As
someone said, life has real pleasure only when you know how to love
it; savor it and take care of it.
And
I only feel the joy of living or really savoring life, when I have
the opportunity to travel.
Because
traveling is for me an opportunity to make a springboard of emotion
and new sensation.
Travel
and me is like a great symphony in G minor by Mozart (Symphony No. 40
in G minor); it's like a concerto performed to perfection.
Basically,
traveling is my way of getting the most out of life by allowing
myself to be over-the-top.
In
July 2019, after having been fully immersed in work for several
months, I decided to indulge myself by offering myself a trip for the
holidays in the most important city of the United Arab Emirates �the
most famous city of the federation�, in this case: Dubai.
My
choice for the city was motivated by the policy of reconversion of
the economy of Dubai towards new technologies, trade and tourism.
And
the flight was scheduled for Tuesday, July 23, 2019, at 12:10 p.m.
(Brazzaville time).
Then
it was also planned that we make a technical stopover of at least an
hour to arrive in Dubai around 9 p.m. (Dubai time). The planned
duration for the Brazzaville - Dubai trip was 6:40.
D-day
arrived, and like any traveler, I got up very early to check that
nothing was missing. And at the same time, I took advantage of
weighing my luggage to avoid any excess surprises at the airport.
Then
my cousin accompanied me. Together, we took the taxi to Maya-Maya
(Maya-Maya is the International Airport of Brazzaville, in the
Republic of Congo.).
Arrived
at the entrance, I still had to weigh my luggage to see if there was
any excess. And it gave the same verdict as that of the house, that
is to say, that there was no surplus.
In
the first square or the first door, checked all the travelers. And we
got in single file to enter the second square or main building �the
terminal�, where we did the formalities for takeoff.
When
the time for take-off had arrived, in brought us to the airport
terminal and boarded us.
During
the trip, I had met a native of Dubai who had come to the Republic of
Congo to do business in general, and by opening several branches of
his company throughout the entire Congolese soil in particular.
Having
told me about the project he wanted to carry out in my country, I
told him: All the projects you have, are really good. And it will be
really good for my country.
But
how do you plan to succeed here by landing on your own, and without
the support of a native of the country?
Because
the Congolese prefer the made in Congo more than anything else.
He
answered me: What do you have as a skill and what do you do for a
living?
I
told him: I have a Master of Science in petroleum engineering, but I
don't practice in this field.
Because
I have done several alternative training courses to manage the family
business: Ondongo Bongo Society.
He
answered me that's very well! And added: Contrary to what people may
think, the people of UAE are not just waiting for oil. But they work,
they invest to make their capital grow.
I
told him: The fact that a man like you came to the Congo to invest
already says it all.
And
if there were any skeptics who thought that in the United Arab
Emirates it was oil, they were wrong. Because your actions
sufficiently prove that you want to diversify your economy.
He
began to tell me about some pharaonic projects that the United Arab
Emirates had already undertaken in general and Dubai in particular.
And
told me their story, saying: At the end of the 19th century, in
Dubai, we lived mainly from fishing. And Allah Akbar, our city
(Dubai) and the surrounding emirate, rose to prominence in the
Trucial States in 1853.
After
a difficult period during the interwar period, we worked hard to
enter modernity in the second part of the 20th century. And we
participated in the creation of the current United Arab Emirates in
1971, of which our emir is the vice-president.
I
said to him: Thank you for this history lesson. But tell me, how did
Dubai become the most famous city in the federation?
He
replied: Our fame is due in particular to the media coverage of our
tourist projects like the Burj Al Arab hotel (the most luxurious
hotel in Dubai), it's due to the gigantic real estate projects like
the Palm Islands (peninsula and artificial archipelago in the shape
of a palm tree), the World (artificial archipelago that reproduces
the map of the world), it's due to the Dubai Marina (which has a
particular and gigantic architecture) and to the tallest building in
the world, the Burj Khalifa.
I
said to him: What's the goal you are aiming for in making all these
achievements?
He
replied: all these projects are for us the means of becoming within a
few years the world's leading luxury tourism destination, and of
becoming one of the world poles of family, business, commercial
tourism, etc.
And
he concluded by saying: In order to carry out the policy of
reconversion of our economy towards new technologies, trade and
tourism (or both as part of the Dubai shopping festival), our
government is working to attract capital and businesses while now a
policy of major works.
Hence,
it's the gigantism and the innovative nature of our achievements that
make the whole world look to the emirate. And I think that's also
what makes us famous.
The
plane landed at Dubai International Airport. And we walked a bit
together, then each went in his direction or on his side.
Thanks
to him, I really hadn't seen the time spent (during the flight). And
through the conversation I had with him, I had a new perception of
the city of Dubai.
And
this is how I understood how a city which has a subtropical and arid
climate, with high heat and sometimes violent winds in summer, and
which is located in one of the most inhospitable regions of Arabic,
is become one of the best destinations in the world.
With
an in particular the Formula One Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi (Grand Prix
which takes place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi) which is the unique
opportunity to admire the sunset while attending a Grand Prix (The
race of Abu Dhabi is the only one that ends at night.).
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