Open Skies | June 2017

PAUL NEWMAN IN LE MANS

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Ian Fairservice Gina Johnson gina@motivate.ae Mark Evans marke@motivate.ae Andrew Nagy andrew.nagy@motivate.ae Roui Francisco rom@motivate.ae Surajit Dutta surajit@motivate.ae Donnie Miguel donnie.miguel@motivate.ae Salil Kumar salil@motivate.ae Londresa Flores londresa@motivate.ae

Editor-in-ChiEf Managing PartnEr & grouP Editor EditoriaL dirECtor grouP Editor SEnior Editor digitaL / Print dESignEr digitaL aniMator VidEo Editor Sub Editor EditoriaL aSSiStant

ContributorS

Christopher Beanland, Geoff Brokate, Emma Coiler, Laura Coughlin, Gary Evans, Sarah Freeman, Kaye Martindale, Matt Mostyn, Carolyn Stritch, Stuart Turton; Sean Williams Cover: Rui Ricardo (folioart.co.uk)

gEnEraL ManagEr ProduCtion S Sunil Kumar ProduCtion ManagEr R Murali Krishnan

ChiEf CoMMErCiaL offiCEr Anthony Milne anthony@motivate.ae

grouP SaLES ManagEr Michael Underdown michael@motivate.ae

SEnior SaLES ManagEr Shruti Srivastava shruti.srivastava@motivate.ae

SEnior SaLES ManagEr Michelle Quinn michelle.quinn@motivate.ae

EditoriaL ConSuLtantS for EMiratES Editor Manna Talib arabiC Editor Hatem Omar dEPuty Editor Catherine Freeman WEbSitE emirates.com

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E d i t o r ’ s

l E t t E r

ANDREW NAGY

on THe coVer

SeNioR ediToR

Y

ou’re not Paul Newman. Neither am I for that matter, but if we’re being honest with ourselves – women included – we probably all would have taken on the role like a shot.

Newman came from an era of men glamorised in black and white. From legendary films that gave us the likes of James Dean, Marlon Brando and Steve McQueen – the types who still crop up in the style pages of men’s magazines today. They played outlaws, prisoners and hustlers; antiheroes that invariably met

month has nothing to do with that. It’s not down to the Academy Award or because of the millions more he would donate to charity – although it’s cer tainly to do with the reason behind them both.

In 1969, Paul Newman began racing cars. Paul Newman, it turned out, was fast, and what began as a hobby would peak 10 years later at one of the toughest races in the world: 24 Hours of Le Mans.

I’ve probably said too much already, so I’ll direct you to Stuar t Tur ton’s ar ticle on

paul newman, iT Turned ouT, was fasT, and wHaT began as a Hobby would peak 10 years laTer aT 24 Hours of le mans with a sticky end… but you still wanted to be them anyway.

But while we love him for Butch Cassidy taking on the Bolivian army, and for Fast Eddie hustling the pool halls, there was always more to Newman than the characters he played. His not-for-profit organisation, Newman’s Own, made millions for underprivileged children, while his political activities included a US$1 million donation to the leftist magazine, The Nation – a title that, over the years, featured work by the likes of Jean Paul Satre, Mar tin Luther King Jr, Hunter S Thompson and more.

However, his place on our cover this

page 34 for the lowdown on a title-tilt that occurred 38 years ago this month.

However, for anybody still doubting the credibility or determination of the actorturned-motorspor t star, I’ll leave you with this: in his final professional race, Paul Newman claimed pole position. It was 2007 and he was 81 years old.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone, I suppose. Let’s be honest, if a man can make pasta sauce seem cool, then he’s clearly capable of anything.

le mans for all occasions The traditional Le Mans running start had been abandond nine years prior to Newman’s race, but we asked illustrator Rui Ricardo to include it anyway. Surely an iconic image is the least he deserves.

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E x p E r i E n c E

June 15-18

Art BAsel

basel, switzerland

To arrive in Basel, at most times of year at least, is to be met by a beautifully serene city with a stirring mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. To arrive in June is to be met by multi-millionaire art collectors, parties late into the night and some of the world’s greatest art exhibitions: Art Basel, in short.

Founded in 1970 by local gallerists Ernst Beyeler,Trudi Bruckner and Balz Hilt, the event began life well – there were roughly 16,000 people through the doors that year – and only got better going on, not only to be one of the world’s leading art fairs, but to almost define the city itself.

It now has sister events in Hong Kong during March and Miami Beach in December.

This month there’ll be 291 galleries from 34 countries in attendance – with 4,000 artists having work on show, all of whom having first been accepted as meeting Art Basel’s exacting standards.

Our advice for the first timer is to head to the Unlimited section. Curated by Gianni Jetzer of the acclaimed Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden in Washington DC, this is really where the action is found.

Keep an eye out for Indian contemporary artist Subodh Gupta’s new work Cooking The World I, featuring food being cooked inside a giant shelter, and Cape Town-based Sue Williamson’s Messages From The Atlantic Passage that offers fishing nets suspended from the ceiling filled with glass bottles that explore the history of slavery.

However, if you’re looking for something that truly represents the fun of Art Basel, neatly combined with the big money buying power on show, then look no further than the giant egg works of Argentinian-Italian artist Lucio Fontana.They’re a real hit with collectors, and the four pieces presented by the Tornabuoni Gallery at Basel will be going for around US$30 million each. artbasel.com

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image: roBin rhode, evergreen 2017, sTevenson gallery, cape Town and JohannesBurg

The arT world descends on Basel This monTh for four days oF greaT arTisTs, The BiggesT arT collecTors and eggs worTh A COOL us$30 million

E x p E r i E n c E

June 29 to July 16

Manchester InternatIonal FestIval Manchester, UK

at the Manchester international festival everything is original, froM legendary brit band new order as you’ve never seen theM, to an opera for babies A decade ago, Manchester dipped its toe into a packed festival scene but its plan had one crucial difference.

All the music, art, theatre, dance and more at the biennial Manchester International Festival would be original. It has led to some fascinating commissions, from Damon Albarn’s colourful opera Monkey Journey to the West to Amadou and Mariam’s concert in the pitch dark.

New artistic director and chief executive John McGrath has retained much of that pioneering spirit for this year’s festival, which largely features world premieres in innovative spaces. New Order collaborate with New York-based artist Liam Gillick and composer Joe

Duddell for a re-imagining of their back catalogue in an old television studio with a 12-strong synthesizer ensemble. There’s also a complementary exhibition looking at the significance and legacy of the band – and Joy Division too. True Faith features work from Peter Saville, Jonathan Demme, Jeremy Deller and Kathryn Bigelow.

Onstage, influential German director Thomas Ostermeier premieres his latest play Returning to Reims, promising an “urgent reflection on the new world order” while Little Voice’s Jane Horrocks presents “industrial musical drama” Cotton Panic, looking at the American Civil War’s impact on Manchester. Underworld’s Karl Hyde is involved in Fatherland, an

exploration of fatherhood with playwright Simon Stephens and Frantic Assembly, and there’s even an opera for babies, titled – naturally – BambinO. Elsewhere, choreographer Boris Charmatz brings 25 dancers to an abandoned railway depot to perform the unique (literally, given no two movements are the same) 10,000 Gestures.

For those who weren’t able to snap up tickets in advance, there’s still plenty to enjoy. Festival Square’s programme of live shows and food and drink stands is the centrepiece of a festival that truly brings life to the city for two weeks every other summer. mif.co.uk

emirates flies non-stop from dubai to Manchester three times daily. choose from two daily a380 services and a daily boeing 777-300er service.

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S t a y :

r o o m

Kameha Grand Zurich, SwitZerland

Words: Christopher Beanland image: andré nazareth The catchphrase is ‘life is grand’ and indeed, a stay at the Kameha Grand might leave you feeling in rude health. It’s something of a man-about-town’s paradise so expect Maserati pick-ups from Zurich airport, suites filled with table football, basketball hoops or James Bond-style roulette tables and straight-down-the-line luxury wherever you look. In the gentleman’s

suite, a globe doubles as a whisky trolley and a gun as a lamp. Super-friendly staff go out of their way to cater to your every request, room service club sandwiches are exquisite beasts and the Michelinstarred You restaurant has many fans.

While you can easily lose yourself in the hotel’s amenities – use the gym, get a massage in the top floor spa or enjoy

Emirates offers a twice daily service to Zurich with the Airbus A380.

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drinks and cigars in the bar – we couldn’t help but love the Space Suite. Designed by the artist Michael Najjar, you’ll find floating beds, hovering astronauts and a whole host of other intergalactic furnishings.

In fact, after spending a few days here, it’ll become clear that life isn’t so much grand as out of this world. kamehagrandzurich.com

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S t a y : C L a S S I C

SHERATON ADDIS ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Words: Jennifer Gibson imaGe: sheraton addis Heading through the gates and down the sweeping driveway here, you would be forgiven for thinking you were heading to a colonial mansion as opposed to a hotel.

