa as well as its name came from neighboring emirate Abu Dhabi. The tower is breathtaking, and not just from the 124th floor, which is the highest you can go on the tour, but from the ground as well as from the air. The inspiration for its unique shape came from a desert flower, which is obvious when looking straight down. The petals that form the base of the Khalifa fan out around a lake filled with fountains that dance and sway to traditional Arabic music. Once my ears have adjusted to the height, the 360 degree view from the Khalifa is intense. The wind gusts coming off the Gulf quiet any other noise or thought so that all I can see and feel is the beauty of Dubai. In this moment I know I made the right decision in coming to this place. The absolute joy I feel looking out at this new world, being able to experience such a beautiful place that so few have before me and that so few understand. I feel very lucky. Dubai is one of many destinations, but it is this journey that opens my eyes. It is time for a change, and I am ready to jump into the wind.

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800 meters. 2625 feet. 160 stories. Standing on the 124th floor observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s latest architectural confection, is downright frightening. Holding the record for world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa is an impressive example of modern engineering and, looking out on the United Arab Emirate of Dubai—a mix of sea, sand, and concrete—you can’t help but marvel at a landscape unmatched by most. The lightning fast elevator to the top takes mere seconds, and the 360-degree view, quite literally, takes your breath away. Dubai’s other many skyscrapers shrink in comparison atop the mighty Burj and, in that moment, you remember Dubai’s place in not only the Middle East but also the world.

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