A luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi which unveiled a Christmas tree decorated with jewels valued at 11 million dollars has decided to put the record straight against criticism of having gone over the top. The Emirates Palace hotel said it regretted "attempts to overload the tradition followed by most hotels in the country," it said, in a statement quoted in Gulf News on Sunday. "Putting the Christmas tree... is a tradition meant to share in celebrating occasions guests hold while they are away from their home countries and families," said the hotel in the United Arab Emirates capital.
Under a headline of "Trouble over 11 million dollar Christmas tree," Gulf News said the hotel stressed this was "within the framework of the UAE's policy which is based on the values of openness and tolerance."
Emirates Palace stressed that the jewels were on loan from an Abu Dhabi gallery which had paid all the costs of making and decorating the tree. The jewels would be recovered by their owner at the end of the festive season."The hotel is just a venue for exhibiting the tree," it said
The tree, inaugurated on Wednesday, holds a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, emeralds, sapphires and other precious stones, said Khalifa Khouri, owner of Style Gallery which provided the jewellery. Emirates Palace hotel general manager Hans Olbertz said the tree, which he described as the "most expensive Christmas tree ever," will probably be an entry into the Guinness book of world records.
The 13-metre (40-foot) faux evergreen, located in the gold leaf-bedecked rotunda of the hotel, is not the first extravagant offering from the three-billion-dollar Emirates Palace. The hotel in the oil-rich Gulf emirate where the local population is Muslim, bills itself as a seven-star establishment and has a package for a week-long stay priced at one million dollars. The package comes with a personal butler and a chauffeur-driven Maybach luxury car as well as a private jet available for trips to other countries in the region.
hi Sweetie and how are you today...tired???
ReplyDeleteI feel good ...my ass is dragging.
ReplyDeleteHow about you ???
Also ass-dragging.
ReplyDeleteYou got Nana/Brian all tucked away and cozy ???
ReplyDeleteI got the two old farts asleep already and Maxy is sleeping in his bachelor pad on his back as usual.
ReplyDeleteThey did eat more candy , but we had fun even Dad made 2 one for him and one for Man, you know I had to help him .
ReplyDeleteI think that this year you'll have to tie those kids to their beds Christmas eve. They have made such a concerted effort to find those gifts.
ReplyDeleteWe better not stay on as late tonight so you can get all your presents finished and wrapped .
ReplyDeleteI bet the box for J is very beautiful and she will treasure it more because a lot of love was put into it .
I can picture dad making a gingerbread house. He's just a big kid.
ReplyDeleteI just heard on TV that Spiderman is a broadway musical WTF??? Whataever happened to stuff like 'Gypsy' and 'All that Jazz'??Or 'Oliver' or the 'Wiz'
Those little devils carried Man over there and told Eloise he wanted to see her , they don't know what to think now .
ReplyDeleteI will put on a movie, let them get in my bed , they love doing that and they will be sleep by 9:30 or 10:00 hopefully .
Apparently the show is having a series of accidents. All the actors keep falling from high platforms; not enough safety measures.
ReplyDeleteNot a good show to say "Break a leg" for good luck.
When the kids fall asleep in your bed does Gil carry them to their own beds?
ReplyDeleteI wrote an article about Amelia Earhart which I will post tonight. They are matching some DNA from some bones they found to a relative of hers.They think Giant crabs carried the rest of the bones away to their burrows.
ReplyDeleteThings have changed ,who wants to see Spiderman in a Broadway show.
ReplyDeleteDad is a big kid ,he have so much fun at Xmas with the kids. Now he has 4 and he is so happy , I don't know how they could be-grudge him of this little happiness.
They are pretty sure it is her.
ReplyDeleteI know Dad is very happy.It just shines out from his letters. You are responsible for a lot of his happiness. Kudos to you Chicky. You're a good lady to make his last years so happy.
ReplyDeleteGil carried them to their beds ...we will let them sleep until we get all the stuff put under the tree.
ReplyDeleteI seen something about Ameila and I hope they have solve the mystery so the families can have closure.
They are talking about the Sleeper that killed over a 100 people .
I don't know what is different up here this year but everyone is imbued with so much more Christmas spirit and excitement.I guess last year the economy had everyone too worried to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteAn article about the sleeper would be a good read.
ReplyDeleteDad is quite fun of you .. he said something about his little butterfly is coming out of her cocoon and will be very beautiful or something close to that wording .
ReplyDeleteI will see if I can make a condensed version of it,NAN says the article is really long and for it to make sense you have to write the whole thing .
ReplyDeleteNo one ever called me a butterfly before. I think that's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI have been called a little bitch quite often though.
I think the economy has a lot to do with it , people here seem to be more relaxed and enjoying themselves , you see a lot of smiles now and hear a lot of Merry Xmas .
ReplyDelete[giggles]You are not by yourself when they call me a bitch I know I'm doing something right .
ReplyDeleteSweetie I can be a mean bitch .
Normally at this time of year I would make Brian put on the Santa hat and beard and boots and do the jiggle dance. The I would drag him into the bedroom for milk and 'find the cookies'. This year I just gave him the milk and cookies in the kitchen and skipped the rest. I'll get him at a later date when he feels better.