The property is situated between two palaces – the homes of Ethiopia’s president and prime minister – and it’s clear the architect Kosek Ivo drew inspiration from these landmark buildings, although

the hotel’s rose gardens and turquoise fountains are disconcertingly grand compared to the incredible hustle and bustle of the streets outside.

Widely reputed to be among the finest city hotels in Africa, the thickly carpeted rooms boast expansive terraces, marble bathrooms and some of the comfiest beds on the continent.

Emirates operates a daily service to Addis Ababa with the Boeing 777-300ER.

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Step outside your room and you’ll have a choice of 10 restaurants and bars, from elegant Italian Stagioni and poolside BBQ Breezes to a grand function suite that recently hosted the country’s president for a special homecoming gig by Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke – all of which makes for an esteemed venue indeed. sheratonaddis.com

S t a y : c o n t e m p o r a r y

Jumeirah VittaVeli Bolifushi island, Maldives

Words: laura coughlin image: jumeirah group If Jay Z and Beyonce wanted a very chilled week in total privacy and tranquillity, they would – and indeed should – come to Jumeirah Vittaveli, to hunker down in its superstar new royal residence.

The luxury retreat located at the far end of Bolifushi Island is just 20 minutes by speedboat from the country’s capital Malé – but you wouldn’t know it.

Embedded in the lush landscapes of the Jumeirah resort, the five-bedroomed royal residence is totally secluded. The sanctuary contains the master bedroom, complete with outdoor Jacuzzi and television, gym and spa. Elsewhere, a jetty overlooking the gleaming Indian Ocean, two swimming pools, a teppanyaki restaurant and overall decor adopting

soothing, earthy tones add up to a location that’s perfect for – well, just about anyone you care to mention really.

The US$25,000 nightly price tag includes speedboat transfer from Malé, daily breakfast, evening canapes, three hours of spa treatments, 24-hour butler service, and a range of concierge services. jumeirah.com

Emirates flies to the Maldives four times daily with the Boeing 777-300ER. Choose from three non-stop services and a daily service that stops in Colombo.

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

Words: kaye martindale imaGes: Geoff Brokate

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

Kreuzberg, germany L

ocated south of Berlin’s Spree river, Kreuzberg is just a bridge and a couple of blocks away from the old world grandeur of the capital’s city centre but it’s light years away from its polished and stately feel. The neighbourhood is the epitome of urban cool, with hipsters whiling away the hours on pavement terraces, a plethora of contemporary art galleries, boutique stores and graffiti adorning every wall.

Unlike many such neighbourhoods, Kreuzberg has resisted wholesale gentrification and retains a sense of originality and edginess. The streets have a palpable sense of the excitement of creativity and the buzz of possibility.

With its imposing architecture, retro feel and leftist atmosphere, most visitors would be forgiven for assuming Kreuzberg had been in the Eastern Bloc during the city’s divided years. It was, however, located within West Berlin, bordered to the north and east by the looming shadow of the Berlin Wall.

Despite being part of the wealthy and prosperous West Germany, the housing in Kreuzberg was of poor quality and in the 1960s Turkish immigrants, drawn by cheap rents, flocked to the area.

After the fall of the wall in 1989, a new wave of punks, artists and dissidents moved in, changing the face of the district and paving the way for Kreuzberg to become one of the world’s most dynamic and creative neighbourhoods.

Kreuzberg is a vast district and as such it is divided into east and west, with the Landwehr canal threading through the middle. But to see the real Kreuzberg it’s worth taking a detour off its main thoroughfares, where you can find amazing fresh food markets, authentic Turkish hammams, artist-run galleries and lively parks.

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

In the area

PhotograPhs + street food

( E ig h t -minut E ca b r idE )

Imago

From the street, Imago looks like an exclusive contemporary bar, with slick windows and a minimal sign that gives little away. Upon stepping through its doors, however, you’re greeted by a magnificent creation that resembles a beautifully crafted spaceship – the type you would expect to see on the cover of a Julves Verne novel, perhaps.

The machine in question, Imago’s founder and creative director Suzanna Kraus explains, is the world’s largest camera. Invented by her father Werner Kraus in 1970, it uses a giant lens and mirrors to create a life-size photograph, developed while you wait. A combination of walk-in Polaroid, portable studio and selfie camera, the images combine the timeless quality of antique prints with the modern day obsession with documentation.

It’s proved quite a hit.

Numerous celebrities have already stepped into Imago to have their image captured, and now individuals and families have the opportunity to visit Kraus’ studio and exhibition space and take home their own personalised work of art.

Prinzenstrasse 85, 10969 Berlin | +49 30 52132617 | imagocamera.com

markEt hallE nEun

A sunset visit here for Street Food Thursday will make you wish you lived in Kreuzberg. It’s exciting, lively, colourful and feels as if the whole city is there with the sole purpose of having a good time.

EISEnbAhnSTrASSE 42-43, 10997 bErlIn, +49 30 61073473, mArKThAllEnEun.dE

Emirates serves four destinations in Germany – Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg.

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N e i g h b o u r h o o d

in the AreA

Kitsch + coffee

( 13-mi nut e wa lk )

MuseuM der dinge The curiously named Museum of Things is one of Kreuzberg’s hidden gems. With no signs allowed on the protected building, visitors have to enter what looks like an apartment building and climb the stairs to find the museum on the third floor.

The permanent collection is displayed as open storage, which creates the sensation of having privileged access to the museum’s archive of objects. A labyrinth of glass cabinets takes visitors through the vast history of the design and production of objects from the 20th and 21st century.

The objects on display range from retro TVs and old cameras to 1950s watercolour paints and wartime memorabilia.The collection is displayed in what seems, at first glance, to be a random hotch-potch but upon reflection the assemblages allow you to map your own path and make personal associations bewtween the objects. A homage to the ordinary, the museum doesn’t feature many pieces by famous designers but chooses to elevate the anonymous, kitsch items and mass-produced objects.

Oranienstrasse 25, 10999 Berlin | +49 30 92106311 | museumderdinge.de

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Cafe avril

This sweet cafe is located in Graefekiez, one of Kreuzberg’s less visited and more picturesque areas.

The cafe’s terrace is a lovely spot to while away the hours and enjoy the neighbourhood’s unhurried pace of life.

GraefesTrasse 83, 10967 Berlin, +49 30 62735398, cafe-avril.com

N e i g h b o u r h o o d

In The area ( T wo-minuT e cycle )

STyle + SnackS

Voo

Typifying the urban-meets-industrial aesthetic, Voo’s carefully chipped concrete, exposed brick and peeling paint decor exudes cool. Frequented by Kreuzberg’s inthe-know hipsters, Voo is a genuine concept store.

Open for five years, it is a stylish one-stop-shop for clothing, books, furniture and accessories. Voo’s creative director and curator Herbert Hoffman handpicks each item on sale. The store also features work from 35 to 50 different designers each season.

Located in a spacious former locksmith workshop, the store is hidden away at the back of a peaceful courtyard off Oranienstrasse, Kreuzberg’s main thoroughfare, which further adds to its exclusive vibe.

After you’ve finished shopping, you can sit down, take stock of your purchases and enjoy an expertly crafted drink at the store’s café, Companion Coffee. Designed by architect Sigurd Larson it retains its own distinct style, taking Voo’s industrial look and giving it a softer edge.

Oranienstrasse 24, 10999 Berlin | +49 30 6957972710 | vooberlin.com

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3 SchweSTern

Offering a calm atmosphere away from the hustle of the city’s streets, 3 Schwestern has no wifi and a no-work policy and its organic and locally sourced cuisine is inspired by the Alpine food of Germany’s southern mountain region.

MAriAnnenpl. 2, 10997 Berlin, +49 30 60031860, 3SchweStern-Berlin.de

F o o d

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b u i l d i n g

Freemasons’ Hall

Buried among the bars and boutiques of historic Covent Garden is the global headquarters of the world’s oldest social group. But like its storied tenants, there’s more to this Art Deco masterpiece than meets the eye WORDS: Sean WilliamS

L

ondon’s Freemasons’ Hall could be the most important building you’ve never been in. But while this architectural joy, in the middle of historic Covent Garden, might be an Art Deco delight, it’s actually a building steeped in tragedy.

Designed by HV Ashley and Winton Newman, the building is a memorial to the 3,225 Freemasons who died on active service during the First World War. In fact, in 1925 7,250 Freemasons attended lunch at London’s Olympia to raise funds for the new building. It remains the largest catered meal in European history, stumping up over US$1 million for the Hall’s construction.

Just decades later, the fraternal organisation was in the firing line again – only this time as a direct target of Nazi Germany. So hated were they by Hitler that they were included in his infamous ‘black book’ of British residents to be arrested in the event of a successful invasion.

It didn’t help that the Hall survived bombing raids by the Luftwaffe during the war, but the myth that this was a deliberate move by Hitler as he wanted it as his British base have since been debunked: it endured because it was a sightline for German bombers and nothing more. Thousands of Brits used it as an air raid shelter, in fact, and Freemasons would give people sandwiches and cups of tea during Blitz raids.

