Open Skies | February 2015

SURFING IN NORWAY

Editor-in-ChiEf Managing PartnEr & grouP Editor EditoriaL dirECtor grouP Editor Editor dEsignEr sub Editor EditoriaL assistant

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Ian Fairservice Gina Johnson gina@motivate.ae Mark Evans marke@motivate.ae Gareth Rees gareth@motivate.ae Ralph Mancao ralph@motivate.ae Salil Kumar salil@motivate.ae Londresa Flores londresa@motivate.ae

Contributors

Alex Atack, Simon Bajada, Andrew Birbeck, Mihir Bose, Geoff Brokate, Marina Chetner, Gemma Correll, Angelique Culvin, Laura Doss, Jade George, Mats KahlstrĂśm, Jamie Knights, Kaye Martindale, Robbie Porter, Mark Rudio, Jade Sprowson, Sandra Tinari

digitaL dEvELoPMEnt ManagEr Helen Cotton helenc@motivate.ae sEnior digitaL dEsignEr Roui Francisco rom@motivate.ae digitaL aniMator Surajit Dutta surajit@motivate.ae

hEad of ProduCtion S Sunil Kumar assistant ProduCtion ManagEr Binu Purandaran

gEnEraL ManagEr, grouP saLEs Anthony Milne anthony@motivate.ae

PubLishEr Martin Balmer martin.balmer @motivate.ae

grouP saLEs ManagEr Jaya Balakrishnan jaya@motivate.ae

saLEs ManagEr Deep Karani

rEgionaL ManagEr abu dhabi Imane Eddinari Imane@motivate.ae

dEPuty saLEs ManagEr Amar Kamath

EditoriaL ConsuLtants for EMiratEs Editor Hannah Burden Hamer arabiC Editor Hatem Omar dEPuty Editor Andy Grant WEbsitE emirates.com

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L E T T E R

GARETH REES

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his month’s cover story is on surfing in Norway, which is wonderful, but tricky for me to comment on. You see, the closest I have ever come to anything that could be described as “surfing” is rushing, or rather being rushed, towards the shoreline of a Brittany beach on a flimsy Styrofoam bodyboard – if the object in question, which resembled par t of the packaging for a widescreen TV, is even deserving of the

to produce the arresting images that compose this month’s cover story, '68 Degrees Nor th'. Mats, a man not afraid to drop everything in pursuit of a beautiful image, set off on a whim on a 489-mile journey from his home in Sweden – he has since relocated to Norway – to Norway’s Lofoten Islands to meet a man named Olav, a surfer who had moved to a remote house in a fjord to enjoy the area’s first-class surfing. As you can see from the

I was eight years old, and despite the pain caused by scraping my sand-covered belly on the surface of the board as I was propelled towards the beach, I can still remember the feeling of euphoria name – purchased from a French hypermarket for a handful of francs (that’s right, this was before the Euro) circa 1990.

I was eight years old, and despite the pain caused by scraping my sand-covered belly on the surface of the board as I was propelled towards the beach, I can still remember the feeling of euphoria. I also remember agreeing to hold my father’s towel while he changed out of his swimming shor ts, and shor tly thereafter, his shor ts about his knees, reneging on that promise. But that’s a different story.

I took that absurd piece of flotsam on every trip to the beach for the next several years. It almost blew away, and me along with it, on many occasions, but I held on tight. I loved that piece of rubbish, and for all I know it’s still stored in my parents’ shed. I hope so. But, even if my beloved chunk of recycled disposable teacup is still with us, it wouldn’t do me much good in the environment Swedish surf photographer Mats Kahlström travelled to in order

cover, the weather was inclement, to say the least – more suited to building a snowman than a trip to the beach. Olav is a braver man than I. But, as I’m sure you will agree, Mats’ images are breathtaking and inspiring – not only to surfers, but also to anybody who loves to travel and marvel at nature.

While I have some experience as a surfer, Norway is a country I am yet to tick off my list.

Perhaps it’s time I dug out and dusted off the old Styrofoam wonder, booked a plane ticket, and headed to Scandinavia to test my mettle riding Norway’s angry surf in the snow. Or perhaps I’ll just have another look at the pictures. Enjoy the issue.

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C O N T R I B U T O R S

FEBRUARY 2015 Some of the people who helped create this issue of Open Skies MARINA CHETNER

JADE GEORGE

MARK RUDIO

LAURA DOSS

Marina is an Australian-born freelance writer living in Los Angeles. For this issue, she visited the Arts District, a thriving creative enclave in Downtown LA.

Jade is co-founder of The Carton, a magazine covering food culture in the Middle East. For this issue, she wrote about Emirati cuisine.

Mark lives in San Francisco and writes about the city’s performing ar ts scene. For this issue, he looks forward to violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter’s upcoming performances with the San Francisco Symphony.

Laura Doss is a lifestyle photographer who lives, works and surfs in sunny Venice, California. For this issue, Laura photographed the vibrant community of the Ar ts District of Downtown Los Angeles.

“I stumbled on the Arts District about three years ago,” she says.

“Having just moved from Williamsburg, Brooklyn to LA, it reminded me of “home”. There’s a palpable energy there. I hope it doesn’t change too quickly.”

“A large chunk of my childhood was spent in the UAE, and Emirati food was never in our repertoire,” she says. “A local friend of my father’s used to send us fresh fish and dates, and that was the extent of it. It wasn’t until the last few years that I got to delve into the local cuisine.”

MATS KAHLSTRÖM

ROBBIE PORTER

SIMON BAJADA

MIHIR BOSE

Mats is a freelance photographer from Sweden, currently living on the west coast of Norway. For this issue, he produced both words and images for our cover story.

Robbie is a multi-award winning Scottish illustrator currently getting lost in London. For this issue (and every issue), he produced the cartoon for our ‘Caption Competition’.

Simon is an Australian food and lifestyle photographer living in Stockholm, Sweden.

For this issue, he photographed a classic Swedish dish four our ‘Taste Of ’ pages.

“Before shooting these images I could not have imagined the surfing potential that Norway possesses,” he says.

“In combination with its striking natural rawness and beauty, it now certainly scores high on my ‘top surfdestinations’ list.”

“The ‘Caption Competition’ is a great opportunity for me to try out some of my more bizarre ideas,” he says. “This month’s features a woman taking a triceratops for a walk; this would be my pet of choice if it was possible.”

Mihir is an award-winning sports journalist and author based in London. The first sports editor of the BBC, he has written numerous books, including A History Of Indian Cricket. For this issue, he makes his predictions for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

“Both on and off the stage Anne-Sophie Mutter’s musical career has been so extraordinary,” he says.

“And I have just realised I neglected to mention she is one of classical music’s most glamorous figures.”

“Working under the ornate dome ceiling of the Opera Bar while it snowed outside was a great experience,” he says. “The room, restaurant and dish have so much history, and I felt privileged to capture some of it in my image.”

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“As a native Californian, whose grandparents helped build the city, it warms my heart to see the Downtown neighbourhood come back to life in such a beautiful and boisterous way,” she says.

“Cricket World Cups have been special to me ever since the first one I covered in 1979,” he says. “This one is particularly special because it is so very hard to predict a winner.”

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FEBRUARY 25 - 27, 2015

EMIRATES AIRLINE DUBAI JAZZ FESTIVAL DUBAI, UAE

One of the biggest and most prestigious events on the UAE’s musical calendar, Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival will take place in Dubai this month. The three-day, multi-award-winning outdoor event will take place in Dubai Media City Amphitheater, with each of the three days welcoming two world-renowned ar tists. Singer-songwriter Christina Perri and Grammy Awardnominated British singer-songwriter James Blunt will open the festival on the Wednesday night, with violinist, dancer, performance ar tist and composer Lindsey Sterling and Police legend Sting performing on the Thursday night, before the festival closes in style on Friday with performances from two Grammy Award-winning ar tists: jazz bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding and R&B/ soul star John Legend. Esparanza Spalding (pictured here during a performance at the Kimmel Centre For The Performing Ar ts in 2011), who has worked with jazz legends including Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shor ter and won four Grammy Awards, will put the jazz into the13th edition of the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival. dubaijazzfest.com

Emirates rounded off 2014 as the airline with the world’s largest wide-body passenger fleet. Last year saw Emirates add 27 aircraft to its fleet: 13 Airbus A380s, 12 Boeing 777-300ERs and two Boeing 777F freighters.

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FEBRUARY 6 - 28, 2015

DUBAI FOOD FESTIVAL Dubai, uaE

In the past, Emirati food was restricted to the household, meaning that even long-term residents of the UAE struggled to seek out and enjoy it. But this is changing. Emirati food, it seems, has now been deemed essential to the heritage of the 43-year-old country.

In 2013, online Emirati food director y Barzh.com was launched, and Instagram accounts such as @khashooga (3,600 followers) and @thooqculture (1,100 followers), star ted by young Emiratis and celebrating all things food, have proved extremely popular.

Emirati cuisine has also become

easier to find in the UAE’s cafés and restaurants. Cafés such as The Pavillion Downtown Dubai and Creekside in Old Dubai have star ted to include a range of ingredients popular in Emirati home cooking on their menus, and Emaar Boulevard recently witnessed the opening of Karak House, which serves the saffron-infused drink, karak, along with a range of regional desser ts.

