Every Christmas, there is something called the Orchard Road light-up. Basically bright shiny lights are hung along Orchard Road to give it the Christmas spirit, aka entice people to spend money.
This light-up cost millions every year but it pales in comparison to a Christmas tree that cost $11 million in Abu Dhabi. Yes, a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi in the UAE (a Muslim country that doesn’t even celebrate Christmas) put up a Christmas tree that holds a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, sapphires etc that totals $11 million.
Already people are screaming that they had went over the top. True! But say what you want about the Arabs, they don’t do things halfway.
3 comments:
We loved Orchard Road in Singapore at Christmastime! Thought it dazzling. And I'm with you on the Arabs. This is really the first year that Christmas trees have hit the Emirates, my spies tell me they're in malls and hotels and that it's fantastic. The Emirates Palace, where the jewelery tree is, is a perfect setting for a tree like that. I say, thumbs up to the Arabs for going all the way, and BIG thumbs up to an Islamic country for being both liberal and tolerant of other religions.
Forget about comparing with a tree full of precious stones, we are not even up to par in terms of street lightings actually.
Check out Tokyo's 2010 Christmas light ups here and you'll know what I mean. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2303.html
It seems both the UAE and Japan are trying to out "over-the-top" each other. Hopefully Singapore & Orchard Rd never get to that level.
Post a Comment