Today the group, which numbers some five million people worldwide (including women), has “decided to become more transparent”, says Michael Baker, their director of communications. It’s mirroring the image it had in Victorian Britain, when

newspapers would carry entire columns detailing the group’s activities. That openness includes the Hall in London, which is the group’s global headquarters, and which has become an icon of the West End. Until the 1960s the building could only be accessed by Freemasons, but today the group offers visits to the public, and there is a library and museum on site.

Treasures await them. Among the Hall’s many features are a peace memorial window, which cannot be viewed from the streets outside, 23 lodge rooms, a shrine containing a scroll with all of those who died in the First World War, and the Grand Temple.

London Fashion Week also calls the venue home

The latter is Baker’s favourite part of the Hall, “not just because it is the most spectacular part… but more for what it evokes.” The ornate room is able to hold 1,600 to 1,700 people (a thousand Freemason units meet four times a year, which Baker admits is a “logistical nightmare”) and, infrequently, bristles with the voices of all of them. “At the end of each meeting we sing the national anthem. It’s a bit like the trooping of the colour, but it’s a bit incongruous in the 21st century.”

It’s not the only anachronistic aspect of the Freemasons’ Hall, which was built on the site of the original Freemasons’ Tavern, erected in 1775, which was where the Football Association was inaugurated in 1863. The building’s timeless charm has made it a darling of the arts, and has provided a backdrop for movies including Assassin’s Creed; Spectre; The Muppet Movie and 2010’s Green Zone starring Matt Damon – when the Hall had the dubious distinction of being cast as Saddam Hussein’s private office.

Freemasons’ Hall also doubles as a sartorial HQ during London Fashion Week, when it has been used as a showroom for renowned British labels like Hackett. Conferences have been held on site and large corporations, including Amazon, have used it as a Christmas party venue. “It’s a multi-use space,” argues Baker, “and not just for Freemasonry.”

But the Hall is undeniably the movement’s jewel in the crown. Baker says that there are a handful of other lodges in the world that compare in beauty – including those in New York and the Grand Lodge in Dublin, Ireland. But the London venue is the “mother grand lodge”, he adds.

“Even the changing rooms in this building are stunning and ornate. It’s the complete article. Others imitate it, but they don’t carry it off.”

“It’s a bit like the elephant in the room: it’s big, and it’s bold, and it’s right on Covent Garden,” says Baker. “People probably think it’s some Whitehall building that’s lost its way.” But the truth is the opposite.

The Freemasons’ Hall has become a cornerstone of the West End. And while most visitors simply walk on by, it is more than worth a tourist’s time.

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A collection of stories from around the world Le Mans

All Of The Lights

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Straight Outta Cramlington

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MAIN

Le Mans

for all occasions

In June 1979, Paul newman took on the world’s most famous endurance car race, 24 Hours of Le Mans. We investigate this strange meeting between movie star and motorsports Words: stuart Turton

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“I’ll never forget my first experience of being in a race car,” legendary actor Paul Newman told an ABC documentary team in 1979. “The first thing that attracted me was the speed. That and the faint possibility that I might get good at it one day. It offered me the chance to be graceful, it just grabbed hold of me. I used to just slink off from doing pictures to try and get my [racing] licence.”

Newman received that licence in 1972 when he was 47 – an age when most racing drivers are comfortably retired. He came to the sport late after starring in the 1969 film Winning, in which he played an Indy 500 driver. Training for the role awakened a love of motorsports so intense it would come to dominate the rest of his life, setting him on course to not only compete in the world’s toughest endurance car race, 24 Hours of Le Mans, but very nearly win it.

Established in 1923 as a rugged alternative to the concentrated glamour of Formula One, this annual event requires par ticipants to race for 24 hours through the streets of Le Mans with the winning team judged on a variety of criteria, including distance covered. Three drivers man each car, switching every two hours to eat and rest.

Racing at an average speed of 105mph, drivers need incredible concentration, endurance and reflexes while the cars sustain constant buffeting from other vehicles as well as the wear and tear of repeatedly overtaking, braking and manoeuvring.

No wonder Le Mans was originally conceived as a proving ground for high-end road cars.

Starring in the 1969 film Winning (above) inspired Newman’s obsession with motorsports

In hIs relIable Datsun 510, newman got faster anD faster, becomIng arguably one of the best amateur DrIvers In the us | 36 |

“Just two weeks after the first Porsche [356] was delivered in 1948, it went on to contest its first race,” says Hartmut Kristen, former head of motorsport at Porsche, the most successful manufacturer in Le Mans’ history with 16 wins. “In the 1950s and 1960s it was normal for a customer to drive his Porsche 356 with its numberplate to the track, take part in the race and then drive home in the evening.”

That was almost exactly what Paul Newman did.

He was competing in a souped-up Porsche 935 that had been purchased by team owner Dirk Barbour, a Porsche dealer and racing enthusiast, who had bought the car to replace one he had crashed in his last race.

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whether it would be too much car for the rookie Newman, who had paid his dues in far more docile machines altogether.

“There was a Datsun dealer who lived seven minutes away from my house and who had a race team and ran in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) races,” he told Australian newspaper The Age. “He had a really classy, sophisticated operation so that’s how I started, driving a little four-cylinder Datsun and just working my way up. There was no point in racing unless I really took it seriously, so that’s what I did.”

In his reliable Datsun 510, Newman got faster and faster, making a name for himself in the process. In

This might sound a little frivolous but it’s not surprising he couldn’t keep hold of it. The Porsche 935 was a monster. Stuffed with cutting-edge engineering, it came with a twin-turbo engine, large brake discs and the infamous upside-down gearbox. It handled like a saddled tiger but could hit 200mph on the straight. Of course, whether your teeth would be in your mouth at the end of it was a different matter.

These concerns were easily shrugged off by Barbour, who had been racing Porsches for years, and professional driver Rolf Stommelen was a fourtime 24 Hours of Daytona winner. The question was | 37 |

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The car The Porsche 935 that took Newman to second place in Le Mans in 1979 has a fascinating history all of its own 1976 – The Porsche 935 rolls off the production line. Based on a Porsche 911, it features many of the technologies we now take for granted, including large brake discs.

1979 – Purchased by American racing driver Dick Barbour, who races it to second place in Le Mans with Paul Newman and Rolf Stommelen. The team compete at Watkins Glen later in the year, finishing second once again.

1980 – Apple Computers sponsors the car, repainting it in its famous rainbow colours.

Unfortunately, the livery is cursed. A melted piston causes the new team to withdraw from Le Mans with 13 hours to spare, and successive races bring only seventh and second place finishes.

1981 – Barbour sells the car to Bob Garretson, who finds a new sponsor in the American low-cost hotel chain, Red Roof Inn. It wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

1983 – New regulations force the car to be reconfigured as a Porsche 934, but even with the lower horsepower it wins 12 Hours of Sebring.

2016 – After years of being rolled out at classic car shows, Newman’s Porsche 935 is sold at auction for US$4.84 million.

In 2016, the famous car finally goes up for auction

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Newman was one of the most talented amateur drivers in the US when he got to Le Mans

1973 he stepped onto the podium in five of the six SCCA races he contested, winning one of them. By 1979 he was racing in two SCCA classes as well as the more competitive IMSA series – pitting himself against a raft of young, talented drivers. He won 14 out of 16 SCCA races and enjoyed a flawless eightrace winning streak in the B-class sedan category.

He was arguably one of the best amateur drivers in the US but he wanted to move up a notch and saw Le Mans as the perfect opportunity to prove himself. Not everybody was convinced, most noticeably the cadre of agents, insurers, managers and money men who thought he was risking his career – and life – to pursue his hobby. They didn’t have to look too far back for evidence of how dangerous the sport was.

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In 1955, Le Mans was responsible for the worst accident in the history of motorsports, when driver Pierre Levegh crashed at 190mph, killing himself, 75 spectators and injuring 120 people.

The disaster brought the world of motorsports to its knees, instigating widespread reviews and safety practices that still define the sport, including mandatory use of seatbelts, more reliable braking systems and roadside barriers.

Another of these safety practices – scrutineering – has become one of the iconic features of Le Mans.

During scrutineering drivers take everything, from the cars to their helmets and gloves, to the city centre where they are inspected to ensure they comply with the sport’s rules. Scrutineering days are published in advance so that the public can attend, lending a festival atmosphere to what’s really a dry, administrative task.

“At any other track, scrutineering is in the pit lane.

It’s private, behind closed doors,” says three-time Le Mans champion Alan McNish. “It’s not in front of the town and passers-by. At Le Mans, it’s when the fans can get close to the cars, to the drivers, to the entire atmosphere. There’s no other sporting event in the world like that. It’s one of the little quirks that makes Le Mans special.”

More than anything else, scrutineering is responsible for turning the race into the iconic tourist attraction it is today. Over race week, 175,000 people descend on the town, flowing through its bars and restaurants, filling its coffers before vanishing again when the race ends. Part of this money is used to maintain the old town of Vieux Mans and, as a result, it’s a perfectly preserved slice

Check out Sport TV on ice for programmes such as The 24 Hour War, which looks at the rivalry between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari at Le Mans and The Tommy Byrne Story about one of the great Formula One drivers of the 1980s.

