Sharks in Fujairah, oysters in Ras Al Khaimah and a clock tower in Dubai — welcome to the weird and wonderful world of UAE roundabouts.
These photographs from The National’s Chris Whiteoak were shot while on assignment across the country over the past few years and show some of the many roundabouts that enrich our travels on the country’s roads.
Like all structures in the UAE, they have a story to tell. The sailfish that soars from an Umm Al Quwain roundabout is a nod to the emirate’s maritime tradition, a hurricane lamp in Dibba shows how the humble paraffin lamp gave light and solace in a time before electricity, while Dubai’s Clock Tower signalled the city’s ambitions when it was built in the 1960s.
We see them as an oasis on a sea of asphalt
Kevin Beresford
Modern roundabouts first appeared in the US and France, but they could be confusing. British traffic engineers, including Frank Blackmore, simplified them in the 1960s. Mandatory “give way” rules were introduced and the roundabout as we know it today was born.
They then spread across the world and in Dubai, roundabouts were part of the first town plan devised in 1960 by the British architect John Harris. “There were no designed road networks before 1960,” said Todd Reisz, author of Showpiece City: How Architecture Made Dubai. “That year brought its first asphalt road and the first formal roundabout was May, 1960.”
A few years later, Dubai was home to as many as eight roundabouts and they were incorporated into new roads created by Halcrow, the engineering company undertaking the development work that was transforming the emirate.
For years the roundabouts remain unadorned — circular empty sandy knolls without even grass on them — but Dubai Municipality had larger plans to green the city and create fountains as a way of signifying beauty, progress and advancement.
What would become the fish roundabout in Deira was one of the first to be built in Dubai, said Mr Reisz. “That was there since the 1960s," he said. "It was located near Al Maktoum Hospital, which was a highlighted development and where the network of older roads was stitched together with the new roads of the 1960s plan. It was seen as a crucial roundabout.”
When the sculptures were added is harder to quantify but, according to Mr Reisz, the fish sculpture in Deira was up no later than 1972.
As the country developed in the years after unification, new roads were built and with them came the distinctive roundabouts we know today. From the equine-inspired roundabouts of Al Ain to Ras Al Khaimah’s oysters which champion its pearl-diving heritage, the fame of the UAE’s roundabouts has spread far and wide.
Kevin Beresford, president of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society, published a calendar, in 2003, about the quirky world of the UK’s roundabouts that went viral and sold tens of thousands of copies worldwide. He has since published another on international roundabouts and even car parks.
“It went like a firework,” said Mr Beresford, about the original calendar. “This got me interested in roundabouts as pieces of architecture. We have long been interested in the UAE as the roundabouts there quite spectacular. We found the UAE roundabouts such as the sharks [in Fujairah] one fascinating and really quirky.”
What makes a good roundabout? First, according to Mr Beresford, it has to work properly. But then the centre circles are a blank canvas to reflect a local industry, artists or a region’s heritage and culture.
“We see them as an oasis on a sea of asphalt,” said Mr Beresford, who is the self-styled “lord of the rings”.
“There are three Spitfires on a roundabout in Birmingham to reflect how they were built there. One can have trains, boats or planes — you name it.”
Some renowned UAE roundabouts have disappeared over the years: victims of development and the emergence of flyovers. The Falcon Roundabout, close to Mina Rashid in Dubai, has long departed, while the Ramada roundabout — which took its name from the hotel, demolished in 2017 — has also gone. But many others endure.
“We would like to see these old roundabouts preserved,” said Mr Beresford. “The older ones seem even better than the new ones and they capture the essence of the area. They should be preserved and definitely not replaced by lights.”
Mr Beresford’s organisation chooses a roundabout of the year. Last year one in the Australian capital, Canberra, took the honours. Could the UAE be a contender?
“We really want to pick one in the Middle East,” said Mr Beresford. “We have been discussing this for some years. The Middle East roundabouts captured the attention of our committee. They are beautiful with clever designs.”
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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South Korea
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POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
57%20Seconds
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RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
