Burj Khalifa, Dubai. December 2010
-est
After expectations, superlatives might be the next most dangerous thing in life. Post experiencing the "best" of anything, how can we settle for anything less? We all claim to seek the pinnacle, but do we ever consider what comes after? Are all other croissants damned after France? How can coffee be drunk outside of Italy? How about watching the "Magic Flute" after seeing it at the Vienna State Opera house? (still haven't done that). After Everest, what is left for a mountaineer? Do we want to be left in some dazed state of inadequacy that nothing else measures up after experiencing "-est"?
My first visit to Burj Khalifa coincided with UAE's National Day celebration. On my virgin voyage to Dubai serendipity played out in a superlative fashion. After seeing Dubai Mall (largest in the world at that time), MWK and I were ready to move along on my grand tour. I only had a few days there, so I wanted to pack in as much as possible. Luckily, MWK remembered it was National Day and heard there would be fireworks. He asked a security guard who confirmed that indeed fireworks were being set off that evening behind Dubai Mall. I really hated to waste the time waiting for darkness, but I took the gamble it would be good. We watched the Dubai Fountain music and light show (the largest of its kind at that time) three or four times and had a long coffee break. We found some stairs directly UNDER Burj Khalifa looking out over the faux lake and wonderous fountain. We waited - at least I had no expectations.
The fireworks were ignited from multiple locations (including Burj Khalifa itself). Imagine the grand finale of any fireworks display and then just continue that for 30 minutes. There were fireworks coming from every direction - the lake, other buildings, and Burj Khalifa. For the grand opening of the tallest building on earth on National Day, Sheikh Mohammed - Dubai's ruler - wanted to make a show of it. He succeeded. Those were undoubtedly the best fireworks I have ever seen in my entire life. The crowd (and MWK and I) literally gasped again and again. Since then, no other fireworks have remotely compared.
What of Burj Khalifa's journey to "-est"?
For thousands of years the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest manmade structure - THOUSANDS of years! Then came a few European cathedral bell towers which only slightly exceeded Pharaoh Khufu's tomb in height (and often fell down). The next serious contender, the Washington Monument, stood for a short time the tallest structure on earth. However, it was the Eiffel Tower that blew everything away by towering double the height of the Great Pyramid. Funny how that tower in Paris, now viewed as quaint and old, was the tallest building in the world until the age of the skyscraper. Now buildings only hold the moniker "tallest" for a few decades at most. Topping the Great Pyramid for "longest holding the title" will be tough.
The "tallest building" title is a serious topic. The owners of the Sears (Willis) Tower in Chicago actually took the owners of the Petronas Tower in Kuala Lumpur to court over the title. What exactly made something the tallest? Actual height including masts and towers? Or was it highest floor in actual use? A very complex set of rules was created to define all kinds of "-est" structures. For example, even though on the ocean floor, oil rigs might be considered structures with "height". The list of exceptions and inclusions is actually comical to research, but it is all about that "-est".
The best thing for me that evening was sharing that experience with a good friend. We still talk about how amazing it was and how lucky we were to have stumbled upon it. Neither of us had any idea that we were visiting Dubai Mall just before an incredible spectacle.
Oh yes, and for the moment, Sheikh Mohammed is safe. Burj Khalifa is still the tallest.