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Paul NewmaN vs steve mcQueeN

On the pit road at Daytona International Speedway

Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were the two biggest movie stars of the 1970s and they both had a passion for motorsports. McQueen was so enamoured by cars and bikes, he performed his own driving stunts in his movies and actually made a film about the race called Le Mans in 1971.

He was so naturally talented that Ferrari was forced to field Formula One world champion Mario Andretti at the Sebring 12 Hours in order to pip McQueen’s Porsche to the finish line. McQueen came second and that was despite driving with his foot in a cast after a motorcycle accident.

McQueen’s untimely death meant he never raced Newman, leading many to wonder who the best driver was. Dick Barbour – who drove with Newman and coached McQueen – is in no doubt.

“Paul was a very methodical driver,” he says. “He wasn’t a natural like Steve. McQueen picked it up immediately.”

of medieval history, its castle presiding over twisting lanes and a crush of medieval French houses. It’s an ideal balance. This most modern of sports helps pay for the preservation of the past, ensuring an influx of cultureminded visitors when the race is over.

Unfortunately, it was this popularity that put an end to the 54-year-old Newman’s Le Mans career. His team finished second behind the Porschebacked Kremer team, which was driving a heavily modified version of the Porsche 935. It was a good result but after the race Newman admitted he and Barbour “didn’t drive too well today”, forcing Stommelen to continually make up seconds whenever he got into the car. As the old Le Mans saying goes, “you don’t need good luck, just to avoid bad luck” and Stommelen couldn’t do it all day. A blown gasket toward the end of the race kept the car in the pit longer than they’d intended and it never really recovered. They limped into second place with a dying engine as Kremer sped away, finishing 59 miles ahead of Newman, Barbour and Stommelen.

In any other race, this near-miss might have been enough to prompt Newman to try again but the actor found everything about the experience exhausting. In US races he wasn’t treated like a movie star. He’d earned the respect of other drivers with his dedication to the sport and they helped keep the photographers, press and fans away. Le Mans was something else.

The world-famous actor at the world-famous race brought crowds from the world over and there was nobody to keep them at bay. Newman was swamped everywhere he went, popping bulbs and autograph hunters interrupting team meetings and training. “I’m getting a bit long in the tooth for this,” he would later tell The New York Times. “And my racing here places an unfortunate emphasis on the team. It takes it away from the people who really do the work.”

Describing himself as feeling like a piece of meat, he vowed never to contest Le Mans again and was true to his word, although he would carry on racing until he was 82, forming his own team and pumping millions into the sport he loved. | 40 |

SLEEP IS LIFE’S GREATEST PLEASURE.

SLEEP IS LIFE’S GREATEST PLEASURE.

All of

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the lights taiwan’s lanterns are far more than ancient decorative lamps. they’re a rich portal into the country’s history and culture Words and images by sarah freeman

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or 364 days of the year, life for Pingxi district’s 5,000 inhabitants in Taiwan’s northern hinterland is pretty uneventful.

But come the first full moon of the Chinese New Year, together with tens of thousands of visitors, they descend on the region’s tiny heritage villages of Shifen and Pingxi to paint the skies red as part of the country’s annual Sky Lantern Festival.

Pingxi’s high altitude, elevated humidity levels and sparse population, combined with 200 days of rainfall annually, yield a unique geology that certifies it as the only region in Taiwan where sky lanterns can be safely released en masse. But before these glowing balloons evolved into popular cultural and religious objects, they served a more strategic purpose.

The region’s isolated villages were frequently raided by bandits, forcing locals to retreat into the mountains, where they waited for fire balloons sent up by village watchmen to signal a safe return. Despite not being introduced to Taiwan until the 19th century, sky lanterns’ history dates to the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280AD), when Chinese statesman Zhuge Liang employed them to communicate great amounts of sensitive military data.

With the lanterns’ wartime function obsolete, they now carry the hopes of ordinary people across the sky – whether it’s blessings for a good harvest, students praying for straight grade As or some divine intervention to clinch that job promotion. And whilst Pingxi’s red skies honour the lanterns’ more traditional roots, the country’s major annual lantern festival (a strictly terra firma event) bridges the past with the present, with 2017 bringing every imaginable shape and size of lantern to a giant 50-hectare stage – the biggest in the festival’s 30-year history.

This year’s week-long sensory carnival had its homecoming in the agricultural county of Yunlin, where 2.5 million-strong crowds attended, drawing the curtain on the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Its giant, illuminated, electromechanical sculptures were the creative collaboration of professional lantern-makers as well as amateurs that included schoolchildren, shopkeepers, local community groups and even prisoners serving time.

Whether the art of lantern-making has a future in Taiwan’s ever-shifting modernisation remains to be seen. But if the 2,000-year-old history of these ancient lamps tells us anything, it’s that their many adaptations have stood the test of time, and in 2017 they continue to be as culturally relevant as ever.

Emirates flies daily to Taiwan with the Airbus A380.

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1. MASTER of MELodiES Shoe designer-turned-painter Zhuang Shou Quan has been decorating lanterns at Lukang’s EVJ Lantern Art Studio for the past decade. Inspired by the landscape on his doorstep, he likens the art form to making music, which “slows down the mind”. The skilled penman practises five different types of calligraphy, which he lovingly inscribes onto the cloth canvas, taking about an hour to complete each lantern.

2. fLowER PowER The inventor of Pingxi’s miniature lanterns, 88-year old Lin Huang started her business making these floral-patterned creations as a form of therapy when her husband died 35 years ago. Her story is an inspiring one. Born into a desperately poor family and fostered at the age of six, Lin Huang worked as a child slave before taking

on any job that would pay the bills, from raising hogs to coal mining. Huang’s hands never stop working – armed with a sewing machine and a pair of scissors, she clothed seven children, and the ever-resourceful lady continues to make all her mini-lanterns with fabric off-cuts donated by relatives.

3. A fAMiLy AffAiR Arguably the country’s most revered lantern-making family, the late Master Wu’s shoes are big ones to fill. But if anyone can honour his legacy and keep this traditional folk art alive, it’s his youngest son Yi-De Wu, who now heads the family business with the help of his two brothers. A talented painter and teacher in his own right, Wu has crafted bespoke lanterns for the Taiwanese government as well as Japan’s prime minister. His proudest moment is “never having to advertise Wu Tun-hou’s lantern shop since opening”.

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3 1. not JUSt Hot air These kerosene-drenched prayer papers are propelled by hot air to about 500 metres, where they dance across Yunlin’s treetops and hilly terrain.

It’s said that the higher the lantern floats, the more likely your wishes will come true. After around five to 10 minutes in the air, the lanterns fall to Earth, where they are collected by villagers or special hiking groups, incentivised by local authorities who offer cash or small gifts in reward for recycling the debris.

2. rigHt on track As well as being the cinematic setting for countless television adverts and the film Dust In The Wind by the Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien, Shifen Old Street doubles as a railway track.

Built in 1918 during Taiwan’s coal boom years and now operating as a tourist train, the 13km-long narrow gauge follows a scenic route through the Keelung river valley, lumbering through Shifen every 15 minutes and keeping lantern sellers on their toes.

3. LetterS to tHe godS Eager visitors use calligraphy brushes dipped in black ink to scribble their hopes and wishes on the US$4 plastic lanterns before releasing them into the sky to be blessed by divine forces.

More than just floating eye candy, each lantern colour symbolises a specific auspicious meaning, such as success, represented by green, yellow for wealth, red for health and orange for love.

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1. HoMe is WHere tHe art is Hosted in Yunlin for the first time in 28 years, 2017 marks the festival’s homecoming. The festival pays homage to the region’s unique natural ecology, folk culture and green technology with exhibitions themed around friendliness to the Earth, indigenous Yunlin and cultural diversity.

2. Poultry in Motion Zodiac signs from Chinese astrology are central to the narrative of Taiwan’s major lantern festivals with the rooster returning as

2017’s zodiac animal. Yunlin’s aptly named festival Ji Ming Yun Yang translates as the crowning of a rooster – said to represent the region’s hardworking residents, who get up as soon as the rooster crows to start a new day of work.

3. tHe Bizarre and tHe BeautiFul Beyond the visual theatrics, these surreal musical LED-powered lanterns, which are crafted into every imaginable icon – from superheroes to supersized dragonflies – play their own theme music for about three minutes.

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For a long time, Bri tish hi p hop meant london hi p hop.

But the rest oF the uK is now Fi ndi ng i ts voice, so we sent a wri ter to explore the scene i n newcastle. geordi e rappers? one man is very sceptical

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Gary Evans

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carolyn stritch

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his story star ts in a barbershop and ends in an opera house.

