Home  The All New Blog Abu Dhabi: This is it! This time I know it's the real thing...
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Abu Dhabi: This is it! This time I know it's the real thing... |
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Written by Stephen Baines
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Monday, 30 August 2004 |
Wow. That was the totally unimaginative thought that went through my mind as we went through the gates and into the palace complex. Wow was also my second thought, and many more thoughts that went through my mind during the afternoon. In fact it's probably fair to say that very little else went through my mind all afternoon as I struggled to take in the sheer size and beauty of the place. I'd be told what it was like, but the reality was... Wow.
Phillipose's car drove of up the sandy temporary drive towards the palace, and then down into it's belly. The car park is underneath and some 500m long. I didn't dare to ask how wide it was - needless to say there was plenty of parking space, even allowing for the 19,000 workforce on site trying to get it ready for the end of the year. We stepped out of the car and put on our hard hats. It then was a longish walk to the first control room for the palace. You know, 30-odd 34" monitors for CCTV, a dozen or so workstations, and the racks with the fibre switches for the palace, plus the control/indicator gear for the 96 lifts in the palace.
Suitably impressed we made our way into the heart of the palace, and to the reception area where the giant marble staircases and pillars rose into the air - wrapped with scaffolding like a bizarre cobweb. The elegant glass panels in the iron case just nicely finished off the feeling that you were in a palace. Then I looked at the ceiling. The domed ceiling with relief shone like a brilliant star; "There's about 22kg of gold leaf in each dome" said Phillipose. I was stunned, and looked at the floor and saw hundreds of tiny pieces of gold that had fallen to the ground when the leaf was brushed into place.
We ascended the stair case and up towards more reception areas, yet more marble of various colours and patterns lined the walls and floors, and yet more gold was on the ceilings and bosses. In the distance an elegant fountain became visible, we walked towards it and looked inside at it's finish, currently straddled by a man putting the finish touches to its dome. We continued on and ended up in the atrium of the palace, 5 floors rose up around this point and each looked even more maginificant than the last. The dome was still being worked on, but the intricate carving and wood was visible for all to see, as was the man on abseil ropes applying the decoration.
We moved through the palace towards enormous twin double doors and went through into the ballroom, complete with exquisite torches clinging to the wall, with crystal to refract the light coming from within.
We ascended further through the building and up to the roof. Here I could see close up for the first time the marble carvings and pieces put together and see just how it is being put together. We moved through and down into the atrium again, and there was the next surprise.
We went into the first of the countries. Perhaps I should explain; the Conference Palace is being built for the use of the countries that make up the UAE. Each country has its own part of the palace - a bit like an embassy - where they have appartments, offices, reception rooms and much more. Each country is independently controlled - or can be - during the conference. The decor in here was chandeliers, all in place despite the work still going on. The detailing just as intricate as in the other parts of the building. Here was the control room just for use of that country. I looked down and noticed the inlay in the marble floor and let out another wow.
We left the building and looked for a while at the areas outside the building, here were sets and marble, huge oblong pools ready to be filled and lined with fountains and rest areas and prayer areas. We then went round to the 'hotel' part of the Palace.
Here was more of the same - more gorgeous marble, intricate carving, gold leaf and crystal. I can honestly say that I have never been to a construction site and been left this in awe. Natch, I've never been somewhere and been this in awe. It truly is a magnificent building and a memory I will keep forever, as I doubt once it's open I'll ever set foot in the place.
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