ReplyDeleteAre you doing anything for New Years??
ReplyDeleteDad read you note and he was laughing his ass off , I asked him what you said that was so funny and he said you was trying to make him blush .
ReplyDeleteThe Dancing Irish Monkey dance .
ReplyDeleteThere is a white kitten dancing and Dad showed it to Sis/Gil and said that was me doing the belly roll for Gil.
Honey, I couldn't make that guy blush if I stood on my head, naked, playing a flute.
ReplyDeleteI saw that kitty. It was funny
ReplyDeleteIf I survive Xmas, we will visit around the compound until the games come on .
ReplyDeleteI may be to fat to walk so I will wobble around .
What are you doing for New Year .
ReplyDeleteMy babies will have fireworks for Xmas/New year.
I love the Xmas songs you put on the blogs .
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard to avoid the food. Everyone sticks food in your face. It would be so rude to refuse it.Join the club and put on five pounds like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteMaxy is eating frozen RPs. He has to dig for them because they melt the snow and sink in quite deep.
ReplyDeleteYou bet your bottom dallor the Rock will put on his Santa choles at a later date and boy what a good time you will have watching him do the jiggle dance and HMmmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteMichael Buble really do have a smooth voice and I love to listen to him .
ReplyDeleteJ has good taste .
Michael Buble lives in Toronto and he just got engaged or married, I forget. Anyway , all the Toronto ladies are in mourning for him. Like they ever stood a chance. His girlfriend is a gorgeous actress or model.
ReplyDeleteNana has a baked or nuked apple almost every day. She loves them. We get lots of chestnuts too and roast them at Christmas. I can eat some of those and I love them.
ReplyDeleteHave you notice all the actors/actresses that still have their morals intact is from Canada or somewhare else ... we got most of the crap.
ReplyDeleteI you're tired Honey, just let me know and we'll call it a night. I don't think I can talk to you again for a while.
ReplyDeleteI will put up a Christmas card on both blogs.
ReplyDeleteI see LiLo is in the news again.She doesn't even have to do anything.
ReplyDeleteDon't the apples and chestnuts make the house smell good . I just love the aroma and it lasts for days, I made Brown Baby a gingerhread house . Nita can't say lets cook .
ReplyDeleteDid you see the post I did on Lilo?
ReplyDeleteThe twins will have a ball making the Mint Bark and you will enjoy them so much .
ReplyDeleteDo you think we should leave the cards up over the Xmas Holidays like we did last year and not put any thing over them until Sunday .
ReplyDeleteI think the first time we get to talk again will be Monday/Tuesday .
I will leave you notes because we both will be in/out .
I think the staffer and LiLo each have a bit of truth on their side. It was a fifty fifty thing.
ReplyDeleteWe can call it a night .
ReplyDeleteYou have more presents to wrap and get ready for your twins.
Each year there seems more to do or is it I'm just getting old .
Let's leave the cards up because I won't be here a lot of the time so I will not be writing anything. I will definitely leave you a note or two over the weekend. you're right, it will be Tuesday before I can sit down at the computer for an hour or two. How about you??
ReplyDeleteThe staffer had no business putting her hands on Lilo. That is the bottom line .
ReplyDeleteTuesday sounds good to me .
ReplyDeleteIf you see a post with flowers beneath the Xmas Cards that will be me leaving you a note , I know how to put them underneath .
ReplyDeleteI want you to have the best Christmas of your life. Enjoy every second and store away lots of wonderful memories. Take a lot of photos and videos so you can show them to the kids in a few years. Jonny will be amazed looking back at himself from the future at how much he changed.
ReplyDeleteDad told me he was a scrawny little guy when he came to you and now he has put on weight and grown quite a bit.
I will miss you ...I am glad you are getting out for a little enjoyment time ...It will make Brian feel good also.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to Jinx the New Year by predicting anything for either of us. But I do wish you the best of health and a whole lot of happiness and I hope all your Christmas wishes come true.
ReplyDeleteMy friend I wish the same for you and your family There are so many miles between us but I feel a connection .
ReplyDeleteEnjoy with your family and Wildman will be fine .
I will see you Tuesday and I hope you can curled up with a good book next to the Rock on Box Day .
I will miss you also. I am used to a daily dose of Witchy. I am addicted.
ReplyDeleteThat's the reason I called you last week because I knew it was going to be busy this week .
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you called.I felt closer to you.
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself and don't wear yourself to the bone.
Sweetie I will say goodnight and the best to you.
ReplyDeleteSnuggle up to the Rock and stay cozy warm.
Goodnight , pleasent dreams with sugar plums dancing in your head and all your dreams come true .
Goodnite ...HUGS & KISSES ...PIC
Kiss the Rock .
I bid you goodnight and have happy dreams and happy thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWe are both fortunate women. We have a lot to be thankful for. We are blessed.The good times cancel the bad ones.
Let the good times roll.MERRY CHRISTMAS my friend and I am sending a ton of love your way as a gift...LUV & HUGS...JEANNIE
Merry Christmas to you and the love right back at you .
ReplyDeleteLove is a very powerful gift, it makes my life complete .
NITE...BITCHY WITCHY