It’s called Bad Blood, this barbers. Skateboards and bumpers and hubcaps from old American cars hang on the wall. There are copies of Hustler stacked up on oil barrels, water sprays made from Jack Daniel’s bottles. It looks like an LA tattoo parlour or an outlaw biker bar but it plays rap music and it’s in Sunderland.

My turn in the chair.

I hear rappers rapping in all kinds of UK accents – Scouse, Yorkshire, Mancunian – and it takes me back, 10 years or more, to a gig in a record shop in Newcastle where I saw an MC rhyming in a Geordie accent. At that time, all my favourite northeastern bands sang in their own accents – my accent. I thought it was dishonest to sing any other way. But to my ear this Geordie rapper sounded wrong – like watching a Clint Eastwood film dubbed by Cheryl Tweedy.

I tell the barber about the gig, thinking this Geordie MC was a one-off, an anomaly. Are there more MCs from Newcastle, from Sunderland, from Middlesbrough, all rhyming the way they speak? The barber says there’s loads of them. The barber says he is one.

I meet the barber-rapper, Philip Lawrence, for coffee. He talks about hip hop in the nor theast. There aren’t many club nights or places to perform. The scene is fractured too. It’s tribal. MCs from the same city stick together and within that city, MCs from the same area stick together and within those areas, MCs from the same crew stick together. But apparently there’s loads of talent out there. We agree to meet at openmic night.

I’m not convinced. I call an exper t, Charlie Sloth. Sloth hosts rap shows on BBC Radio 1 and sister station 1Xtra. He invites the best MCs in to freestyle, a feature called Fire in the Booth. Sloth makes a point of finding rappers from outside the Greater London area. Why? He knows his rap history.

For a long time, hip hop existed only in New York. When it spread to the west coast of America, the south and

Left: Philth Like Right: an open mic hip hop night at Arch Sixteen cafe in Gateshead

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UK hip hop festival The Bridge at The Sage in Gateshead

everywhere in between, hip hop grew from a cottage industry to a lifestyle. It became a business. Sloth says that has to happen here. “It needs to not be a London scene but a UK scene.” I ask him about the problem of tribalism in the nor theast. He knows London MCs who’ve been involved in violent clashes but put aside differences for the sake of music and business. “Music is there to bring people together,” he says. If you’ve got the whole of Newcastle, Sunderland, the whole country suppor ting what’s going on up there, you’ve got a much better chance of resonating, of making a noise.

“I don’t know many people that don’t love the Geordie accent. It adds another element to the music. The voice of the unheard – that’s what hip hop’s all about. The next big rapper is not going to be from London.”

A full-size suit of armour stands in one corner, a child-sized suit by the bar. Long wooden benches sit tucked beneath long wooden tables. The sign above the door reads: ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.’ I arrive at ‘Sunderland’s first authentic German beerhouse’ for an open mic night called Das Hype.

It’s Sunday. It’s empty. A few people play covers on acoustic guitar. A bearded man sings songs in a weird bass-baritone. They all sound like that Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm song by the Crash Test Dummies. Finally, an MC performs. He plays ‘chip hop’ tunes and I can’t tell if he’s being ironic. I was expecting Eight Mile. This is Britain’s Got Talent. | 55 |

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Then Lawrence – aka Philth Like – gets up. He has stage presence. He references Shakespeare, the Iraq war. The big, round vowel sounds of his Sunderland accent afford him rhymes that wouldn’t work for other rappers. Philth Like is good – no doubt about that. But, for me, the accent is still jarring.

A rapper called Supagreen stands by the microphone in the vocal booth. He tries again and again to record a chorus – something about scanning the streets like paving slabs are barcodes. His breath control isn’t right. His throat dries up. His timing’s off. Record producer Christopher Lindon says, “The rapper’s got a cold.”

I visit Lindon Enter tainment, his record label and recording studio in Newcastle. He built the studio himself from scratch.

“We put the bar in first,” he says.

I sit down with Lindon, local rapper Supagreen and Sonny

The hip hop scene in the northeast is thriving and more than ready to move to a wider stage

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eard the voice of the unish all is what hip hop big about... the nexte from rapper will not b london Neal, who makes beats and works as one of the studio’s in-house sound engineers. The lads say the term Geordie rap separates Newcastle from the rest of the UK scene. “The whole ‘struggle and strife’ thing is outdated,” says Supagreen.

“But Geordie slang works in hip-hop. I don’t think anyone’s picked up on that. There’s a lot of ‘why aye, man’ – cliched Geordie-ism – but [some terms] just roll off the tongue. Your voice is your instrument. Work on your flow.”

Neal agrees. “People are saying, ‘I can make a musical product that has all the content and delivery of my favourite rappers and I don’t have to conform to Geordie rapper stereotypes,’ ” he says.

Supagreen gets back in the booth. He raps precisely now, powerfully, cold or no cold, records take after take without a slip-up, chews through long stretches of alliteration, twists his tongue, slows it down, speeds it up. His lyrics are full of slang and dialect. His punchlines are sharp,

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Kay Greyson is one of the most talented MCs in the region, despite rapping in an American accent

witty, nasty. They’re completely unprintable. Lindon, a former MC himself, looks around the room and says, “People like him are the reason I don’t rap anymore.” Supagreen steps out of the booth and apologises to the female photographer who’s been shooting the whole thing. “Sorry,” he says, “for the bad language.” Lindon laughs his high-pitched laugh. “He’s a polite rapper! I’ve signed a polite rapper.”

This name keeps coming up: Stig of the Dump. Stig performed on Fire in the Booth in 2010. I watch it on YouTube.

I watch it again. Some say he’s Newcastle’s best rapper, others that he’s overrated, a sellout. I call him. He sums up the northeast scene’s biggest problem. “Being so far from London, where the music industry’s based, there’s very little to go around so it’s crabs in a barrel.”

Stig has a unique perspective on nor theastern hip hop.

He is both on the inside and an outsider. He moved to Newcastle when he was 13 and then to London in his 20s.

He sees technology as the great leveller. “If you’re dope, you’re dope. Nobody cares about your accent. People think there’s some sor t of impenetrable southern bubble of rap music but that’s not actually the case. Ingenuity comes from a lack of oppor tunity. People are realising they can become self-sufficient. They can create things without needing outside suppor t and that’s bringing people together.”

Philth Like texts me about another open mic night in Gateshead. I hear these events, bringing together rival MCs from rival cities, can get a bit tense. Arch Sixteen is a late-night cafe set into the arch of railway bridge. A nor theast hip hop blog, Hash Rotten Hippo, hosts the event.

There’s no battling as I imagined. MCs take turns to do a couple of tunes. Some are better than others but everyone gets a good round of applause. Towards the end of the night two, three, four MCs are on stage at the same time. They’re rapping over Wu-Tang Clan instrumentals and J Dilla tunes.

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Left: H Man snarling Right: Philth Like performing at an open mic night in Sunderland

Philth Like performs (he and other MCs are still freestyling in the street when I leave). Lindon’s here. Stig too. If there’s any tension, it’s been put to one side tonight.

Halfway through the night, I notice my head nodding. I stop hearing the accent and star t hearing the voice, the words, the wordplay – the flow. But as far as I can see, ‘the scene’ is still just an MC in a dark room, MCing at lots of other MCs. Where’s the audience? Where are the female MCs? “Yeah, it’s a room full of sweaty men,” says MC Leddie. “They all have their little groups and it’s just me on the sideline.”

Leddie is the only female MC at Arch Sixteen. She’s been played on Radio 1 but struggled to get other nor theast acts to feature on her album, A Piece of Cake.

“Maybe they think, ‘Yeah but she’s a lass, I can’t work with her.’ I’m more of a technical MC than some of the popular male MCs so I don’t know if they feel threatened.” When Leddie first started MCing, she put on an American accent. It only lasted a couple of weeks as she realised that if she hid her accent, she was hiding her identity.

One critic described The Sage in Gateshead as England’s answer to the Sydney Opera House. It’s massive: three buildings covered by a shell made of steel and glass, all overlooking the Tyne Bridge, the River Tyne and Newcastle on the other side.

I visit The Sage for a UK hip hop festival, The Bridge: DJs perform, breakdancers breakdance, panels discuss the role of women in hip hop, the use of hateful lyrics and there are

workshops on writing, rhyming, breaking, scratching. The festival’s biggest stage is 500-capacity. There are women and children here. And most of the acts come from the nor theast.

There’s one MC I’m par ticularly keen to see: Newcastle’s Kay Greyson. Still only 19, she’s one of the nor theast’s most accomplished. Her writing’s tight and she looks comfor table onstage too – but she also raps in an American accent.

“There are a lot of people who overlook what I do,” she says, “completely disregard it because it’s perceived as me pretending. That’s not what I’m doing. I’m just making music.

It’s held me back though. A lot of people don’t want to be on songs with me or put me in a gig because of the way I sound.”

I admire Greyson’s defiance. But her exclusion says something impor tant about the state of nor theastern hip hop. This isn’t a scene that feels inferior to London or New York or anywhere else. It doesn’t need acceptance from anyone. Nor theast hip hop is nor theast hip hop: you’re either in or you’re out.

