The Tourism Development and Investment Corporation (TDIC) will appoint a contractor to construct the Louvre Musuem on Saadiyat Island by the end of the year. TDIC assistant development director said “By the end of the year an announcement will be made about the Louvre.” French architect Jean Nouvel designed the project which is expected to be complete in 2013. A short list of contractors bidding for the project includes Al Habtoor Leighton and Arabtec Construction.
TDIC has also invited contractors to bid for the contract to build the Guggenheim Museum. Construction of the Dh2.75 billion ($US748m) museum, which will form part of the cultural district on Saadiyat Island, will begin early next year. Regarding their choice of contractor, Mr. al Hammadi explained they need specialized contractors and must consider “options locally and internationally to see how we can get the best quality for our budget.”
During Roman times, Umm Qais was known as Gadara. It was a city of the Decapolis, a loose confederation of cities in the Roman province of Syria. Other members included Philadelphia (Amman), Gerash, and Damascus. Gadara thrived under the Romans, but quickly declined after their empire fell. It was a small village when Islam arrived in the seventh century, and abandoned soon...
This is an active volcano and tour operators will take you all the way up to the crater. But that is time-consuming and extremely challenging. You can also take the hour-long drive to Panelokan which is a small town on the outer edge of thee crater where you have stunning views. Be sure to visit Lake Batur. However, the trek up the volcano is recommended by all those who have tried it. Overnight s...
The Jama Masjid is the most famous and most important mosque in all of India. It was built in 1656 AD under the command of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The mosque houses a large and impressive courtyard that can hold up to 25,000 worshippers. Entry to the Jama Masjid is free. However, be careful with what you wear since you will have to cover-up (no shorts nor sleeveless shirts are allowe...
This is the most important road running through the city. Originally known as ‘Bander Road’ (meaning Port Road), it is the central road which connects all major parts of the city, and the road around which the city of Karachi gradually emerged. It starts at the seaport of Karachi, at Kemari and leading through the city ends at the Super Highway which connects Karachi to the neighboring city of Hyd...