World Beauty / Travel Blog

DUBAI METRO Fast facts: In full operation, Dubai Metro is projected to carry approximately 1.2 million passengers on an average day, and 355 million passengers per year. Trains are WiFi enabled. The 32.5 mile Red Line will have 29 stations, some of which are underground. Rolling stock is being supplied by Kinki Sharyo under a $456.2m contract for 385 cars. All stations will have platform doors to increase safety and allow a more comfortable, climate controlled environment. The driverless, fully automated trains are fully air-conditioned The trains will offer standard ‘Silver’ class, a women and children only section plus a first class ‘Gold’ section for VIPs. The “Gold” car will be located at front of each train and will be just for men (specifically, non-poor men). The “Silver” cars for the ladies and the rugates and the downtrodden will follow behind. Gold cars will feature wide leather seats, an expansive view through the train’s front window, and an “exclusive lighting design. Tra

BURJ Khalifa TOWER: FAST FACTS: Formally known as Burj Dubai. “The foundation is made up of 192 concrete and steel pilings more than 164 feet (50 meters) deep. They are joined by a 12-foot-thick raft upon which the skyscraper rests.” “45,000 cubic meters of concrete was used in the foundation.” Underground parking spaces: 16,000 “The air conditioning chillers installed on the 155th and 159th floor are so high that their design had to take into account the thinner air at that elevation.” In 2006, 2,500 construction workers rioted because of low pay and poor treatment. They did an estimated $1 million damage. The tower is designed Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill “The interior will be decorated by Giorgio Armani. An Armani Hotel, the first of four by Armani, will occupy the lower 37 floors” “In keeping with Islamic custom, the hotel pool will have separate hours for women and men at the pool.” Those little buildings on either side are all seems really, really smal

Official Name: French Republic Geography Area: 551,670 sq. km. (220,668 sq. mi.); largest west European country, about four-fifths the size of Texas. Cities: Capital--Paris. Major cities--Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Nice, Rennes, Lille, Bordeaux. Terrain: Varied. Climate: Temperate. People Nationality: Adjective--French. Population (January 1, 2010 est.): 64.7 million (including overseas territories); 62.8 million (metropolitan). Annual population growth rate (2009 est.): 0.5%. Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Sub-Saharan African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities. Religion: Roman Catholic 85% (est.), Muslim 10% (est.), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%. Language: French. Education: Years compulsory--10. Literacy--99%. Health: Infant mortality rate (2009)--3.8/1,000. Work force (2009): 28.1 million (preliminary): Services--74.7%; industry and commerce--22.0%; agriculture--3.2%. Government  Type:  Republic. Constitution: September 28, 1958. B