The second Dubai World Hospitality Championship, “designed to introduce the UAE’s culinary traditions on a global level as well as promote the GCC hospitality culture among future

generations”, took place in October 2014, and the organisers of Dubai Food Festival also seem to have recognised this growing trend. This month, the second edition of the festival, which is suppor ted by Dubai’s Depar tment Of Tourism And Commerce Marketing, will make the celebration of Emirati food culture one of its primary focuses.

The festival will welcome Emirati chefs, showcasing the national cuisine, providing workshops and closing with Made In Dubai, a grand celebration of Emirati food held in Zabeel Park. dubaifoodfestival.com

In 2014 Emirates carried more than 45 million customers, operating 3,516 flights per week and carrying 2.1 million tonnes of cargo.

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IMAGE: ThE CArTon

ThIS MonTh’S DUBAI FOOD FESTIVAL ProMISES To BE A CELEBrATIon oF EMIrATI FooD CULTUrE. JADE GEORGE, Co-FoUnDEr oF BIAnnUAL MIDDLE EAST FooD MAGAZInE ThE CArTon, ChArTS ThE EMErGEnCE oF ThE UAE’S nATIVE CUISInE InTo ThE PUBLIC SPhErE

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FEBRUARY 14 - MARCH 29, 2015

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Cricket has always had a problem with its World Cup. Unlike football or rugby it cannot claim that its World Cup is the supreme test because there is the longer form of the game, Test, which all cricketers view as the pinnacle of the game.

Nevertheless, the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand promises to be the most intriguing, for it poses the question whether England, who invented the game, can finally win this tournament, and also whether holders India can emulate the West Indies and Australia and retain the trophy.

The last time the tournament was held in this part of the world England got to

the last of three finals they have been in, but this time they go in as underdogs.

They do not take this form of cricket seriously, which makes cricket experts such as Michael Holding dismiss their chances. And they have not helped their cause by replacing long-term captain Alastair Cook just two months before the start with tyro Eoin Morgan.

The same can hardly be said of the Indians. They take it so seriously that they have played more one-day matches than anybody else. But the team could have been destabilised by the sudden announcement in the middle of the Test series against

Australia that their talismanic captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who hit the winning run in India’s victory in the final in Mumbai in 2011, is retiring from Tests.

My two teams to watch out for would be South Africa and New Zealand. South Africa, ranked third behind Australia and India, have the players but, as the All Blacks used to, tend to choke in the final stages. New Zealand may be lowly ranked, but in Brendan McCullum they have a batsman who can win them the tournament. With the final in Melbourne they will need no greater incentive. icc-cricket.com

You can explore more than 50 destinations in Australian and New Zealand with Emirates and Qantas. Together with Qantas, from May 2015 a total of seven daily A380 services will operate from Dubai to Australia, with onward connections across the country via Qantas’ domestic network.

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IMAGE: CORbIS IMAGES

VETERAN SPORTS JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR MIHIR BOSE MAKES HIS PREDICTIONS FOR CRICKET’S ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL WORLD CUP, WHICH KICKS OFF IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND THIS MONTH

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FEBRUARY 26 - 28, 2015

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY SAN FRANCISCO, USA

Ever since her solo debut at the Lucerne Festival in 1976, virtuoso violinist AnneSophie Mutter has been one of the most respected, intriguing and enduring classical musicians of our era. Equally respected for her mastery of the standard repertoire and as a champion of new works, her recordings become benchmarks whether they feature the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Penderecki or Previn. She’s already performed 16 world premieres since the turn of the millennium (many of them her own commissions) with more on the way from Krzysztof Penderecki and Wolfgang Rihm.

Although Mutter tours regularly as a solo guest artist with the world’s

leading orchestras and as a duo with pianist Lambert Orkis (a 25-year musical partnership), West Coast orchestra appearances are infrequent enough to be viewed as major events on the music calendar. Her last performances with the San Francisco Symphony were five years ago for the US premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina’s Violin Concerto No. 2, In tempus praesens. Those concerts appeared on a number of Bay Area yearend top 10 lists, including my own.

This month she returns to San Francisco to join Michael Tilson Thomas and the orchestra in performances of Brahms’ Violin concerto, which composer/pianist Hubert

Foss described as “the highest degree of perfection, the reconciling of the two opposite side of [Brahms’] creative mind – the lyrical and the constructive: Brahms the songwriter and Brahms the symphonist”. The Brahms Concerto has long been a specialty of Mutter’s: her 1981 recording of it with Herbert von Karajan remains a first choice for many music lovers. The San Francisco concerts will be unique for featuring the only performances of the Brahms concerto on her current tour, and Mutter will cede the spotlight to her protégé,Ye-Eun Choi, recipient of the 2013 European Culture Award For New Artists, on March 1. sfsymphony.org

Emirates began non-stop daily service to San Francisco in 2008. In 2011, Emirates became a sponsor of the renowned San Francisco Symphony.

In 2014, the daily flight to San Francisco was upgraded to an Airbus A380.

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IMAGE: GETTy IMAGES

MARK RUDIO, FOUNDER OF AWARD-WINNING SAN FRANCISCO MUSIC BLOG A BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, LOOKS FORWARD TO VIOLINIST ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER’S PERFORMANCES IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS MONTH

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In 2014, Emirates flew more than 756 million kilometres, the equivalent of flying around the globe 18,552 times.

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Simon Rogan Kaye Martindale talks to Simon Rogan, one of the UK’s most creative chefs, over a plate of ragu at Manchester’s The Cornerhouse images: geoff Brokate

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he recent UK TV show Restaurant Wars portrayed British culinary colossus Simon Rogan as the archetypal celebrity chef, shouting and barking at his minions like an unhinged despot. So it was only natural that I was a little apprehensive about sitting down to lunch with him.

Expecting Simon to waltz through the door fashionably late in the usual celebrity style, I was thrown to have him arrive 15 minutes early. My apprehension melted when I saw that he looked at least as nervous as me.

As Simon posed for photographs in his black hoodie, I proposed that he might look better if he took it off so we could see his chef ’s jacket underneath. Embarrassed, Simon put his hand to his mouth as though he’d made a huge faux pas, and said, “They’ll say I’ve turned up to an interview in my chef ’s jacket.”

The “they” in question is the British media and members of the general public who made Simon public enemy number one while Restaurant Wars was airing on the BBC. “They portrayed me as a bully. I’m horrified that people would think that and it

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I used to sIt on the pallets In the warehouse and there was a really distinctive smell about the place.

I loved the atmosphere really upset me.” He looks genuinely wounded. “There was a lot of nasty, nasty stuff around on social media. It’s really put me off TV, because they can twist things terribly.”

It’s hard to imagine Simon Rogan as a bully; although his voice tends towards the booming, his body language belies his shy and private nature. When he speaks about his numerous projects he uses the very inclusive first person plural, we and our, to describe the way things work. Simon’s culinary empire encompasses six award-winning and hugely successful restaurants dotted around England, along with two organic farms, one in the Lake District and one in the Midlands, and a development and research kitchen in Cartmel in Cumbria.

We have met at The Cornerhouse, Manchester’s dependably cool centre for contemporary art and independent cinema. Its restaurant’s head chef, Carlton Anglin, is faced with the daunting task of cooking for a man whose restaurants have a total of three Michelin stars and whose Lake District destination restaurant, L’Enclume, was recently voted number one in the UK for the second year running by The Good Food Guide. Carlton asks Simon what he would like and I sense a secret chef ’s code of conduct when Simon replies earnestly, “Whatever you recommend chef.”

Simon’s life is a lesson in where determination and hard work can get you. It started on Southampton’s Shirley Warren council housing estate, which he describes as “infamous”.

“If people know I’m from The Warren they look at me as if I was a poor soul.” Simon’s parents weren’t married when he was born, and he spent the first years of his life living with his mother and grandparents while his mother finished her education. When he was a few years older his parents married, and he remembers fondly a childhood without much money but lots of love.

You don’t have to be a Freudian analyst to work out where the motivation for Simon’s relentless pursuit of money and prestige comes from, and he’s very open and unapologetic about his desire to earn as much money as he can. Yet he couldn’t have gotten where he is today without a genuine passion for what he does.

Simon char ts his love of food back to days spent waiting for his father, a fruit and vegetable salesman, to finish work.

“I used to sit on the pallets in the warehouse and there was a really distinctive smell about the place and I loved the atmosphere. One of the perks of his job was getting a goody bag of weird and wonderful things like paw paw, mango and kiwi. No one had a clue what to do with them. They weren’t

manchester is the only uK airport outside of london that the a380 currently flies to. starting this month, emirates operates twice daily a380 services between manchester and dubai.

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MAURITIUS

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The only way I was goIng To fulfIl what I thought I was capable of was by workIng for myself in the supermarket then. I wanted to get to know more about these ingredients. Subconsciously this must have been a massive influence on my life.”

High quality Ingredients are the very thing Simon has built his reputation and culinary empire around. From his first days as an apprentice chef at a country house hotel in the New Forest, Simon would spend afternoons foraging for wild mushrooms and herbs. “The wild side of things” have always held a special allure for him.

