Public excitement ahead of the tower’s opening started escalating hours before the official function where the tower’s name — Burj Khalifa — was 
announced. Crowds started thronging the premises of Waterfront Promenade, Dubai Mall, and Souk Al Bahar much before noon.

The parking lots in Dubai Mall were filling up by 3pm. At the information desk near the Waterfront, visitors frequently asked the staff for details 
about the opening ceremony.

“Four out of every five visitors coming to our desk want to know about the function. They are asking for the details, the timings and if they can attend it,” said an employee at the desk. “Many people want to know where they can get a ticket from to get inside the Burj for the opening ceremony,” he said.

As tourists and residents turned 
out in thousands, Khaleej Times caught up with a number of visitors who thronged the Waterfront Promenade on Monday afternoon.

“It’s a miracle. I wonder what more is left in the heaven for me to see,” were the words of 85-year-old Samira Selim, braving the crowds in a wheelchair. Selim, had flown in from Egypt a couple of days ago to join her grand-children 
and great-grandchildren in Dubai to watch Burj Khalifa opening day ceremonies. Posing for a snap with her five-year-old great-grandson, Ahmed Halawa, Selim thanked God for blessing her with a life long enough to see ‘all the wonders of Dubai’.

Emiratis also turned up in huge numbers to watch one of the most prestigious achievements of their nation being unveiled. Elham Al Saffar, a UAE national student at American University of Dubai, said every Emirati must be feeling on top of the world because of Burj Khalifa. “It is a great achievement for Dubai, the UAE and the entire world. We thank His Highness Shaikh Mohammed for his vision and we wish him good luck,” said Al Saffar, who was accompanied by friend Hannan Alili.

N K Malhotra and his wife Sardesh, who are in their seventies, travelled a long way from India to Dubai to spend the New Year here and watch the opening ceremony of Burj Khalifa. “I congratulate the Ruler and people here for this achievement. It’s really amazing,” said Sardesh.

For 14-year-old Aakriti from India, coming to see Burj Khalifa on the inaugural day — a day after her birthday — was the most memorable birthday 
gift from her parents, Akshay Acharya and Ritu Acharya. They brought her all the way from Shimla to spend a few days close to her birthday to Dubai. “We are so happy that we could be here today. We also feel we are on top of the world,” said Ritu.

Club cars were seen taking a few VIPs to the venue of the inaugural ceremony while Dubai Police in plain clothes and security officials from Dubai Mall and other assigned private firms kept vigil. At 3.50pm, the Dubai Fountain spouted in a display for a few minutes, cheering up the one and all gathered around.

The bridge between Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar were quickly packed 
with professional and amateur photographers until the end of the trial show of the fountain.

Their cameras soon moved towards Dubai Mall as a large group of Emirati male folk dancers began their performance. In a nearby tent, people thronged to take pictures holding a white falcon with brown spots on its wings.

Bob Fischer from Aberdeen in Scotland said his visit to the Burj reminded him of his childhood days’ visit to the Post Office Tower in London. “I was my son’s age, about 14 then. I feel more excited now,” said Bob whose family came to the UAE for celebrating the New Year and attending the openingof Burj Khalifa. “It’s absolutely staggering. Unfortunately, my mother will miss this as she had to head back home last night,” said Robert, Bob’s son.

However, the tallest building on earth did not quite take the fancy of nine-year-old Raqueil Garcia from Germany. “Oh, it’s so huge. What an environmental waste! How much electricity it will need,” she told her parents who were surprised at her words. “In one sense, she has a point there. Maybe, she is right. But, this is this an amazing structure for sure. I can’t believe that it’s standing there. It’s so tall and thin,” said Raqueil’s father Pauolo Garcia.

As a reminder of the heights that the country’s progress has scaled, hundreds of balloons in the four colours of the UAE National Flag were released from Souk Al Bahar at 5pm. As they flew up in the sky, the Burj stood tall(est!) overlooking the thousands who were marvelling at its grandeur.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com