What I love about this building is that the design pulls in elements of traditional Islamic architecture. Inspired by the Hymenocallis flower, the building spirals upwards in a geometric and nature inspired pattern. With 27 terraces and a floor plan designed to maximize views and natural light, the building probably feels like it’s reaching into the sky. Apparently the view from above or from the foot of the tower looks like an onion dome, also a typical element in Islamic architecture.

For all its fanfare and good looks, it’s actually not doing too well.  Started in 2004, the building was finally opened in January 2010- right in the middle of the global financial crisis.   I hope that means the Penthouse is still available.

IF YOU GO:  For some, the hustle and bustle of the city is superb and the reason to visit Dubai.  From extravagant shopping malls to high end boutiques, Dubai is a shopper’s paradise. Find cheap holidays to Dubai to have more money to spend once you’re there!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user neekoh.fi  via a creative commons license.

A photo that…takes my breath away

Ok, so I went literal on this one.  Standing on top of Uhuru Peak, the tallest peak on Kilimajaro I felt like I could hardly breathe.  Yes, at 5985m I was gasping for air.  This photo quite literally took my breath away.  Ten minutes later I was rolling down the mountain toward the permanent camp at 4500m.

A photo that…makes me laugh or smile

This little boy was running around naked at his mom’s drink kiosk at Angkor Wat.  After enjoying every last bite of his ice cream, he snuck around to the cooler, pulled out a coke and promptly threw it as hard as he could on the ground.  His mother punished him, but left with a busted up can she could not sell, eventually relented.  He triumphantly enjoyed the coke!

A photo that…makes me dream

Pamukkale, Turkey at sunset. Need I say more?

A photo that…makes me think

Aren’t all pyramids Egyptian? These pyramids in Meroe, Sudan are actually Kushite.  Never heard of the Kingdom of Kush?  Exactly.  This pyramid and the sand dune remind me that there is always more than meets the eye – things aren’t always what they seem.  We slept by the pyramids under the desert sky- an experience I’ll never forget.

A photo that…makes my mouth water

We were hiking in Banos, Ecuador when we came across a small cafe atop a hill.  Overlooking the city below, we indulged in this delicious hot chocolate.  More artfully prepared than I would have expected on top of a mountain.  Delicious.

A photo that…tells a story

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There are only a few places left in the world where you can wander in to a religious site, stumble across a prayer session and be invited to lunch in an hour.   Plov in Khiva, an experience I will never forget.

A photo that…I am most proud of

I love this photo.  We were visiting the lake monastaries near Bahir Dar, Ethiopia when a monk pulled religious texts out of a locked chest.  In the damp, dark overhang of the monastery, he flipped through the texts, showing us the pictures.   Ethiopian religious art is more reminiscent of European art than African art, as you can see in the picture.  I don’t know that this is my best picture ever, rather is it one that I love.

So:

Katherine from Beyond Disney Travel

Mike and Ashley from Traveled Earth

Caro and Matt from Passport and A Toothbrush

Ben from Adventures with Ben

Alex from Off The Path Travel

What are your seven shots?

The source of the White Nile is a small tourist destination in Jinja, Uganda.  At it’s beginning, the White Nile has a series of big water rapids, so Jinja has become somewhat of an adventure sports mecca for Uganda, that’s how we got there in the first place.  We body boarded the huge waves of the Nile, an experience now significantly reduced by a hydroelectric dam.  The upper part of the river, including Bujugali Falls is now closed.  Class V water is still available downstream, but the closure of the falls means no more “carnage” viewing from the riverfront- a popular activity for locals and tourists alike.

 IF YOU GO: The source of the Nile is a nice walk from Jinja’s city center.  Matatus go from downtown, but it’s better to walk and reward yourself with an iced cold local brew when you arrive.  Jinja is a very walkable and friendly city with a lot of outdoor activities- something not as common as you would think throughout Africa.  There’s a decent expat population of whitewater kayakers and raft guides, so expect some Western comforts as well!  There are a lot of rafting companies in town, we went with Nalubale Rafting- the only group at the time to over body boarding.