Lights ... Camera ... Satisfaction!!

As salaamu 'alaykum! In today's episode of "Just how awesome can the UAE get?", I'd like to transport you to the Sharjah Light Festival. This annual production is just one of many elements that contribute to Sharjah's renown as the "Cultural capital of the Arab World." The following paragraph (obtained from the festival website) does a fairly good job of describing SLF, but, as with many things in life, it's best experienced in first person. Words and even pictures just don't do it justice.

"Over a period of 9 days in Sharjah, from February 7th to the 15th 2013, the night shines and the city is reinvented. Urban space is offered an escape from its daily routine… it becomes a new land of mystery. Streets are lit up, architecture is altered, parks and gardens appear under a new light. Magic, light and sound move the audience. This is a special time for exploration and adventure; in each corner a new image appears – the colours are multiplied and endless. Eyes sparkle, questions arise… Sharjah was not the same yesterday. And how will it be tomorrow?" (http://www.slf.ae/en/index.php/about-slf/)

I took the above picture during a 10-minute presentation consisting of colorful images digitally projected onto the Al Qasba building located on Sharjah's recently revitalized waterfront. In addition to various 3D and kaleidoscopic effects, the show included a soundtrack of modern Arab music played through a massive sound system. I took a video of a portion of the display, but unfortunately the file is too large to upload. However, I found this clip from last year's display so you can get an idea of what I experienced last night:


 






















Isn't that simply spectacular? And what's even more awesome is that there were 13 other buildings lit up in a similar fashion, each with a unique theme and artistic style. Here's a photo I took of a water/light show at the Al Majaz waterfront:

And here's another shot of a nearby mosque (also at Al Majaz):

Sparkly, eh? I wanted to visit and photograph all 14 of the illuminated buildings, but AUS's midnight curfew is kind of inconvenient at times. Oh well ... it's not as if the light festival won't be around for many more years to come.


Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for lots more content in the coming weeks, including posts about the many wonderful foods and beverages I've had the chance to taste during my stay (with recipes included!!)


~MH