Our food arrives. As he tucks into his beef short and rib ragu, Simon is almost apologetic as he confesses that he’s been tasting food all day at his restaurant, The French, Simon’s restaurant at the Midland Hotel. Apparently he’s already quite full but he doesn’t want to give the chef a complex by leaving it uneaten.

After giving careful consideration to his career path, Simon worked under some of the country’s leading chefs before becoming disillusioned with working for other people.

“I think I was always destined to be my own boss. I’d had jobs working as head chef for other people but I never quite got to where I believed I should be. The only way I was going to fulfil what I thought I was capable of was by working for myself. Then came along L’Enclume and that was the chance

to have my own restaurant, to make my own mistakes, and do exactly what I wanted to do for a change.”

L’Enclume is Simon’s flagship restaurant in the idilic Lake District village of Cartmel. The tiny village is now referred to by some as “Roganville” due to the fact that he owns two restaurants and the local pub there.

Twelve years ago, when Simon and his partner, Penny, sold everything to buy L’Enclume, Cartmel was recovering from the devastation of foot and mouth disease, which ravaged rural communities in the UK and resulted in the culling of more than 10 million sheep and cattle. Fast forward to 2015 and this tiny village is on The New York Times Top 50 places to visit list and lies at the heart of the Lakes’ reinvention as UK’s ultimate foodie destination.

It was a huge gamble for Simon, a southerner, to take his gourmet dream to a small rural village in the north.

“We had faith and we took the plunge. We sold everything: the house, the car and some electrical stuff,” he says. “But the biggest sacrifice was leaving behind our family and friends. The food we were serving was quite common in London, but our product was a big risk for the area.” L’Enclume grew slowly and after three years of increasing success, in 2005 it gained its first, highly coveted, Michelin star.

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The hordes came in because of me being on the tV Simon stays true to his vision of organic, sustainable, quality local produce for L’Enclume, even if it sometimes makes life difficult for him and his team. “We’ve got a strong ethos – natural, organic, environmental – and we have strong rules about what can and can’t be used,” he says. “We use no foreign ingredients whatsoever, not even lemons. There’s nothing more important in a chef ’s toolbox than to add a squeeze of lemon juice to something to heighten the flavour. We don’t have that so we have to be clever and seek alternatives to obtain the same result. Everything we do has the same message with L’Enclume.

You’re sat on a Cumbrian crafted chair, eating at a Cumbrian table, off a Cumbrian plate, with Cumbrian art on the walls and outside the spectacular Cumbrian landscape.”

Success at L’Enclume led to Simon’s current partnership with the newly revamped Midland Hotel in Manchester, where he took over the reins of its restaurants The French and Mr Cooper’s. This difficult process was documented by Restaurant Wars. Despite not showing Simon in the most positive light, the show left the restaurant overwhelmed with bookings as “the hordes came in because of me being on the TV”.

While explaining his plans, Simon states that he doesn’t particularly like cooking anymore, before awkwardly backtracking.

“I mean the day-to-day preparation. That’s a young man’s game.

I’m a bit old for that now.”

Happy to let his staff deal with “the day-to-day grind of prepping” Simon now sees himself as a restauranteur. “I enjoy delivering an experience. Bringing together the ambience, the furniture, the whole

atmosphere surrounding the restaurant, and hopefully delivering a memorable experience that they’ll never forget.”

The success of his most recent venture, Fera, at London’s famous Claridge’s Hotel, stands as testament to his vision, winning a Michelin star having been open less than six months.

Not satisfied with six restaurants, Simon is planning to open a fish restaurant on the south coast and at least one more Mr Cooper’s in the north this year.

I ask where he gets the drive from and he tells me, frankly, “Money propels me.” He’s looking forward to an early retirement and with four children, one grandchild and another on the way, Simon doesn’t feel he has quite enough in the bank yet. “I’ve got a grandson who’s a couple of years old and shockingly I’ve only seen him half a dozen times, and that really upsets me, so I’d like to make up for the time I missed out on with my children by spending more time with my grandchildren,” he says.

As our meal comes to an end, I switch off the voice recorder and I notice a softening in Simon’s body; he’s let down his defences and for the first time since coming in through the door he seems to relax. This busy man, who travels up and down the country on almost a daily basis, seems happy to pause for a few minutes before heading off to fulfil his next duty. He checks his phone. “Hmm,” he exhales, before explaining that the highly successful BBC show MasterChef wants him to make an appearance. “I won’t be doing that,” he shrugs. “My days in TV are over.”

the bill 1 x Pizza – formaggo di capra (£7.75) Goats’ cheese, roast peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, tomato 1 x cornerhouse superfood salad ( £7.50) 1 x devilled mushroom on toast (£6.95) 1 x beef stroganoff and rib ragu (£9.75) Total: £31.95 | 39 |

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WALLENBERGARE Opened in 1905, Opera Bar is a Stockholm institution, and chef Gustaf Nathorst and his team specialise in traditional dishes, or Husmankost, including this “posh Swedish hamburger” IMAGE: SIMON BAJADA

INGREDIENTS FOR THE WALLENBERGARE: 500g cold veal mince 400ml cold cream 4 egg yolks 0.5 tsp all spice 1.5 tsp salt 100ml breadcrumbs TO SERVE: 150g peas 500g tpotatoes 200g lingonberry jam 50g butter, plus extra for pan-frying

STEPS 1

HISTORY

Blend eggs, cream, all spice, mince, breadcrumbs and salt together and place the mix in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The key here is to blend together ingredients when they are cold, so when you handle them they don’t fall apart

2

Boil potatoes until soft (around 10 to 15 minutes) and set aside

3

Boil peas until cooked, set aside but keep warm

4

Melt the butter until the white separates from the yellow, pour off the yellow and discard the white; the yellow melted butter is the sauce

5

Make approximately four patties around 2.5cm thick, and roll in the breadcrumbs

6 7

Melt some butter in a pan and fry the patties for approximately four minutes each side

While there is a story behind all iconic dishes, Wallenbergare has more than just one. Two of the stories suggest it originated in the 1930s, and that it was created for Marcus Wallenberg, head of Sweden’s dynastic financial family. The first story is that Marcus had been to Italy, where he had enjoyed a marvellous minced veal dish, and on his return to Stockholm asked the infamous chef of Stockholm restaurant Cecil’s, Julius Hansson, to try to replicate the dish for him. The second story is that Marcus had a bad stomach and asked his cook to make him something that was regarded as a “light” dish at the time. Considering the list of ingredients, it would be interesting to know what a heavy dish was. The third story is that it was created by Marcus’ father-in-law, the famous 19th century cookbook author Charles Emil Hagdhal, in honour of his daughter. Whichever story is true, this dish has stood the test of time and can still be found at restaurants all over Stockholm.

Pour butter over the patties and serve immediately with peas, potatoes and lingonberry jam

Emirates SkyCargo started cargo operations in Sweden with freighter flights to Gothenburg in 2003. Emirates launched a daily passenger service to Stockholm in 2013.

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THE GATE SUITE, THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD LOS ANGELES, USA

Words: JAdE sProWsoN ImAgE: THE LoNdoN WEsT HoLLYWood Only steps away from the famed Sunset Strip, The London West Hollywood merges its quintessential British character – aristocratic touches and bulldog statues – with the allure of Old Hollywood – plush velvet sofas, teal leather and polished marble surfaces.

Recently added to the 200-room hotel are 16 luxury vista suites designed by the

David Collins Studio, along with five Gate Suites, each of which are named after the respective gates of London’s great Hyde Park. Victoria, Alexandra, Elizabeth, Apsley and Curzon may be British by name but they are definitely American by size, with each one- and two-bedroom suite spanning up to 1,975-square-foot of oak flooring, and all boasting a kitchenette and

enviable terraces showcasing Hollywood in all its glory.

As for dining, you won’t need to go further than the ground floor of the hotel, where you can soak up the informal charm and French-influenced menu of British chef Gordon Ramsey and his team’s restaurant, Maze. thelondonwesthollywood.com

The daily service from Dubai to Los Angeles is Emirates’ longest A380 route. With a flight time of 16 hours and 20 minutes, that’s plenty of time to delve into the more than 2,000 channels of movies, TV series and hit music on ice.

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A LEVEL ABOVE BREATHTAKING

Soaring high at 555 meters, At the Top, Burj Khalifa SKY is fittingly Dubai’s most iconic destination. You can now enjoy exclusive access to the redefined, highest outdoor observatory in the world, spread across levels 125 and 148 of the Burj Khalifa. With dedicated lounges, elevator access and complimentary refreshments, you will be personally escorted through stunning views and never seen before interactive experiences.

#TouchTheSky www.atthetop.ae

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HALKIN BY COMO LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Words: Mark Evans IMagE: HaLkIn BY CoMo In a city teeming with iconic hotels, the Halkin stakes a claim as London’s very first boutique hotel. Housed in one of the capital’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, Belgravia, the Georgian-style property is, as you’d expect for such surroundings, elegant, impressive and a tad exclusive.