I never found the name of the Geordie MC from the gig in the record shop all those years ago. But I like to think he’s still at it. He’s cer tainly no anomaly. I could write this story five times over and interview a different group of MCs each time.

There is Just B, who raps hard and fast and means every word of it. H Man, who shouts, snarls on the mic, stamps, jumps, spins, goes red in the face, all the chords in his neck sticking out. There is 90BRO, a poet and a philosopher, a thinker who MCs with a big smile on his face, Reali-T and the rest of New Nor th East. There is Ken Masters – he’s been around for years and was introduced at Arch Sixteen as Sir Ken Masters. Then there is Rick Fury, Rex Regis, Smooth Jezza, Gilly Man Giro – the pool of talent is deep and getting deeper.

I visit Philth Like at his place. He asks me if I’m going to any more gigs. I tell him no because I’m almost finished writing the ar ticle. Then I realise what he means.

This story star ted in a barbershop but it doesn’t end in the opera house.

Emirates flies daily to Newcastle with the Boeing 777-300ER.

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Smile all the stay in Bodrum.

Welcome to the new LUX* Bodrum. What’s next?

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Essential news and information from Emirates All A380 For Madrid

Inside Emirates

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All Emirates’ flights to Spain are to be operated by the iconic A380 from September onwards.

In addition to the existing double daily A380 service to Barcelona, the airline will operate a double daily A380 service to Madrid, significantly boosting seat capacity from Dubai to Spain. This

change enables more A380 to A380 connections to and from key business and leisure destinations such as Australia, China, South Korea and southeast Asia with just one stop in Dubai.

Star ting September 1, flights EK143/144 will be operated in a threeclass configuration with 14 private suites

in First Class, 76 flatbed seats in Business and 399 comfor table seats in Economy.

Flight EK143 depar ts from Dubai International Airpor t at 14.30 and arrives in Madrid at 20.20. The outbound flight EK144 depar ts from Madrid at 22.05 and arrives in Dubai at 07.15 the following day.

be An interActive eMirAtes explorer The Emirates interactive amenity kit just got even better, with the Blippar app receiving an update and a brand new game available for download.

The stylish kits in Economy Class use augmented reality (AR) technology to unlock immersive content on mobile devices.The latest update comes with Emirates Destination Dash, a new game that turns you into an explorer by connecting routes across six continents.There are two ways to play. Go to emirates.com on your mobile to download the Blippar app and the game, or you can scan your amenity kit. When you play using your amenity kit, you’ll unlock a secret level and experience AR for yourself.You can also scan your amenity kit at the beach, at home or wherever you may be for an interactive game experience.

The kit bags come in six designs inspired by six regions in Emirates’ global network – Australasia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Far East.

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AR technology with the amenity kits, making it the world’s first interactive kit bag.

The Blippar app is also a visual browser, which enables customers to discover more about the world around them.

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EnhanCEd sErviCE to australia Emirates is to provide an all-A380 service from Melbourne when it upgrades its third daily flight from the Australian city next year.

The switch from a Boeing 777-300ER to an A380 operation will add 945 seats per week to the city from March 25, 2018, representing a 10 per cent increase in capacity. The move means more seamless A380-to-A380 connections via its hub in Dubai to 18 points in the UK and Europe.

The additional weekly seats on the route will support more business and leisure travel between Dubai and Melbourne and, together with Qantas’ new Melbourne route via Perth and the London B789 Dreamliner service beginning on March 24, 2018, will offer more options to London and Europe.

Emirates has also announced a third daily service to Brisbane starting December 1.The direct service will give passengers in the UK, France and North America greater access to Australia with just one stop in Dubai as part of Emirates’ global route network.

EmiratEs namEd BEst airlinE WorldWidE The accolades for Emirates continue and after winning big at April’s TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, it has now been named Best Airline Worldwide at the annual Business Traveller Middle East 2017 Awards.

At a ceremony attended by key travel industry executives, Emirates was also named Airline with the Best First Class, Airline with the Best First Class Lounge and Best Frequent Flyer Programme.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer,

said, “Our customers are at the heart of our brand. At every step of the customer’s journey, we thoroughly and regularly examine the product to achieve a high level of customer care. Providing a truly memorable experience is about continually innovating across our product and offering a personal touch and a warm welcome.

Moreover, our Skywards accolade solidifies the programme’s standing as an industry-leading loyalty programme that offers Emirates customers value through exceptional privileges and benefits.”

landmark dEal for EmiratEs skyCargo Emirates SkyCargo and Cargolux Airlines have signed a landmark partnership agreement.

The memorandum of understanding for a strategic operational partnership in air cargo transportation is the first of its kind in the air cargo industry between a mainline airline and a specialised freighter operator. The agreement was signed at the Air Cargo Europe event in Munich, Germany, before Francois Bausch, Luxembourg’s minister of sustainable development and infrastructure.

Under the agreement, Emirates SkyCargo and Cargolux will seek to work closely on a number of operational aspects, including aircraft capacity, block space and interline and hub connectivity and cargo handling.

Emirates SkyCargo will use Boeing 747F aircraft from Cargolux while both | 66 |

carriers will further develop block space and interline agreements for use on each other’s networks, granting access to capacity on routes where they do not currently operate. Emirates SkyCargo will also commence freighter operations to Luxembourg from June while Cargolux will increase the frequency of freighters to Dubai World Central from its current three times a week service to facilitate connectivity between the two cargo hubs.

HOTEL PARTNER

OFFICIAL EVENT PARTNERS

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I n s I d e

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when horses fly Emirates SkyCargo recently transported some very special passengers to compete in the Longines Global Champions Tour. This is the story of how some of the world’s most prized horses took to the skies WORDs: Matt MOstyn

the Longines Global Champions tour is one of the world’s most prestigious annual show jumping events and is hosted in venues around the world. this year emirates skyCargo, the freight division of emirates airline, played a vital role in its success, transporting some of the world’s best horses across three continents for the first three legs of the tour.

Emirates SkyCargo is the largest international airline cargo operator in the world, operating a modern fleet of 259 widebodied aircraft, including 15 freighters, 13 Boeing 777Fs and two B747-400ERFs. The operator is no stranger to transporting premium horses, as Hiran Perera, Emirates Senior Vice President, Cargo Planning and Freighters, explains. “Every year we move hundreds of horses for premier racing and equestrian events across the world and we offer safe and comfortable travel to thoroughbreds, show jumping and dressage horses alike. Just a few months ago, we flew some of the world’s best racing horses to Dubai for one of the world’s premium horse racing events, the Dubai World Cup, transporting this year’s winner Arrogate – currently the world’s highest-rated racing horse. For the more recent Longines Global Champions Tour, we flew close to 100 show jumping horses for

each tournament – each weighing around 600 to 650kgs – as well as 30 tonnes of horse equipment, technical equipment and show equipment per flight. This also included around 10 grooms on every flight who formed part of a team of expert personnel that ensured the proper handling and welfare of the horses.”

The logistics of the Longines Global Champions Tour were particularly complex. During the course of April’s premium event, nearly 100 horses were transported from their base of Liege in Belgium to compete in the first three legs of the tour held consecutively in three different countries. The carrier operated a total of 10 flights, working closely with Peden Bloodstock, a specialist in horse transportation, and within the space of just one month, the horses travelled first to Mexico City on a 12-hour flight in SkyCargo Boeing 777F freighters, then on a shorter threehour hop across to Miami before being brought back to Liege and then on to Shanghai.

For these high-flying horses, the journey with Emirates might not be quite as luxurious as it is for human passengers but they are exceptionally well looked after. During boarding they’re loaded in custom-designed horse stalls in the aircraft’s cargo hold, where the temperature is set to ensure maximum comfort and minimum

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stress. And just as with human flights, each equine passenger travels with a passport, has an allocated baggage allowance and even gets the option to upgrade to First Class, where they are given their very own horse stall rather than flying in groups of two or three.

On board, they travel with everything they need for a comfortable trip, from bedding to tack bags – and they are also allowed a small overnight bag containing a spare head collar and rug in case it gets chilly. Inflight meals and drinks include hay and water – although some horses prefer apple juice – and most travel with protective leg gear, something similar to flight socks.

Specially trained staff, known as flying grooms, travel with them and keep a close eye on their welfare, comfort and safety, with regular access to the main deck of the freight area where the horses are stowed. Given the importance of horse transportation to Emirates SkyCargo, the carrier worked closely with Boeing during the development phase of the 777F to decide an optimal seat configuration for grooms to travel with horses. Some of Emirates SkyCargo’s 777F aircraft can accommodate up to 11 grooms per flight.

“Many of the premium horses we transport are frequent flyers and well used to the experience,” says Perera. “Emirates SkyCargo combines state-of-the-art facilities – a modern fleet of wide-bodied aircraft and custom-designed horse stalls in controlled temperature

zones – with exceptional logistical arrangements on the ground, including a dedicated horse ramp for boarding horses at Dubai World Central (DWC).” While horses normally have to board along temporary ramps leading from their vehicles to the horse stalls, DWC is one of the few airports in the world to have a permanent, more stable, structure located close to the aircraft parking stands, which increases the horse’s comfort and minimises any chance of injury.

