Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, when God-fearing Christian folk celebrate the triumphant entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem on a donkey, greeted by the crowds who laid down palm fronds on the ground to cushion his path. There is all manner of religious and political symbolism attached to the waving of foliage on momentous occasions, but I don't have time to go into all that. Look it up on Wikipedia.
The gentle movement of the palm tree in a tropical breeze is one of the more pleasurable sights in nature, especially if you happen to be viewing it from a pool bar with a large pina colada in hand. It is a sight that I hope to see from the window of my room when I am old and incapacitated, with only a muscular young Slovakian venture scout to help me into bed. The palm is also revered in tropical countries for its edible fruits, which can range from coconuts to dates and palm hearts, palm oil is a valuable commodity traded on the world's markets, and in West Africa they even make palm wine which is falling-over-juice of the first order.
The palm is an iconic tree, bringing to mind beaches, warmth, indolence, ukelele music, luxury and luscious brown men with liquid eyes. It is to be found in all the most popular holiday destinations - Hawaii, Thailand, Morocco, Florida, Bournemouth. No doubt the reason why the sultan of Dubai thought it was a suitable motif for the - not one, but THREE! - man-made island complexes his construction company has built off the coast of his tacky little kingdom. Frankly, they look like Las Vegas On Sea, but those still hoping to make poverty history can have fun with this virtual visit where they can pick out which group of plutocrats' holiday homes they would like to blow up in this billionaire's Disneyland. Makes Neverland look quite shabby really. With poverty raging less than 1,000 miles away, this project is a shameless and frankly offensive insult to humanity. The sultan can try all he wants, but he won't get me to invest my hard-earned euros in it. Especially if there's the remotest chance of finding myself living next door to the Beckhams. I am sure that despite his penchant for palm trees, Keith Richards would not be seen dead or alive in this place.
Palm is also the name of a rather pleasant Belgian beer, of which I may partake tomorrow whilst praying for a tiny little tsunami in Dubai.
The gentle movement of the palm tree in a tropical breeze is one of the more pleasurable sights in nature, especially if you happen to be viewing it from a pool bar with a large pina colada in hand. It is a sight that I hope to see from the window of my room when I am old and incapacitated, with only a muscular young Slovakian venture scout to help me into bed. The palm is also revered in tropical countries for its edible fruits, which can range from coconuts to dates and palm hearts, palm oil is a valuable commodity traded on the world's markets, and in West Africa they even make palm wine which is falling-over-juice of the first order.
The palm is an iconic tree, bringing to mind beaches, warmth, indolence, ukelele music, luxury and luscious brown men with liquid eyes. It is to be found in all the most popular holiday destinations - Hawaii, Thailand, Morocco, Florida, Bournemouth. No doubt the reason why the sultan of Dubai thought it was a suitable motif for the - not one, but THREE! - man-made island complexes his construction company has built off the coast of his tacky little kingdom. Frankly, they look like Las Vegas On Sea, but those still hoping to make poverty history can have fun with this virtual visit where they can pick out which group of plutocrats' holiday homes they would like to blow up in this billionaire's Disneyland. Makes Neverland look quite shabby really. With poverty raging less than 1,000 miles away, this project is a shameless and frankly offensive insult to humanity. The sultan can try all he wants, but he won't get me to invest my hard-earned euros in it. Especially if there's the remotest chance of finding myself living next door to the Beckhams. I am sure that despite his penchant for palm trees, Keith Richards would not be seen dead or alive in this place.
Palm is also the name of a rather pleasant Belgian beer, of which I may partake tomorrow whilst praying for a tiny little tsunami in Dubai.
14 comments:
The Sultan of Brunei is rumoured to have a thousand flunkies and yes-men, each of whom have ten of their own flunkies and yes-men. So give him credit for creating 10,000 jobs. He's also got two wives, one of them 33 years younger. Money talks.
What better idea than for all the people who attracted by that sort of thing to congregate together somewhere hot and sandy? And they can take Harrods with them, while they're at it.
I was convinecd it was some horrible insect the first time I looked at it. But then I think that for a few seconds every morning when I roll over and see my wife.
It's hard to love anyone that looks like that in the morning.
When the rains come, the palms will be the first to go. Go Global warming
GB, that's hardly "decent work" according to the terms of the Lisbon Agenda, is it? Does he pay them a minimum wage? Very abstemious of him to have only two wives with all that money. Money talks, sure, but never listens.
Autolycus, just imagine the combined worth of the residents of just one palm tree. I expect there is plenty of work for security guards out there.
Guru, you sound like a cross between Kafka and Travis Bickle. perhaps some new glasses would help.
I'm with you Daphne - an 'offensive insult to humanity'. I spent a while working in the middle east and LOVED the average mr & mrs arab, especially the Bedouins. All very happy with their lot, unlike the misarable materialistic expats.
(Thanks for explaining Palm Sunday. I always wondered why I was given a long limp brown leaf at primary school at this time of year)!
It's all about attracting foreign investment, as they say. The effect, according to business folk, is supposed to 'trickle down' to the poorer sections of society. Why it never does that is beyond me, however.
Daffers: first of all Dubai isn't a kingdom, secondly the boss here is a Sheikh not a Sultan and thirdly despite having lived here in Dubai for more than 7 years I wouldn't buy on the Palm either; its grim.
Pedant, moi?
HMHB
Palm trees can be quite beautiful but I'm always nervous of the nuts. Falling on my head.
Gambo, I think it's very short-sighted to invest a lot of money in somewhere that's so close to THE major hotspot of the planet.
Sid, if you mean there will be a lot of servants, pool boys and security guards, I suppose it does spread the wealth. I was never comfortable with being a memsahib myself.
HMHB, as a fellow gourmet, I trust you have visited my gastro blog Daphne's Dinners. Now Delia has sold out, we must keep standards up. Some of your local restaurants look rather good.
Pat, in the tropics it's the lizard droppings you should watch out for. Always place a beer mat over your drink when sitting under a tree. Those lizards can be devilishly accurate with their aim.
For a second I thought you'd taken a photo of the backyard of a home here...that first pic.
Sigh, nothing like moonlight and coconut trees swaying on a tropical night.
Dans l'île au soleil
Dans l'île aux merveilles
Y a des arbres en fleurs
Des dragons siffleurs
Cho Ka Ka O
Cho chocolat
Si tu me donnes des noix de coco
Moi je te donne mes ananas
Au bord de la plage
Y a des coquillages
Et des caïmans
Des serpents rampants
Du soir au matin
Dans tous les recoins
Je vais être honnête ,Annie Cordy ,y est pour quelque chose !
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