That exclusivity means peace and quiet – no bad thing in our book – and a clientele

largely made up of groups from the Middle East, Russia and, perhaps, the odd passing movie star. While the hotel’s exterior, resplendent with its beautiful Portland stone facade and arching windows, is very much in keeping with its traditional neighbours, the interior of the 41-room Halkin opts for a more contemporary approach, with uncluttered spaces, soft,

earthy hues and clean lines. It’s a clever mix that works well. The key, however, is location; some of London’s most stellar addresses are only a short walk away (incidentally, the hotel is owned by Christina Ong, founder of Mulberry, who certainly knows luxury when she sees it) – perfect for the well-heeled visitor. comohotels.com/thehalkin

Emirates’ cuisine in First Class and Business Class is presented on Royal Doulton fine bone china. Royal Doulton, a classic English name in tableware and ceramics, was founded in London in 1815. The premium cutlery on board comes from the UK’s Robert Welch.

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ALILA JABAL AKHDAR OMAN

Words: GArETH rEEs ImAGE: ALILA JABAL AKHdAr Perched on the side of a cliff in the Hajar Mountains, 2,000 metres above sea level and looking out over a gorge, Alila Jabal Akhdar (‘The Green Mountain’ in Arabic) is certainly in a prime location. But building a luxury hotel in an area of such astounding natural beauty presents a challenge – blending in rather than becoming a blot on the natural landscape. Fortunately, Atkins,

the architectural firm responsible for designing the resor t, has managed, with the help of interior design firm P49, to create a proper ty that is luxurious without being ostentatious, and appears to belong to the mountainous terrain.

Inspired by Omani for ts and built from light-coloured local stone and dark wood using traditional Omani techniques, the proper ty eschews the gaudy trappings so

Emirates operates three non-stop daily services to Muscat, Oman.

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often associated with luxury for a neutral colour palette and an elegant, minimalist design aesthetic, which, combined with the surroundings, creates a sense of serenity. Alila Jabal Akhdar also boasts a knowledgeable staff eager to arrange hiking trips, a spa, a restaurant, a lounge bar, a gym, an indoor plunge pool and a heated outdoor infinity pool. alilahotels.com

E n t r E p r E n E u r

HANDMADE FROM TANZANIA

OYSTER BAY, DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA Words: AndreW BirBeck iMAGe: AnGeLiQUe cULVin

Helen Espey’s most vivid memory of first visiting Tanzania in 1993, when her architect husband, John, was stationed in Dar es Salaam on a six-month contract, was “sitting on the shores of Oyster Bay as a dhow drifted by silhouetted against the sparkling Indian ocean”. In hindsight it was a prophetic moment. The couple settled in the city’s Oyster Bay neighbourhood, where Helen eventually started her business in 2000.

With a young family and new home she found herself on the look-out for furniture. Then, as today, sustainability was at the forefront of her thinking. “I had clear ideas about what I wanted, yet bizarrely could source no sustainable timber,” she says. “I’d seen old ngalawas (canoes) for sale and decided to buy one to see what I could do with it.” From a set of shelves hewn from that first boat hull, and subsequently by word-ofmouth, Handmade From Tanzania evolved. After concentrating on unique one-off pieces, such as rustic sofas, beds and tables, often created from salvaged dhows such as the one seen many years before, Helen expanded into exquisite hand-woven cotton products and soft-furnishings and, more recently, fashion. Her focus centres on employing local people, from highly skilled weavers to her dedicated team of carpenters.

“We use traditional methods, 100 per cent Tanzanian organically-grown cotton yarn and our dyes are all environmentally friendly,” she says. “One of our carpenters even had to make special 2.5 metre looms on-site to produce double-width fabric for our bed linen.” When asked what brings visitors to her workshop and studio, Helen replies, “We’re really one big family working together and you won’t find anything quite like it, or what we produce, anywhere else.” handmadefromtanzania.com

Emirates started a twice-weekly service between Dubai and Dar es Salaam linked with Nairobi in 1997, using an Airbus A310-300. Following steady growth on the route, the frequency and capacity was increased and the flight was delinked from Nairobi, becoming a daily non-stop service in 2006. In 2014, a second service launched, and today Emirates operates 12 non-stop services each week on the route.

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

ARTS DISTRICT, LOS ANGELES Words: MArINA CHETNEr IMAgEs: LAUrA doss

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

Los Angeles’ Ar ts District draws you into its maze of warehouses and factories covered in eye-catching street ar t. Once an industrial hub, then a haven for ar tists, the past decade has seen this Downtown LA (DTLA) enclave flourish into an epicentre of all things culinary and crafty. Restaurateurs, gallerists and ar tisans thrive in this

burgeoning neighbourhood, as does Hollywood’s A-list: Kevin Spacey’s Trigger Street Productions works out of the 1925 National Biscuit Company building; scenes from The Fast And The Furious and National Treasure were filmed here. A new generation of loft dwellers has an appetite for pop-up shops, sustainable food and small-batch

coffee. The future holds more change, with the anticipated completion of One Santa Fe, a US$160 million apar tment and retail complex, as well as plans to transform the former Coca-Cola factor y into creative office space. There’s even talk of a new hotel. Visit this par t of east Downtown LA before it loses its Wild Wild West feel.

The Emirates App for iPhone, downloaded by 180,000 users in its first six weeks of launch, features the ability to check-in and download boarding passes directly to Passbook. It also sends notifications for check-in, flight boarding, gate changes, baggage belt numbers, and much more.

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

POKETO

Visionary duo Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung started their business on a whim. To promote the works of friends, the filmmaker and graphic designer put on art shows, which, as fun as they were, fell short on the sales front. To make art affordable, they began creating limitededition vinyl artist wallets – and bingo! Poketo (pronounced Poh-KEH-toe) was born. Eleven years later, the married couple manage a multi-disciplinary business: their online shop sells homewares, stationery and accessories by global artists; they’ve collaborated on projects with Fortune 500 companies including Nike and Target; and the brand’s two Los Angeles-based retail stores offer an extended range of goods and exclusive lines. The flagship, located in this playful loft space, offers a Pinterest-worthy display: there’s whimsical fine jewellery from Myers Collective, specially-made speckled geometric mugs by local ceramicist Ben Medansky and a rotating selection of the signature wallets. A belief in “art for your everyday” grounds Poketo’s workshops, events and, of course, art shows. International shipping is available.

820 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 537 0751 | poketo.com

THE SPRINGS

New Yorkers Kimberly Helms and Jared Stein have encapsulated the Angeleno wellness ethos on an industrial stretch of Mateo Street.

What was once a paper factory is now The Springs, a 13,800-square-foot holistic sanctuary. More urban oasis than hippie central, the space houses a juice bar; spa with acupuncture treatments and an infrared sauna; pop-ups selling beauty potions and accessories; a lounge area with Wi-Fi; a yoga studio backed with a floor-to-ceiling mural by Christina Angelina and Ease One; and a full-service restaurant serving organic keg wine. The raw vegan menu by chefs Michael Falso and Ian Martin has made a fan out of Moby – and the musician comes in for dinner every week. Drop by at 1pm on Monday through Friday for a free 30-minute meditation class. You may spot Gwyneth Paltrow.

608 Mateo St., Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 223 6226 | thespringsla.com | 53 |

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STUMPTOWN

Portland-based Stumptown is a favourite amongst the coffee intelligentsia, and it’s fitting that the brand’s first California café and roasting facility opened in DTLA. The shop luxuriates in space and transparency, its light-filled storefront rich with the smell and sound of grinding coffee. At one end of the wooden coffee counter a built-in pastry case displays Sugarbloom Bakery treats – the kimchi spam Musubi croissant is umami-good – and at the other a barista pulls espresso shots from the gleaming La Marzocco. The piece de resistance is a 60kg Probat roaster, on view to customers behind glass. There’s also a Chemex station for single-origin pour-overs and a tasting room that hosts cuppings. Bag some beans for home; the Hair Bender house blend makes one of the smoothest brews.

806 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 337 0936 | stumptowncoffee.com

ANGEL CITY BREWERY

Angel City Brewery is a playground for over-21s. Established in 1997, it wasn’t until 2013 that the brewery and public house opened in the historic John A Roebling Building. The huge space offers plenty of seating, an area for darts, walls with art on display, a store selling branded apparel and accessories and a bar with10 beers on tap. The small-batch offerings include White Nite, a golden stout tinged with coffee and the dark and smooth Vanilla Porter. Custom flights of five beers are available for US$9. A food truck is parked outside nightly; otherwise, Angel City is happy for you to bring your own. Take a brewery tour – they’re held throughout the week – and come by on Thursdays, when the triangle lot up front turns into a farmer’s market from 5pm to 9pm.

216 Alameda Street, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 622 1261 | angelcitybrewery.com | 55 |

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ALCHEMY WORKS

Raan and his wife Lindsay Parton run the gallery-like Alchemy Works. Open since November 2013, the breezy boutique is constantly evolving. “The store design was intended to be raw and dramatic, but it is also very transformational as most fixtures aren’t permanent, so it can move around easily to feel different each season,” says Lindsay. Almond Surfboards from Newport Beach lean against the wall; Warby Parker sunglasses and optical frames beckon under a suspended glasshouse; a dried flower installation by Tokyo’s Green Fingers greets customers by the door (it will be switched out in spring). Favourite finds include the LA-made Weiss Watches; Rodin oils and candles; and Harry’s men’s shaving sets. Anchoring the 2,000-square-foot shop is a 1971 Sabot sailboat that retails for US$2,500. Pop into adjoining Blacktop Coffee, order an espresso and sip while you shop.

