Up into the sky – on a Ferris wheel in Dubai!

How many times have I been to Dubai? Based on both memory and my photo archives, I think it must be no less than 20 times. Some were long trips, others were lightning-fast one-day hops; all the same – you’d think I’d have seen all there is to see and snap there by now. But you’d be wrong. For they build new stuff here faster than I can keep up with; example: the Ain Dubai Ferris wheel ->

In keeping with Dubai’s shiny maximalism, it turns out it’s the tallest Ferris wheel in the world – a full 250 meters in height.

The closer we get – the more impressively grandiose the views get…

And as a reflection in the windows of the neighboring super-mall ->

But we’re not here for mirror-selfies – time to get into a cabin!

Welcome aboard, folks!

What amazed me the most at first (before the panoramic views up top) was the sheer… audacity of this here feat of engineering. Of course, one could say “but it’s just a Ferris wheel”. But still, it’s a 250-meter structure hanging in the air, constantly rotating in one direction. And it’s doing all that in practically constant insane heat – and just keeps on operating!

Meanwhile, up we go!…

Some views during “takeoff”:

The whole ride takes about 40 minutes. But I really wouldn’t have minded it taking longer…

Parachutist!…

…But I guess that’s not too surprising, since in the previous shot, down on the left, you could see a bit of the runway for small aircraft. That’s where they launch paragliders up into their full-on bliss and air-meditation heights. // Each to their own; I’m never jumping out of a plane :)

Meanwhile, the views out the window keep changing their aspect:

And some views of the wheel itself ->

Almost at the top ->

Here we are at the very top! ->

What goes up – must go back down ->

In all – a splendid, unforgettable experience. But then, on the world’s tallest Ferris wheel with panoramic views of Dubai – it’s hardly not gonna be, right? Right!

The best high-res pics from Dubai are here.