“The result is a calm and comfortable environment that ensures the wellbeing of these champion horses while complying to all international norms for the transport of live animals, including IATA [International Air Transport Association] live animals regulations,” says Perera. “As take-off and landing are when animals are most vulnerable because of cabin pressurisation and depressurisation, thoroughbreds are normally flown on direct charter flights to minimise the number of stops. They normally arrive a few days in advance of the event so they get a chance to do a few prep runs.”

There’s no doubt that travelling with Emirates SkyCargo offers horses a safe, comfortable environment, with the process of getting them from stable to airport becoming ever more refined. As for inflight entertainment options, however, it’s rumoured some of the equine passengers’ favourite onboard movies include The Horse Whisperer, Seabiscuit and National Velvet – although they reportedly continue to struggle somewhat with opening those bags of onboard snacks.

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D e s t i n a t i o n

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D E S T I N A T I O N

PHNOM PENH Emirates begins flights to Phnom Penh, via Yangon, Myanmar, from July 1.

Enjoy our guide to the resurgent Cambodian capital For the uninitiated, Cambodia’s capital can be overwhelming. Its bustling and at times chaotic streets are lined with French colonialera architecture, temples, new high-rises and a dizzying number of shops, while the constant sounds of commerce and motorbikes can initially prove disorientating.

Although almost every guidebook will list sites associated with a darker past, the city is becoming increasingly known for its cafe culture, boutique bars and world-class restaurants. It’s a strange and disquieting mix, but in many ways Phnom Penh is the Asia that many travellers dream of – royal palaces, the flowing robes of Buddhist monks, the power and grace of the mighty Mekong river.

Numerous boutique-style hotels, of which many are set into the grounds of old French colonial compounds, have sprung up, providing an oasis of calm after a day of sightseeing, while an increasing number of world-class chefs have settled in the city as it undergoes a development boom.

Restaurants such as Malis and Chinese House have made the most of their environment and while it is possible to do top-end dining, you can also eat very cheaply at numerous local Chinese and Khmer restaurants and at the local western-style bars that populate almost every street corner of this lively and entertaining city.

EAT

STAY

DO

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS’ CLUB As far as nightlife goes, every visit to Phnom Penh must start with a drink and a bite to eat at the venerable Foreign Correspondents’ Club. Having sundowners overlooking the point where the Tonlé Sap river intersects the Mekong with Sisowath Quay below is a must-do for every visitor. fcccambodia.com

RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL Restored to reflect a distinguished blend of Khmer, Art Deco and French Colonial architecture, the Raffles Hotel Le Royal has welcomed guests such as Jackie Onassis and Catherine Deneuve since it first opened in 1929.

Conspicuously luxurious, it has style written all over it and is one of the best addresses in town. raffles.com

TUOL SLENG MUSEUM Remembering Cambodia’s modern history means that no visit would be complete without visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (also known as the Killing Fields). Tuol Sleng is in the heart of Phnom Penh and was a school before the Khmer Rouge turned it into a prison and torture centre.

MALIS The granddaddy of Khmer restaurants in the Cambodian capital, you’ll have to book ahead if you want to enjoy dinner in Malis’ wonderful outdoor setting. Opened in 2004 out of the desire to restore Cambodian cuisine to its former glory, it is renowned for its fresh seasonal produce and delicate flavours. malis-restaurant.com

THE PLANTATION A hop, skip and jump from both the Royal Palace and the National Museum, the Plantation is spread across three renovated historic buildings and set within half a hectare of lush tropical gardens and pools.

Carefully designed around a 1930s French administrative villa, it has arguably the best pool in Phnom Penh. theplantation.asia

ROYAL PALACE Dating back to 1866, the Royal Palace, with its Khmer roofs and ornate gilding, unsurprisingly dominates the skyline of Phnom Penh. The official residence of King Sihamoni has some parts of the palace compound that are closed to the public but be sure to visit the Chan Chaya Pavilion and the Silver Pagoda, covered in 5,000 silver tiles.

ROMDENG Set in an atmospheric colonial villa, Romdeng specialises in Cambodian country fare and is a training restaurant for former street kids. Try the famous baked fish amok in banana leaf, fried tarantulas or stir-fried red tree ants if you have the stomach for them. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. romdeng-restaurant.org

THE PAVILION Originally opened in 2006 with just 10 rooms, the Pavilion helped kick-start Phnom Penh’s obsession with boutique hotels. Housed in a colonial building that dates from the 1920s, including Queen Kossamak’s former residence, it is located just 100 metres from the Royal Palace. maads.asia/pavilion

PSAR THMEI There are some great markets in Phnom Penh, with the favourite being the Art Deco Psar Thmei (New Market, commonly known as Central Market). Constructed in 1937 in the shape of a dome with four arms branching out into vast hallways, the stalls here will keep you occupied for hours.

EK388 departs Dubai daily at 09.15 and will arrive in Yangon at 17.25. It will depart Yangon at 18.55 before arriving at Phnom Penh at 21.25.

The return flight EK389 departs Phnom Penh at 23.10 and will arrive in Yangon at 00.40. It will then set off to Dubai at 02.10, arriving at 05.40.

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C O M F O R T

COMFORT IN THE AIR To help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips.

Regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you enjoy your journey and time onboard with Emirates today.

SMART TRAVELLER

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER Rehydrate with water or juices frequently. Drink tea and coffee in moderation.

TRAVEL LIGHTLY

WEAR GLASSES

USE SKIN MOISTURISER

KEEP MOVING

Carry only the essential items that you will need during your flight.

Cabin air is drier than normal, therefore swap your contact lenses for glasses.

Apply a good quality moisturiser to ensure your skin doesn’t dry out.

Exercise your lower legs and calf muscles.

This encourages blood flow.

BEFORE YOUR JOURNEY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or if you suffer from a respiratory or cardiovascular condition.

Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications?

Get a good night’s rest before the flight.

Eat lightly and sensibly.

AT THE AIRPORT

MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE Loosen clothing, remove jacket and avoid anything pressing against your body.

DURING THE FLIGHT

Allow yourself plenty of time for check-in.

Avoid carrying heavy bags through the airport and onto the flight as this can place the body under considerable stress.

Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.

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Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent.

Babies and young passengers may suffer more acutely with popping ears, therefore consider providing a dummy.

Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently.

Avoid sleeping for long periods in the same position.

SHARPS BOXES Sharps boxes are available onboard all Emirates flights for safe disposal of medical equipment. Please ask a member of your cabin crew for more information.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE Try some light exercise or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.

AMERICAN HOSPITAL DUBAI DERMATOLOGY CLINIC

LET YOUR SKIN BE YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT

Our Dermatology Department has added proactive services that include complete cancer treatment procedures through Mohs Micrographic Surgery and high quality skin rejuvenation and tightening solutions with Forever Young Broadband Light.

As one of the strongest in the country, American Hospital Dubai’s dermatology department provides the best in medical and aesthetic dermatology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Adult and Children Skin, Hair and Nail Diseases Botulinum Toxin and Fillers injections PRP and Mesotherapy Laser Therapy Radio Frequency (for skin tightening) Allergy Patch Testing Mole Mapping

To book an appointment, please call +971 4 377 5500 or visit www.ahdubai.com

American Hospital Dubai accepts most major health insurance plans, please call (+971) 800 - 5500

MOHAP - BW19195 - 28/10/2017

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Guide to us customs & immiGration Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs form will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle-free as possible.

CUSToMS DECLARATIoN FoRM All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs Declaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only. The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.

ElEctronic SyStEm for travEl authoriSation (ESta) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, you must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure.

ESta factS: Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending.

A successful ESTA application is valid for two years. However, this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport. apply onlinE at www.cbp.gov/ESta nationalitiES EligiblE for thE viSa waivEr*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom** * SubjEct to changE ** only britiSh citizEnS qualify undEr thE viSa waivEr program. | 76 |

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Cut the queue at JFK with quiCK ConneCt If you’re connecting through New York JFK, you can avoid long waiting times in US immigration and queues for connecting flights with the Quick Connect service. The US Customs and Border Protection agency created the special service for passengers who have a connecting flight within three hours of arrival at New York JFK.

Follow TheSe STePS:

1

2

3

4

have your boarding card or ticket for your connecting flight ready for the ground staff as you exit.

You’ll be given a Quick Connect card. Continue to the Quick Connect queue in the Arrivals hall.

After passport clearance, claim your baggage and clear US customs, regardless of your final destination.

If your bag is tagged to your final destination, hand it to emirates staff at the transfer counter for your onward flight.

quarantine in australia Australia has strict biosecurity laws, so when you arrive you’ll need to declare certain food, plant or animal items on your Incoming Passenger Card.

