In the Beautiful Burj Kalifa

I had been up Taipei 101three years ago, then the world’s tallest skyscraper, albeit competing with Shanghai’s World Financial Centre. So I really had to go up the Burj Khalifa in Dubai last week.

The Burj is indisputably now the world’s tallest skyscraper. But the observation deck on the 124th floor is small and expensive – pre-booked about £25, un-booked, like me, nearly £100.

The At.mosphere cocktail bar a floor below has a minimum spend, for men only, of £50. How sexist is that? Mixed sex parties, with the balls to leave no tip, could get away paying no more than a booked ticket to the observation deck, and have an expensive cocktail thrown in.

But one cocktail, at night, with the piano man playing, and the view from nearly half a mile up? Who’s going to stop at that? Not me.

It was worth it. I’m in love.

Jim Thornton