The $11 million symbol of the season is latest extravagance at hotel, which also has a vending machine that pops out small gold bars.
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
ABU DHABI – When they deck the halls in opulent Abu Dhabi, it comes with gold ornaments and gem-studded bows on a towering Christmas tree. The $11 million symbol of the season has become the latest extravagance at the Emirates Palace hotel, which boasts its own marina, heliport and a vending machine that pops out small gold bars.The hotel's general manager, Hans Olbertz, was quoted in local newspapers Thursday as saying the 43-foot (13-meter) faux fir has 131 ornaments that include gold and precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires.RELATED:UAE readies for Queen's first visit in 30 years Comic-Con headed for the Middle East Olbertz told Dubai's Gulf News that he worked with one of the jewelers in the hotel to create a "unique tree and experience for our guests this year." The hotel may later contact Guinness World Records for a possible bid as the world's most expensive Christmas tree.The Guinness web site lists a $10.8 million tree put in 2002 in Toyko with 83 pieces of jewelry from Piaget Japan.Christmas spirit is not rare in the United Arab Emirates, which is officially Muslim but hosts a huge foreign population. Malls are full of carolers, Santas and piped-in yuletide songs.But not everyone's jolly. Some Emirati officials worry about threats to Gulf traditions from the wave of Western culture from holiday celebrations to Hollywood movies.
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