826 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 323 487 1497 | alchemyworks.us

APOLIS

Apolis, literally translated from Greek as “no city”, was founded by brothers and global citizens Raan and Shea Parton. The purveyors of menswear and accessories employ artisans from around the world to empower local communities. “Advocacy through industry” is how they put it. A thoughtful selection of crafted creations fills their shop: check wool-and-silk scarves from India; LA-made Indigo Wool Blazers, tailored to fit; and an Alpaca Travel Kit, hand loomed by a Peruvian co-op. Their Market Bag, made in Bangladesh, is its own success story – what started as an order of just 50 bags now comes in myriad versions thanks to collaborations with brands including Kinfolk, Poketo and Old Faithful Shop, Vancouver. Kudos to the duo for being selected to join the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Their upcoming apparel collection will show at New York Fashion Week, and there’s a glass partnership with Chivas Regal scotch on the horizon.

806 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 613 9626 | apolisglobal.com | 57 |

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

BESTIA

Burrowed at the end of a gritty alleyway, Bestia is one of the Arts District’s brightest stars. Voted Top Newcomer in Zagat’s 2014 Los Angeles Restaurant Survey, the revamped coal warehouse evokes a butcher shop vibe, with chopping-block tables and meat-hook chandeliers designed by Studio Unltd. The Italian menu excels in nose-to-tail cooking, including melt-in-your-mouth roasted bone marrow, gutsy veal tartare, and house-cured meats from the charcuterie bar. That said, there are delicious options for the meat averse: grilled whole Branzino; squash and ricotta gnocchi; Kabocha squash soup; and for lovers of uni, a smoked sea urchin bottarga and chicory salad.

Homemade and in-season ingredients define executive chef Ori Menashe’s approach, whose wife, pastry chef Genevieve Gergis, makes a decadent tangerine-topped crème fraîche pannacotta. Will it stand its ground against the newly-introduced Pink Lady and candied persimmon crostata? Only time will tell. Dinner reservations are recommended.

2121 7th Place, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 514 5724 | bestiala.com

THE FACTORY KITCHEN

A few blocks from Bestia, in what used to be the loading dock of a manufacturing building, the Factory Kitchen offers authentic Italian cuisine. The dining room, heavy on exposed concrete, attracts a convivial, low-key crowd served by a personable waiting staff. Chef Angelo Auriana champions his roots in the open kitchen with traditional regional dishes: tender porcetta; pappardelle; and the popular mandilli di seta, a silky handkerchief pasta in a light pesto sauce. Earlier this year, the restaurant introduced The Factory Bar menu.

For less than US$10, you can order Jidori chicken liver mousse with crushed pistachios; melted cheese, truffle shavings, crostone and fegatini di pollo; and fonduta di formaggio. Director of Wine Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi curates an Italy-centric list, with bottles from Alto Adige to Veneto. For dessert, order the cannoli.

1300 Factory Place, Los Angeles | Tel: +1 213 996 6000 | thefactorykitchen.com | 59 |

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BOOKSHOP A bookshop and café, specialising in new and used publications about the Middle East and North Africa in Dubai International Financial Centre, is fast becoming a popular spot for those interested in regional culture Words and images: sandra Tinari

T

ucked away amongst the glistening towers of Dubai’s financial district, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), devotees of the printed page will find Bookshop – a veritable treasure trove of difficult to source books exploring Middle Eastern and North African culture.

The independent store-café specialises in both new and used publications in

Arabic and English, including vintage fiction and non-fiction finds that encompass the breadth of the region’s literature, from architecture and design to history, poetry, film, music and sociological essays.

“Weirdly enough, it’s hard to find a bookshop selling Middle Eastern and Nor th African books, in Dubai or elsewhere, that explores the region’s

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culture and delves deep into its heritage,” says Bookshop’s Programme Manager Charles Prest of the decision to open the store.

However, Bookshop focuses on more than just hawking its wares. A calm oasis amid the hustle and bustle of city life in DIFC, it is also a community meeting point, where guests are encouraged to meet and work, or linger over a cup of

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We’re definitely not just a bookshop. We have so many things on offer, and We are very much a social space and hub organic coffee and a bite to eat, be it a healthy salad or a tempting sweet treat, including Bookshop’s popular cronuts.

With a nose for the offbeat and paredback, customers enjoy complimentary chocolate beans with Bookshop coffees, and can avail of the store’s loyalty card programme, a wall of colourful Post-It notes, each etched with a regular’s name and stamped upon every visit.

“We’re definitely not just a bookshop,” says Charles. “We have so many things on offer, and we are very much a social

space and hub. People come here for coffee, for meetings, to check out our books, as well as to take par t in our programme of talks and workshops.”

In an effor t to share and explore Middle Eastern and Nor th African culture fur ther, Bookshop also runs a comprehensive programme of post-work activities, focused on collaborations with local scribes, ar tists and designers.

The community-minded events are each built around monthly themes and include a 12-week learn conversational

in 2014 emirates served more than 47 million meals. bon appetit!

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Arabic course, poetry readings, musical performances and ar ts or crafts demonstrations. Throughout February, Bookshop’s theme is Performance. Live poetry readings and an oud (a type of classical Arabic guitar) performance will form par t of the monthly programme.

For Charles, his affinity for the region star ted at a young age. The son of UK expats, he was raised in Bahrain and, having studied film, he spent his formative years researching and documenting the lives of locals

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in Bahrain and in Dubai. His work at Bookshop is fur ther deepening his investigative inclinations.

“There is so much going on here in Dubai and I really enjoy collaborating with local artists and the research that goes into unearthing our books,” he says. “Because I’ve studied film, I have of course being trying to find books on Middle Eastern film makers! At the moment we have book on women in film in the region. But, mostly I like to find quirky, hard to find stuff. The books can be quite random at times, but that

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is what makes the store interesting and engaging. I source rare books from local areas and collections, as well from abroad, par ticularly the US and UK. Since we’ve opened, I’ve also had people come in to donate books or recommended something that we should stock.”

Perusing the publications that fill the shelves lining Bookshop’s walls, book lovers will discover popular Arabic authors, such as the Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz, who writes of his experiences growing up in the small towns of Egypt. With an eclectic stock,

readers will also find vintage tomes first printed in the early 1980s, such as Strela, a giant of a book depicting the life of a fighter pilot in Oman. Other used but well-thumbed niche titles include architectural expositions, such as a book on Post-Islamic Classicism in Iraq, which explores how to blend heritage vernacular architecture with modernism.

“We really offer quite a mix of books.

The photography and architectural books are always popular and so are our selection from the Sharjah Ar t Foundation,” says Charles.

The books can be quiTe random aT Times, buT ThaT is whaT makes The sTore interesting and engaging

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ultimately, bookshop is all about offering an alternative. it’s about the thing that you can’t often find in dubai, or elsewhere for that matter Bookshop has also launched the Corner Shop. Here, the team dedicates a corner of its space to a local stationary designer or artist, enabling them to curate their own showcase for their work. A recent display featured the work of Thirtynine Stationary, which is created in Dubai by Emirati designers and manufactured locally. Thir tynine’s focus is on offering simple, inspiring and well-crafted small white spaces that are designed to be filled with big ideas.

The collaboration between store and

local designers is par t of Bookshop’s philosophy of suppor ting Dubai’s cultural scene and offering customers something that’s a little bit different.

With its sister store, The Magazine Shop, which offers a selection of independent titles nearby, Bookshop is the literary arm of the Cultural Engineering group, which is helping to shape and promote Dubai’s new cultural consciousness through its diverse projects, which also include The Archive, The Pavilion and Shelter cafes and ar ts | 67 |

hubs. Like its counterpar ts, Charles says Bookshop’s focus is on community.

“I just love how Bookshop is a place where people can come and relax and hang out together. And it’s so rewarding when people are intrigued enough to try out a new book or experience that they haven’t tried before,” he says.

“Ultimately, Bookshop is all about offering an alternative. It’s about the things that you can’t often find in Dubai, or elsewhere for that matter.” bookshopdubai.me

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M A I N 68 Degrees North, p70

68 DEGREES

NORTH

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Mats KahlstrÖM hits the road to docuMent a spectacular surf trip to norway’s lofoten islands

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Words and images mats Kahlström

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N o r t h

he train slowly comes to a halt.

It is the end of Januar y and the thermometer indicates five degrees Fahrenheit. Snowflakes swirl up from the tracks, occasionally revealing a sign on the old station building: Kiruna. I star ted my journey four-and-a-half hours ago, upon receiving numerous phone- calls from a good friend, during which he talked excitingly about a big swell supposed to hit the nor th of Norway in the following few days. With no hesitation, I geared up and booked train tickets that would take me from my home in Sweden 489 miles nor th- west to Norway’s Lofoten Islands, situated within the Arctic Circle.

