Indoor skiing – ok. That happens. But in a desert? In the Middle East? Where the average temperature at this time of year is 40oC? Truly Bonkers. Quite apart from the carbon footprint, air-conditioning and other environmental hazards. Sure the UAE are preparing themselves to be the world’s playground for when the oil all runs out – but what sort of world will we be living in by the time that happens?! These pics of Dubai’s skiing resort which is part of the speak for themselves (mainly borrowed from Static).
Whatever next? The Winter Olympics in Kenya? Beach holidays in the Arctic Circle? Well at the rate we’re going, the latter might be the only kind of holiday one can have anywhere…
SKI DUBAI is part of the MALL OF THE EMIRATES (which is itself one of the largest malls in the world) and covers 22,500 square meters, with 5 different ski runs of varying difficulty. A maximum of 1500 ‘guests’ may use it at any one time. Apparently, “an extremely efficient insulation system is the key to maintain the temperature of -1 degrees Celsius during the day and -6 degrees during the night when the snow is produced.” Well – that’s alright then.
As an aside, it’s become a bit of a family joke: but my father regularly boasts how, when in stationed with the British Army in Cyprus in the ’60s, it was possible to ski in the morning and then swim in the sea in the afternoon. Well, this resort certainly trumps that. In Dubai, one can now presumably do both in the SAME MORNING! Wow. Still – it’s pretty incongruous to see the combination of American-style fast-food joint overlooking a ski resort andfrequented by chaps in full Arab traditional dress…
Check out a list of other Dubai nuttiness on Oddee.com
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Maybe equally disturbing was the sight of a tropical beach in the heart of docklands during the summer (http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=56866&in_page_id=34)… I mean think about it, a warm sunny tropical white sanded palm tree lined beach been sustained in a cold damp dark London August is as mad as a snow slope in the desert!
Think positive. Create green and set-off Carbon. U.A.E. can set off carbon, reduce emissions! Let’s think about a better ozone layer atmosphere. Take our help, we will make U.A.E. green!
Introducing bio-diesel in U.A.E. will ease the carbon emission to some extent. http://www.greenfueltech.net
who cares if they have a indoor ski ldge they have all the energey it needs. so who cares.