I was a little disappointed that I couldn't catch MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL at the opening ceremony of Dubai Film Fest. Being filmed in Dubai, the film had caused such a sensation that all the bigwigs and important people and probably even members of the royal family had reserved their places for its world premiere (and catch a glimpse of Tom Cruise).
Wanting to be like Tom, I decided to visit the Burj Khalifa. It wasn't open to public the first two times I went to Dubai (2008, 2010).
The entrance to its observation deck was in the gargantuan Dubai Mall itself. Where a nice mini Burj greeted all of us.
![Miniature Burj Khalifa at the entrance](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6538579343_b9f0d11f4d.jpg)
We were also kindly reminded that MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL was shot there.
![Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol was shot in Burj Khalifa](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6538579555_1ac44421bf.jpg)
I made my way towards the elevator. Walking past this really cool video installation/ moving pictures sort of thing on the wall.
![Cool moving picture on the wall](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6538579943_a9b40ef9ef.jpg)
![Cool video installation-type thing](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6538580589_8f651597b2.jpg)
![Cool video installation-type thing 2](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6538581523_af7e7c0cc2.jpg)
There was dramatic music playing with introduction videos of the Burj Khalifa.
Very lofty and grand.
FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY!!
![FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY!](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6538581859_ce0819d431.jpg)
I looked up the sky, through a glass ceiling, and saw the Burj. Which felt even grander because of the grand music playing in the background.
![Seeing the majestic Burj Khalifa from below](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6538582129_a2a61ed4d5.jpg)
FROM VISION TO REALITY!!!
![FROM VISION TO REALITY!](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6538582561_1267501e4c.jpg)
I felt that exclamation marks should have been added behind these words for more impact.
So, I finally reached the elevator.
![Waiting for the elevator](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6538583287_b7efbbf00f.jpg)
Got into the elevator.
(and took a photo of me in the elevator)
![Me, in the elevator](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6538583669_8a224a86c3.jpg)
And reached the observation deck on the 124th floor. (note: The observation deck isn't at the top of the building, sadly) The observation deck is called AT THE TOP, by the way.
![AT THE TOP Observation Deck](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6538584449_d28cd47549.jpg)
The view from the top was pretty nice. I almost wanted to look at the world with contempt, being so high up in the sky.
![View of Dubai from the top](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6538584959_5c980f08de.jpg)
![The observation deck is pretty cool-looking](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7034/6538585835_35d88fa3d7.jpg)
![View from the top is pretty nice](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6538586543_e5db5dd7d8.jpg)
Seeing how some people liked sitting by the glass for photos...
![Girls posing with the nice scenery](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6538587113_1044ae9004.jpg)
I did the same.
![Yay, I'm on top of Dubai](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6538588705_52ffb11849.jpg)
The telescope didn't look like any telescopes I've seen before.
![Telescope](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6538587295_88297e021f.jpg)
In the observation deck, there's a shop selling memorabilia.
![Lego Burj Khalifa being sold](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6538587831_a1b1868aa8.jpg)
![Miniature Burj Khalifas sold at the shop](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6538588195_3d21520b69.jpg)
I wondered then, that if the observation deck is the world's highest deck, is this shop the world's highest shop?
As I walked around, something caught my eye. I noticed that I could see the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, cast over the city of Dubai.
I reached out my hand, touching its shadow.
![Touching the shadow of Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6494791755_291766615d.jpg)
Wanting to be like Tom, I decided to visit the Burj Khalifa. It wasn't open to public the first two times I went to Dubai (2008, 2010).
The entrance to its observation deck was in the gargantuan Dubai Mall itself. Where a nice mini Burj greeted all of us.
![Miniature Burj Khalifa at the entrance](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6538579343_b9f0d11f4d.jpg)
We were also kindly reminded that MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL was shot there.
![Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol was shot in Burj Khalifa](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6538579555_1ac44421bf.jpg)
I made my way towards the elevator. Walking past this really cool video installation/ moving pictures sort of thing on the wall.
![Cool moving picture on the wall](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6538579943_a9b40ef9ef.jpg)
![Cool video installation-type thing](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6538580589_8f651597b2.jpg)
![Cool video installation-type thing 2](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6538581523_af7e7c0cc2.jpg)
There was dramatic music playing with introduction videos of the Burj Khalifa.
Very lofty and grand.
FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY!!
![FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY!](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6538581859_ce0819d431.jpg)
I looked up the sky, through a glass ceiling, and saw the Burj. Which felt even grander because of the grand music playing in the background.
![Seeing the majestic Burj Khalifa from below](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6538582129_a2a61ed4d5.jpg)
FROM VISION TO REALITY!!!
![FROM VISION TO REALITY!](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6538582561_1267501e4c.jpg)
I felt that exclamation marks should have been added behind these words for more impact.
So, I finally reached the elevator.
![Waiting for the elevator](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6538583287_b7efbbf00f.jpg)
Got into the elevator.
(and took a photo of me in the elevator)
![Me, in the elevator](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6538583669_8a224a86c3.jpg)
And reached the observation deck on the 124th floor. (note: The observation deck isn't at the top of the building, sadly) The observation deck is called AT THE TOP, by the way.
![AT THE TOP Observation Deck](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6538584449_d28cd47549.jpg)
The view from the top was pretty nice. I almost wanted to look at the world with contempt, being so high up in the sky.
![View of Dubai from the top](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6538584959_5c980f08de.jpg)
![The observation deck is pretty cool-looking](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7034/6538585835_35d88fa3d7.jpg)
![View from the top is pretty nice](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6538586543_e5db5dd7d8.jpg)
Seeing how some people liked sitting by the glass for photos...
![Girls posing with the nice scenery](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6538587113_1044ae9004.jpg)
I did the same.
![Yay, I'm on top of Dubai](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6538588705_52ffb11849.jpg)
The telescope didn't look like any telescopes I've seen before.
![Telescope](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6538587295_88297e021f.jpg)
In the observation deck, there's a shop selling memorabilia.
![Lego Burj Khalifa being sold](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6538587831_a1b1868aa8.jpg)
![Miniature Burj Khalifas sold at the shop](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6538588195_3d21520b69.jpg)
I wondered then, that if the observation deck is the world's highest deck, is this shop the world's highest shop?
As I walked around, something caught my eye. I noticed that I could see the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, cast over the city of Dubai.
I reached out my hand, touching its shadow.
![Touching the shadow of Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6494791755_291766615d.jpg)