A whistle blows and the train rolls out of Kiruna, heading for the mountain range that separates Sweden from Norway. Snow covers the ground; it is more than a metre thick. From my window I spot the occasional reindeer and watch as the sun slowly disappears behind the peaks. It’s only two in the afternoon, but at this latitude there are only a few hours of daylight at this time of year.

Vast snow- covered forests of fir are replaced by steep peaks and dark fjords.

Upon arriving into the train station in Norway, I have travelled more than two-thirds of the distance, but only one-third of the total time it will take to reach my final destination.

I continue by long- distance bus; it is late afternoon, and I fall asleep to the rhythmic motion of the bus navigating its way down the narrow coastal road.

Eighteen hours later, I am dropped off at a closed gas station, having sent an SMS to Olav, the man who I will live with and photograph in the days to follow. I have never met him before, but have heard he is a talented SUP rider who recently moved out here to Lofoten in order to surf as much as possible. Within minutes, an old Caravelle pulls up to the gas station. The driver nods at me. This must be Olav. We shake hands, and I quickly jump in the car, fleeing the chilly winter night. The smell of deep-fried food enters my nostrils; Olav explains he has conver ted his car so that it runs on frying oil, which he collects from the local restaurants every now and then. “Free driving,” he says with a chuckle.

We spend a few days scoping the forecast.

Olav rents a house in a narrow fjord

surrounded by 3,000ft peaks, climbing almost ver tically from the waterline. We make daily trips to various spots, checking whether or not the swell has arrived. The coastline is jagged, with hidden coves and fjords around every new corner. Even though there is no sign of the massive eight-foot 18-second Atlantic swell that we are waiting for, overhead waves keep pumping in every day. However, the wind is at times quite fierce and, when combined with snow, reduces the visibility to almost zero. In the evenings, Olav cooks fresh fish, which he has bought for a dollar per pound from the local fishermen.

Finally, our patience is rewarded. Big time.

Upon waking up at seven in the morning we check the webcam located at Unstad Beach, a 50-minute drive from Olav’s house. He grins and thinks out loud, “Maybe Søppelplassen could work.” Translated, Søppelplassen means “the Waste site” – a left point break that comes alive during a large western swell.

Our Caravelle has been turned on for a few minutes; the engine needs to get warm before Olav can switch over to fr ying oil.

Through tunnels and over bridges crossing fjords, we drive on narrow snow-covered roads while the sun covers the highest peaks in a pink and red drape. As we arrive, driving down the Unstad Valley the beach stretches out in front, revealing what we have been waiting for : the swell.

Søppelplassen is firing. Sets of doubleoverhead bombs peel like freight trains down the boulder-covered shoreline. In between, the sea surface is dead flat; finally the wind stops hurling the arctic chill at us. Olav pulls out his shor t SUP board, gears up in a 6/5/4 wetsuit with seven millimetre gloves and booties. The water-temperature is just above freezing and the air temperature is just below. He makes an easy paddle out between one of the sets. We are all alone here, just us and the waves.

Olav rips the waves apar t. Nearly two hours after entering the water, he kicks off yet another 300-yard ride and heads for dry land.

He plods through deep snow when returning to the warmth of his Caravelle, pouring himself a cup of fresh ginger tea from his thermos. A smile covers his entire face.

Based in southern Norway, VOSS premium bottled water is served in First Class on Emirates’ Boeing 777 fleet, and in First Class and Business Class on the A380 fleet. It is also served in The Emirates Lounges in Dubai and the UK.

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b r i e f i n g Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature, p84 | Destination: Barcelona, p90 | Route Map, p98

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EmiratEs airlinE FEstival OF litEraturE

Q&A Isobel Abulhoul OBE Festival Director, Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature How long have you been involved with the festival?

I founded the festival, so I have been involved with it since it was just a germ of an idea back in 2007.

Why did you decide to launch it?

More than 120 of the best authors in the world will descend on Dubai for the 2015 Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature.

Now in its seventh year, the festival will take place in Dubai from March 3 to March 7, welcoming a host of literary stars including award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Egyptian author Nawal El-Saadawi and British author David Nicholls, best-known for his novel One Day. Other well-known attendees will include David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas, which was adapted into a successful movie, and the award-winning author of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak.

A number of international poets and non-fiction authors will also attend the festival to take part in the many author talks and workshops, while the ever-popular children’s programme will again allow young readers to meet the illustrators of their favourite characters.

Additional highlights of this year’s festival will be the War Horse concert, where Michael Mopurgo will be reading excerpts from his best-selling book alongside live music, and the first UAE appearance of lifesize puppets Joey and Topthorn from The Handspring Puppet Company. emirateslitfest.com

sEcOnd daily a380 sErvicE tO manchEstEr Emirates launched a second A380 service to Manchester, England, on February 1, increasing capacity to the city by 13 per cent.

It also brings the number of daily flights to and from the UK operated by the A380 to 16.

The upgraded service will feature 14 seats in First Class, 76 in Business Class and 427 in Economy Class.

The Emirates A380 offers spacious seating in Economy Class, access to the world’s only onboard shower spas for First Class passengers and an onboard lounge, where First Class and Business Class passengers can socialise at 40,000 feet.

Emirates flight EK019 will depart Dubai International Airport at 2.35pm and arrive in Manchester at 6.35pm. The outbound flight, EK020, will depart Manchester Airport at 8.25pm and arrive in Dubai at 7.40am. | 84 |

I felt that Dubai was and is such an attractive place to visit, for both authors and audiences. It is also in a perfect strategic position at the crossroads of east and west, so if a circle is drawn on a map with three-, four- and five-hour travel times, this is a massive catchment area. Culture is a vital part of any society, and literature is probably the most affordable cultural activity that we can participate in. Language, and its development throughout history, is, for me, one of the most important factors determining our humanity.

What were the original goals for the festival?

The original goals were to bring joy and celebration to reading. In particular, the goal was to attract people who don’t pick up a book for pleasure, and persuade them that they could have the time of their lives by attending a literary festival. Of crucial importance were young people and from the very beginning we have ensured that we always have a fantastic line-up of children’s authors. I do believe we have achieved those original goals.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

We will endeavour to remain true to our origins, and open up the world of books and writers to as many people as possible. It is hoped that through the festival and the newly opened Dubai International Writers’ Centre, Dubai can become a literary hub and develop all kinds of offshoots that have the written and spoken word at its heart.

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emirates airline DuBai Jazz festival 2015

Staff Q&A Ravi Nage Regional Catering Manager What does your job involve?

Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival will return to its inaugural home of Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from February 25 to February 27.

The 13th edition of the festival, organised by Chillout Productions, has taken on the theme of A Unique Take On Music, Art And Lifestyle.

Christina Perri, making her Middle East debut and playing songs from her album Head Or Heart, will kick-off the festival, before James Blunt takes to the stage as part of his Moonlanding tour.

American violinist Lindsey Stirling will

open on the second night, followed by Police legend Sting. And the final evening boasts performances by jazz bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding and internationally renowned soul/R&B singer John Legend, who is on his worldwide #ALLOFMETOUR. Not only will festivalgoers be treated to top music acts from around the world, they can also enjoy a variety of food and refreshments and an arts and crafts exposition.

Tickets are exclusively available on ticketmaster.ae or 800-tm-uae. dubaijazzfest.com

neW Birmingham service Emirates is to operate a third daily service to Birmingham Airport, becoming the first airline to offer a direct First Class service to the region.

The additional service adds seven more inbound flights a week to Birmingham, and as with all Emirates flights, passengers on the new Dubai to Birmingham services will enjoy the extra generous Emirates baggage allowance of 30kg in Economy Class, 40kg in Business Class and 50kg in First Class.

Starting August 1, Emirates flight EK41, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, will depart Dubai International Airport at 2.35am and arrive in Birmingham at 7.05am. The outbound flight, EK42, will depart Birmingham Airport at 9.10am and arrive in Dubai at 7.10pm.

get to your gate on time

I am in charge of the Indian subcontinent and southern and central Africa regions. Specifically, I oversee the design and execution of gastronomic products on our aircraft and lounges. I started my career with Emirates about a year ago, and have enjoyed every moment of it. I am a chef at heart and, fortunately, by profession too.

Why do you love your job?

Receiving a compliment from a customer who has enjoyed the food and beverage offering on board one of our routes is what’s most rewarding. Soon after joining, I was told that a customer had complained about our Asian vegetarian meals. I took the unusual approach of personally meeting him to understand what he desired. I met him while he was transiting through Dubai and, to my surprise, all he wanted was a simple authentic meal from his home state in India. It gave me a totally new perspective on menu design.

million Number of passengers who have travelled with Emirates to and from Birmingham since the route launched in 2000

Don't miss your flight Please make sure you get to your boarding gate on time.

Boarding starts 45 minutes before your flight and gates close 20 minutes before departure. If you report late we will not be able to accept you for travel.

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teaming up with the best Emirates is a proud sponsor of many sports teams and tournaments and the effects are far-reaching, say those at the top of their games

emirates is synonymous with supporting the best in the sporting world.