You also need to declare equipment or shoes used in rivers and lakes or with soil attached. All aircraft food must be left onboard. Please take particular care when you complete your Incoming Passenger Card – it's a legal document and false declarations may result in a penalty.

quarantine in Japan Japan has strict rules around exposure to livestock and bringing in livestock items.

You will need to go to the Animal Quarantine Counter if: • you have recently been to a livestock farm • are bringing livestock products into Japan • your visit to Japan will involve contact with livestock The counter is in the baggage claim area. If you’re bringing meat and livestock products into Japan without an import certificate, you must see the animal quarantine officer. | 78 |

CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL LEGAL SERVICES LITIGATION, ARBITRATION & ADR BUSINESS SETUP & COMPANY REGISTRATION OFFSHORE & FREE ZONE COMPANY FORMATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & E-COMMERCE LAWS BANKING, INSURANCE & MARITIME LAWS REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION LAWS MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE DRAFTING & CONTRACT REVIEWS LEGAL TRANSLATION DEBT COLLECTION TRADEMARK & PATENT REGISTRATION PROTECTION & ENFORCEMENT

DUBAI

EMIRATES TOWERS 14th Floor, Sheikh Zayed Road P.O. Box: 9055, Dubai-UAE T+971 4 330 43 43 F +971 4 330 39 39

ABU DHABI

JABEL ALI

SHARJAH

INTERNET CITY

TEL: +971 2 639 44 46 auh@emiratesadvocates.com TEL: +971 6 572 86 66 shj@emiratesadvocates.com

TEL: +971 4 887 16 79 jafz@emiratesadvocates.com TEL: +971 4 390 08 20 dic@emiratesadvocates.com

RAS AL KHAIMAH

TEL: +971 7 204 67 19 rak@emiratesadvocates.com

UAE | SAUDI ARABIA | QATAR | BAHRAIN | KUWAIT | OMAN

U A E

S M A R T

G A T E

BE SMART! USE UAE SMART GATE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NATIONALITIES THAT CAN USE UAE SMART GATES

UAE

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Belgium

Brunei

Canada

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Oman

Portugal

Qatar

San Marino

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

*UK

USA

GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN SECONDS AND GET YOUR VISIT TO DUBAI OFF TO A FLYING START Citizens of the countries listed on the right and UAE residents can speed through Dubai International by using UAE Smart Gate.

If you hold a machine-readable passport, an E-Gate card or Emirates ID card you can check in and out of the airport within seconds.

Just look out for signs that will direct you to the many UAE Smart Gates found on either side of the Immigration Hall at Dubai International Airport.

USING UAE SMART GATE IS EASY

1

Have your machine-readable passport, E-Gate card or Emirates ID card ready to be scanned

2

Place your passport photo page on the scanner. If you are a UAE resident, place your E-Gate card or Emirates ID card into the card slot

OK!

3

Go through the open gate, stand in the blue footprint guide on the floor, face the camera straight-on and stand still for your iris scan.

When finished, the next set of gates will open and you can continue to baggage claim

REGISTERING FOR UAE SMART GATE IS EASY To register, just follow the above process and then spend a few moments having your details validated by an immigration officer. That’s it! Every time you fly to Dubai in future, you will be out of the airport and on your way just minutes after you landed.

IF YOU’RE A UAE RESIDENT Remember to bring your Emirates ID card next time you’re travelling through DXB – you’ll be able to speed through passport control in a matter of seconds, without paying and without registering. Valid at all Smart Gates, located in Arrivals and Departures across all three terminals at DXB. | 80 |

*UK citizens only (UK overseas citizens still require a visa)

UAE SMART GATE CAN BE USED BY:

• Machine-readable passports from the above countries • E-Gate cards • Emirates ID cards

R O U T E

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M A P

R O U T E

M A P

NEW ROUTE: Zagreb: daily service starts June 1 Phnom Penh: daily service via Yangon starts July 1

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R O U T E

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M A P

R O U T E

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M A P

MOH WP58511-30.08.17

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The package includes: • Two consultations with a cardiac specialist • Range of laboratory tests including full blood count, creatinine, ALT, HBA1C, lipid profile, glucose fasting and BNP • Electrocardiogram (ECG) • Cardiac CT scan Package available at: DUBAI Mediclinic City Hospital: +971 4 435 9999 Mediclinic Dubai Mall: +971 4 449 5111 ABU DHABI Mediclinic Al Noor Hospital: 800 26422 (within UAE) Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital: 800 26422 (within UAE) AL AIN Mediclinic Al Ain Hospital: 800 26422 (within UAE)

For more information, please visit www.mediclinic.ae Offer valid until 31 August 2017

EXPERTISE YOU CAN TRUST. A MEDICLINIC INTERNATIONAL COMPANY.

F L E E T

EMIRATES FLEET

Our fleet of 261 aircraft includes 246 passenger aircraft and 15 SkyCargo aircraft

AIRBUS A380-800 2500+ 17% All Emirates A380 aircraft are fitted with Wi-Fi, Mobile Phone and Data Roaming services. A total of 16 (17%) of the A380s are now equipped with Live Television, with more coming soon.

95 in fleet. Up to 489-615 passengers. Range of 15,000km. L 72.7m x W 79.8m

BOEING 777-300ER up to

2500+ 77% 103 (77%) of Emirates Boeing 777-300ERs are equipped with Live Television, Wi-Fi, Mobile Phone and Data Roaming services, with more coming soon.

133 in fleet. Up to 354-442 passengers. Range of 14,594km. L 73.9m x W 64.8m

BOEING 777-200LR 2500+

10 in fleet. Up to 266 passengers. Range of 17,446km. L 63.7m x W 64.8m

EMIRATES SKYCARGO

BOEING 777F

The most environmentally friendly freighter operated today, with the lowest fuel burn of any comparably-sized cargo aircraft. Along with its wide main-deck cargo door which can accommodate oversized consignments, it is also capable of carrying up to 103 tonnes of cargo non-stop on 10-hour sector lengths.

13 in fleet. Range of 9,260km. L 63.7m x W 64.8m

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F L E E T

CONNECTIVITY AND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES AVAILABLE

# Live Television

Wi-Fi

Mobile Phone GSM

Data Roaming GPRS

Channels of in-flight entertainment

BOEING 777-300 1500+

7 in fleet. Up to 364 passengers. Range of 11,029km. L 73.9m x W 60.9m

AIRBUS A319 550+

1 in fleet. Up to 19 passengers. Range of 7,000km. L 33.84m x W 34.1m

The Emirates Executive Private Jet takes our exceptional service to the highest level to fly you personally around the world. Fly up to 19 guests in the utmost comfort of our customised A319 aircraft with the flexibility of private jet travel. Further information at emirates-executive.com

EMIRATES SKYCARGO

BOEING 747 ERF

This aircraft is capable of carrying up to 117 tonnes. The deck-side cargo door, with a height of approximately three metres, allows the uplift of oversized shipments that cannot be accommodated in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft. The nose door allows the carriage of long pieces.

2 in fleet. Range of 9,204km. L 70.6m x W 64.4m For more information: emirates.com/ourfleet

Aircraft numbers accurate at the time of going to press

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s t r e e t

k n o w l e d g e

the Guide

Who better to show you around the English capital city than Londoner, Hollywood superstar and former vampire Robert Pattinson

When i’m bAck home i love it here The Groucho Club is a pretty great place. It’s relaxed and you’re always going to get privacy in there – it’s a London institution and it’s not difficult to see why. for A night out We’ve got the best pub scene in the world – Soho has great

nightlife – but if you want to get a little out of central, Putney has some great pubs and places to eat. this is hoW you recover the next dAy Start with a strong coffee at Bar Italia – a London institution – grab a burger at Five Guys and then take a walk around Green Park to clear your head. if you’re still hungry The steak at The French House pub is fantastic. I used to eat there all the time. you hAve to get to A gig in toWn London has world-famous venues like Ronnie Scott’s but

it’s also worth checking out smaller pubs and academies – a lot of big artists started that way here. If you’re in Brixton, Clapham or Putney, you could be watching the next big thing. london’s greAt for fAmilies We’re so fortunate to have some of the best museums in the world – and even more fortunate that there is usually no fee to get in. If you have time, you could easily spend a whole day walking around either the Science or Natural History museum.

Avoid oxford street And shop here Go and check out the vintage

record shops in Soho, browse stalls in Camden Market – those are some places with real soul. this museum is AmAzing The London Library in St James’ Square is just so majestic. You can find books that are hundreds of years old written in all languages. finAlly, the best Advice i cAn give you Forget public transport and walk. London has the most wonderful sounds, smells, architecture and people; don’t waste the most incredible city in the world stuck underground or in a cab.

Emirates operates nine daily flights to London. Choose from six daily services to London Heathrow and three daily services to London Gatwick.

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Words: EMMA CoILEr; ILLustrAtIon: rouI frAnCIsCo

An ideAl dAy in london?

I would walk around Soho, drink coffee, eat and check out the shops. It’s a magical place and while having such a high volume of tourists, it also manages to retain its fabulous community spirit.

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