Welcome

Where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been. You've been in the pipeline, filling in time, Provided with toys and scouting for boys. You bought a guitar to punish your ma, And you didn't like school, And you know you're nobody's fool, So welcome to the machine.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Interior of the Mercato Mall - Dubai

As you enter the mall:

The central atrium

The central atrium

When you turn back to look:

Main entrance

Main entrance

Main entrance

Main entrance

Main entrance

Main entrance

An overhead walkway:

Overhead walkway

Overhead walkway

Interior details:

Interior details

Interior details

Interior details

Interior details

Coffee from Starbucks - Mercato Mall - Dubai

The entrance:

The entrance to the Mall

The entrance to the Mall

The coffee shop:

At the coffee shop

The coffee shop in the Mall

Ordering coffee:

Ordering

Coffee ordered

Bunnies on the counter:

Bunnies on display at the counter

Maserati outside the Mercato Mall

Maserati outside Mercato Mall

Maserati outside Mercato Mall

Maserati outside Mercato Mall

Maserati outside Mercato Mall

Maserati outside Mercato Mall


I look like a bloated jellyfish in these pics! This is the weirdest t-shirt I own. Goes into the dumpster right now! I didn't wanna upload the pics because of that but it's a Maserati.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Burj al-Arab

Burj al-Arab

Probably the most famous building in the world, the only 7-star hotel (or so it claims to be) in the world, so I'll just skip the information/introduction section.

Burj al-Arab


And at night:

Burj al-Arab

Burj al-Arab


Some facts:
Towering to a massive height of 321 mt, the Burj-al-Arab's the tallest hotel in the world, and also lays claim to the world's tallest atrium. It stands off the shore of the Persian Gulf, on a manmade island- a distinctive sail-shaped structure, made from Teflon-coated fibreglass. The world's most luxurious hotel- or so it aims to be.

Helicopters and Rolls Royces transfer guests from the mainland; a team of 40 highly-trained butlers offer their services; and an array of facilities spread across the hotel.

Each of the 202 suites of the hotel spreads over two floors (the smallest suite is only 169 sq mt!), and has all the works- rare Brazilian granite floors; floor-to-ceiling windows; laptop computers; 42" TV screens; faxes and more.

Guests can travel on a special submarine to the below-sea level restaurant which offers diners a peek onto the coral reef outside, a cigar lounge, a clutch of restaurants and a bar offer a range of cuisines to choose from, and guests can go golfing, swimming, or dancing.

Such luxury, obviously, comes for a price- the Burj-al-Arab's cheapest suite costs around $900 a night and tariffs go as high as $15,000 a night. But for a hotel like the Burj-al-Arab, even that is worth it.

Palm Tree

A palm tree on Sheikh Zayed Road

Dubai's soil and weather allow the Palm Tree to flourish and you find scores of them dotting the city! I was told the these trees are grown and planted is an art form by itself.

In the infancy stage when the branches are growing, the trees are wrapped around. Water and other growth related stuff (:P) is then added into it from the top. Since it's wrapped tightly, the branches grow upwards. After a certain period, the wrapping is taken off and the branches fan out like the one above. If the tree isn't wrapped or unwrapped at the right time, the branches either sag too low or they remain pointing straight up.

Emirates Towers

The towers in the early morning

I'd opened up the curtains at night so that the early sun would help me wake up early and in time for the interview. I woke up and saw the towers looking maginificiently regal! Had to snap away!

The Emirates Towers

Inviting!

The inviting pool!

The pool looks so inviting! This is from the window of my hotel room! I was preparing for my MS interview and decided to give the pool a try the next day!

Islamabad International Airport

International Departures

Somehow with the soft lighting, the lounge looks really welcoming. Take my word when I say that the lounge sucks.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Storm in Isloo

Lightning Strikes

Lightning Strikes

Lightning Strikes

Lightning Strikes

After the lightning has struck!!!

After the lightning has struck!

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Monday, May 01, 2006

Ice cream with Nadia

Ice cream with Nadia

Ice cream! wow! People get so happy and excited to be having ice cream when summer hits Lahore. It was an amazingly hot day, and the ice cream was bliss!

From the Space Shuttle

At the moon!

This one I took when I went into lower orbit in a NASA Space Shuttle. This is our approach around the moon, before we went into the "dark spot" (where no radio contact is possible with Earth).

This is the lunar surface visible here.

:P