Certainly 2014 was a huge year for football sponsorship, with highlights like the FIFA World Cup and the Dubai Football Challenge, but 2015 promises to be bigger. And par ticipants, spectators and Dubai feel the positive impact of Emirates sponsorship, according to Roger Duthie, Emirates’ Manager Group Sponsorship.

“We always believe that what is good for Emirates will be good for our home city, Dubai,” he says.

An example of this is The Dubai Tour, a cycling partnership that showcases Dubai’s growing skyline and facilities to a global audience.

Duthie says Emirates aims to “connect people of different backgrounds with new experiences based on a shared passion”, adding that partnerships also need to differentiate the brand from its competitors and “have the ability to create moments of inspiration and celebration”.

Golf ’s European Tour fits these parameters, and Emirates became a global partner and Official Airline of the tour and supporter of The Race To Dubai in 2013.

Nick Tarratt, Director, The European Tour International, Dubai Office, stresses “the importance and value that Emirates bring to both the individual tournaments and to The European Tour”.

“We are keen to maximise our partnership with Emirates for our mutual benefit whether through activation and delivery of benefits at tournaments or through our wider relationship,” he adds.

Cricket has benefitted from Emirates’ sponsorship, too, and David Richardson, Chief Executive, International Cricket Council, asserts it’s “extremely important to the ICC and to the international game”.

Aside from partnering the ICC Cricket World Cup, the World Twenty20 and the Champions Trophy, Emirates also backs the Emirates Elite panel of Umpires and Referees.

“The latter enables the ICC to support a fulltime panel of umpires and match referees to officiate at every Test, One Day and T20 International match played around the world,” says Richardson. “There is no doubt that the sponsorship has contributed to a significant improvement in the overall standard of umpiring.”

This year’s major events include the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to be held in New Zealand and Australia.

Swapping bats for rackets, ATP Executive Chairman & President Chris Kermode lauds the “commitment from Emirates”.

“It’s fantastic for men’s professional tennis that a brand of Emirates’ global stature has pledged their support to the ATP World Tour,” he says.

As a Platinum par tner of the ATP World Tour and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, as well as title sponsor of the Emirates ATP Rankings, “Emirates are without question one of the leading commercial par tners in men’s professional tennis”, Kermode says.

“It’s a very exciting time to be involved in men’s professional tennis,” he continues. “The depth of talent on the Tour has never been greater.”

And Emirates sponsorships will only continue to expand, according to Duthie. “As we move closer to becoming a lifestyle brand we are reviewing several arts and cultural partnerships,” he says. “Sports sponsorships will always be the key driver for us, but look for different and unique partnerships on the horizon.”

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IMAGE: GEtty IMAGEs

Words: jamie Knights

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EMIRATES SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS IN NUMBERS

25

3 NUMBER OF FIFA WORLD CUPS SPONSORED:THE 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP IN GERMANY,THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL

NUMBER OF YEARS EMIRATES HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO SPONSORSHIP AROUND THE WORLD

NUMBER OF YEARS EMIRATES HAS SPONSORED COLLINGWOOD AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL TEAM,THE LONGEST PARTNERSHIP WITHIN EMIRATES’ SPONSORSHIP PORTFOLIO

5 NUMBER OF LEADING EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CLUBS SPORTING FLY EMIRATES ON THEIR SHIRTS

3

NUMBER OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL (ICC) TOURNAMENTS SPONSORED: THE ICC CRIKET WORLD CUP, ICC WORLD TWENTY 20 AND THE ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY

NUMBER OF RACES ACROSS EUROPE, ASIA, AUSTRALASIA, NORTH AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA AT WHICH EMIRATES NOW HAS A MAJOR PRESENCE AS A GLOBAL PARTNER OF FORMULA ONE.

19

15

3 NUMBER OF YEARS EMIRATES HAS BEEN THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE EMIRATES ARLINE DUBAI RUGBY SEVENS TOURNAMENT

24

NUMBER OF TOURNAMENTS THAT FORM PART OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE AND THE RACE TO DUBAI SPONSORED BY EMIRATES

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20

NUMBER OF TENNIS’ FOUR GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENTS SPONSORED BY EMIRATES:THE FRENCH OPEN AT ROLAND GARROS,THE EMIRATES AIRLINE US OPEN SERIES, WHICH CULMINATES IN THE US OPEN, AND THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

0 2 NUMBER OF GOLF EVENTS WORLDWIDE SPONSORED

BY EMIRATES

D E e sm t i i rn aa tt Ei o s n n GE uwi D s e

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D E S T I N A T I O N

BARCELONA As Emirates prepares to launch a second daily service to the Catalan capital on May 2, enjoy our guide to the city Barcelona truly seems to have something for everyone. Can’t choose between a beach holiday and a city break? Visit Spain’s second most populous city, and you’ll get both. On the one hand, there’s the modern city centre, with its luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, designer boutiques and, most importantly, the architecture of Catalan Modernist Antoni Gaudi. On the other, Barcelona has a thriving beach culture, with more than four kilometres of coastline. The city is a hugely popular surfing destination in Europe, and Barceloneta is

regularly named as one of the best urban beaches in the world.

Staying on dry land is just as rewarding though, especially if you decide to explore Barcelona on foot – you never know what you’ll stumble across. Las Ramblas is a great place to start; it comprises five boulevards, with Placa Catalunya at one end and the waterfront on the other. This famous promenade is populated by cafés, restaurants, shops and street performers, and is filled with locals and tourists at all hours of the day.

EAT

STAY

DO

TICKETS The brothers behind Barcelona’s legendary (now defunct) El Bulli have thrown their expertise behind a new tapas joint. Ferran and Albert Adria’s latest spot is part restaurant, part circus ring; expect crazy but tasty twists to old classics, and finish with something sweet from the candy floss machine. es.bcn50.org

MERCER HOTEL BARCELONA This romantic boutique hotel is located in a beautifully restored, centuries-old building, ideally situated in the heart of the city’s famous Gothic Quarter. Stay here and you’ll be well within walking distance of La Boqueria food market and close to the Picasso Museum too. mercerbarcelona.com

ENJOY GAUDI’S ARCHITECTURE No visit to Barcelona would be complete without marvelling at the work of its most famous architect, Antoni Gaudi. As well as the iconic Sagrada Familia, be sure to see his two houses, Casa Batlo and La Pedrera, or Casa Mila as it’s also known. You could also stroll among his surreal structures in the Gaudi-designed green space, Park Guell. sagradafamilia.cat casabatllo.cat lapedrera.com

ABAC This two Michelin-starred restaurant is an amazing place to mark a special occasion – preferably with the 16-course tasting menu. At the helm is Jordi Cruz, the youngest chef in Spain ever to receive a Michelin star, who confidently serves up inventive international dishes using the best local ingredients. abacbarcelona.com BOTAFUMEIRO Botafumeiros chef and owner Moncho Neira sources his ingredients from the early morning fish auctions in Catalonia and Galicia, so you’ll be tucking into some of the freshest seafood in the city. Sample as much as you can with a sharing platter, or opt for the classic seafood paella. botafumeiro.es

HOTEL OMM Stylish yet laid back, this romantic hotel is a perfect base for couples who want to explore the city. As well as the lush spa, and trendy restaurant Moo, the star of the show is the sunny terrace, which has a swimming pool, bar and gorgeous views of Gaudi’s Casa Mila and the Sagrada Familia. hotelomm.es HOTEL MAJESTIC If money is no object, spend your euros at this iconic hotel in the Passeig de Gracia.

Even if you’re not splashing out on the penthouse suites, you can still enjoy the city views from the rooftop pool, 24-hour personal butler service and meals from Michelin-starred restaurant Drolma. hotelmajestic.es

EXPLORE THE MUSEUM TRAIL Barcelona is home to some truly astonishing museums, including the Picasso Museum, the Museu d’Història de Barcelona and the Musea Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

Many of them even have free entry on Sunday afternoons. museupicasso.bcn.cat museuhistoria.bcn.cat/en museunacional.cat/en VISIT EUROPE’S BIGGEST FOOD MARKET La Boqueria is the largest food market in Europe, and a perfect place to sample authentic Catalan cuisine. It is located in the buzzing area of Las Ramblas. boqueria.info

EMIRATES STAFF TIPS: LA CARRETERA DE LES AIGUES

“To disconnect, go to la carretera de les aigues (Catalan for ‘road water’) for a wonderful view of the city. The road twists up a hill next to the city, where there is abundant greenery.“

Sandra Alsamora Haro Customer Service Agent, Barcelona

COSTA BRAVA

“Places near Barcelona that will leave you breathless include the villages along the Costa Brava coastline for amazing beaches, and la Cerdaña for mountain or skiing holidays.”

Mite Sabaté Senior Digital Content Executive

Emirates currently operates a daily A380 service to Barcelona. Starting May 2 a new second daily service will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR as EK 188, departing Dubai at 3.45pm, arriving in Barcelona at 9pm. EK 189 will take off daily from Barcelona at 10.45pm and land in Dubai at 7.25am.

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C O M F O R T

WELLNESS IN THE AIR To help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips.

Regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you enjoy your journey and time on board with Emirates today.

SMART TRAVELLER

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER Rehydrate with water or juices frequently. Drink tea and coffee in moderation.

TRAVEL LIGHTLY

WEAR GLASSES

Carry only the essential items that you will need during your flight.

Cabin air is drier than normal, therefore swap your contact lenses for glasses.

BEFORE YOUR JOURNEY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or if you suffer from a respiratory or cardiovascular condition.

Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications?

Get a good night’s rest before the flight.

Eat lightly and sensibly.

AT THE AIRPORT

USE SKIN MOISTURISER Apply a good quality moisturiser to ensure your skin doesn’t dry out.

KEEP MOVING Exercise your lower legs and calf muscles.

This encourages blood flow.

DURING THE FLIGHT

Allow yourself plenty of time for check-in.

Avoid carrying heavy bags through the airport and onto the flight as this can place the body under considerable stress.

Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.

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Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent.

Babies and young passengers may suffer more acutely with popping ears, therefore consider providing a dummy.

Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently.

Avoid sleeping for long periods in the same position.

MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE Loosen clothing, remove jacket and avoid anything pressing against your body.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE Try some light exercise, or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.

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Guide to us customs & immiGration Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs form will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.

CUSToMS DECLARATIoN FoRM All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs Declaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only.

The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.

ElEctronic SyStEm for travEl authoriSation (ESta) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure.

ESta factS: Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending.

A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport. apply onlinE at www.cbp.gov/ESta nationalitiES EligiblE for thE viSa waivEr*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom** * SubjEct to changE ** only britiSh citizEnS qualify undEr thE viSa waivEr programmE. | 94 |

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Cut the queue at JFK with quiCK ConneCt If you’re connecting through New York JFK, you can avoid long waiting times in US immigration and queues for connecting flights with the Quick Connect service. US Customs and Border Protection Agency created the special service for passengers who have a connecting flight within three hours of arrival at New York JFK.

Follow theSe StePS:

1

2

3

4

have your boarding card or ticket for your connecting flight ready for the ground staff as you exit.

You’ll be given a Quick Connect card. Continue to the Quick Connect queue in the Arrivals hall.

After passport clearance, claim your baggage and clear US customs, regardless of your final destination.

If your bag is tagged to your final destination, hand it to emirates staff at the transfer counter for your onward flight.

quarantine in australia Australia has strict biosecurity laws, so when you arrive you’ll need to declare certain food, plant or animal items on your Incoming Passenger Card.

You also need to declare equipment or shoes used in rivers and lakes or with soil attached. All aircraft food must be left on board. Please take particular care when you complete your Incoming Passenger Card – it's a legal document and false declarations may result in a penalty.

quarantine in Japan Japan has strict rules around exposure to livestock and bringing in livestock items.

You will need to go to the Animal Quarantine Counter if: • you have recently been to a livestock farm • are bringing livestock products into Japan • your visit to Japan will involve contact with livestock the counter is in the baggage claim area. If you’re bringing meat and livestock products into Japan without an import certificate, you must see the animal quarantine officer. | 95 |

U A E

S M A R T

G A T E

BE SMART! USE UAE SMART GATE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NATIONALITIES THAT CAN USE UAE SMART GATES

UAE

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Belgium

Brunei

Canada

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Oman

Portugal

Qatar

San Marino

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

*UK

USA

GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN SECONDS AND GET YOUR VISIT TO DUBAI OFF TO A FLYING START Citizens of the countries listed on the right and UAE residents can speed through Dubai International airport by using UAE Smart Gate.

If you hold a machine-readable passport, UAE Emirates ID card or E-Gate card you can check in and out of the airport within seconds.

Just look out for signs that will direct you to the many UAE Smart Gates found on either side of the Immigration Hall at Dubai International airport.

USING UAE SMART GATE IS EASY

1

Have your UAE Emirates ID card, E-Gate card or machine-readable passport ready to be scanned

2

Place your passport photo page on the scanner. If you are a UAE resident, you can scan your UAE Emirates ID card. If you have an E-Gate card place it into the E-Gate slot

OK!

3

Go through the open gate, stand in the blue footprint guide on the floor, face the camera straight-on and stand still for your iris scan.

When finished, the next set of gates will open and you can continue to baggage claim

*UK citizens only (UK overseas citizens still require a visa)

UAE SMART GATE CAN BE USED BY:

REGISTERING FOR UAE SMART GATE IS EASY To register, just follow the above process and then spend a few moments having your details validated by an immigration officer. That’s it! Every time you fly to Dubai in future, you will be out of the airport and on your way just minutes after you landed. | 96 |

• Machine-readable passports from the above countries • UAE Emirates ID cards • E-Gate cards

• • • • • • • •

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• • • • • • • •

DUBAI EMIRATES TOWERS, 14TH FLOOR, SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD P.O. BOX: 9055, DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 330 4343 | FAX: +971 4 330 3993 contact@emiratesadvocates.com | www.emiratesadvocates.com ABU DHABI Tel: +971 2 6394446 auh@emiratesadvocates.com

RAS AL KHAIMAH Tel: +971 7 2046719 rak@emiratesadvocates.com

DUBAI INTERNET CITY Tel: +971 4 3900820 dic@emiratesadvocates.com

SHARJAH Tel: +971 6 5728666 shj@emiratesadvocates.com

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DIFC Tel: +971 4 4019562 difc@emiratesadvocates.com

WITH AFFILIATE OFFICES IN SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT AND OMAN

FOR 24 HOUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL +971 (50) 328 99 99

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M A P

Your home in Dubai

• • • • • • • •

Located in the heart of Dubai Opposite Metro Station Walking distance to Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest skyscraper Dubai Airport - 15 min Abu Dhabi Airport - 45 min Walking distance to shopping malls Close to Business Hubs (DIFC and DWTC) Spa and Outdoor Swimming Pool

Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O Box 116957 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 323 0000 | Fax: +971 4 323 0003 www.emiratesgrandhotel.com

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THE FLEET Our fleet contains 233 aircraft made up of 219 passenger aircraft and 14 cargo aircraft BOEING 777-300ER

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of this aircraft, which joined the fleet in 2005. To date more than 108 million customers have flown on an Emirates 777-300ER.

Number of Aircraft: 102 Capacity: 354-442 Range: 14,594km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 64.8m

BOEING 777-300

Since 1999, Emirates operates two and three-class versions of the 777-300.

Number of Aircraft: 12 Capacity: 364 Range: 11,029km Length: 73.9m Wingspan: 60.9m

BOEING 777-200LR

Number of Aircraft: 10 Capacity: 266 Range: 17,446km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m

BOEING 777-200

In 2005, the Boeing 777-200LR set a new world record for distance travelled non-stop when it landed at Heathrow airport, London, after a journey of 21,601km (11,664 nautical miles) from Hong Kong - the long way round. Emirates received its first 777-200LR in August 2007.

Emirates’ first Boeing 777-200 joined the fleet in 1996.

Number of Aircraft: 7 Capacity: 274-346 Range: 9,649km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 60.9m

BOEING 777F

Number of Aircraft: 12 Range: 9,260km Length: 63.7m Wingspan: 64.8m For more information: emirates.com/ourfleet | 104 |

The most environmentally-friendly freighter operated today, with the lowest fuel burn of any comparablysized cargo aircraft. Along with its wide main-deck cargo door which can accommodate oversized consignments, it is also capable of carrying up to 103 tonnes of cargo non-stop on 10-hour sector lengths.

AIRBUS A380-800

Emirates has operated the A380 since 2008, and is the world’s largest operator of this aircraft. In 2014, 13 Emirates A380s joined the fleet.

Number of Aircraft: 59 Capacity: 489-517 Range: 15,000km Length: 72.7m Wingspan: 79.8m

AIRBUS A340-500

This ultra-long range passenger airliner was introduced to the Emirates fleet in 2003. This saw the launch of the First Class Suite which has since been rolled out on the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.

Number of Aircraft: 4 Capacity: 258 Range: 16,050km Length: 67.9m Wingspan: 63.4m

AIRBUS A340-300

Similar in many respects to Emirates A330-200s, the A340-300 is equipped with four engines giving it an enhanced range.

Number of Aircraft: 4 Capacity: 267 Range: 13,350km Length: 63.6m Wingspan: 60.3m

AIRBUS A330-200

First added to the fleet in 1999, this aircraft operates predominately on shorter-haul routes.

Number of Aircraft: 21 Capacity: 237-278 Range: 12,200km Length: 58.8m Wingspan: 60.3m

BOEING 747-400ERF

Number of Aircraft: 2 Range:9,204km Length: 70.6m Wingspan: 64.4m Aircraft numbers through end February 2015 | 105 |

This aircraft is capable of carrying up to 117 tonnes. The deck-side cargo door, with a height of approximately three metres, allows the uplift of oversized shipments that cannot be accommodated in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft. The nose door allows the carriage of long pieces.

E n t E r t a i n m E n t

CAPTION COmPeTITION

E-mail your captions for this cartoon to openskies@motivate.ae with ‘CAPTION COMP’ in the subject line. The winning caption will be published in the March issue.

WINNer: mIChAel BlAke, 64, ACCOuNTANT, SydNEy

“I knew I should have flown emIrates” | 106 |

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