INTERNATIONAL

On Tour with the German Ambassador
in the "Golden" Land of the Sheikhs

Who hasn`t once dreamed of having perhaps an invitation to the palace of a sheikh, or to be invited by a Multi-Multi-Millionaire and be picked up in a Rolls Royce or to be at the world-famous Dubai World Cup Horse Race in the loggia of the ruling Royal Family with luxurious Dom Perignon Champagne and a golden spoon, to enjoy the pure pleasue of small black caviar eggs, that melt on your tongue . Thanks to Conrad Cappell, the former General Consul in the Sheikhdom Dubai and current German Ambassador to the Sultan of Brunei and Lady Lilo Cappell, UNESCO Attaché, it was possible. For the Chief Editor of VIPnews, Folkert Klaassen doors opened at the Dubai World Cup to the Royal Maktoum Loggia, the round-the-clock guarded chambers of the newly built Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, and the residence of an arabic Multi, "who is like a real sheikh". Last but not least, the German Journalist Klaassen and his wife had the honor of taking places at the neighboring table of the Crown Prince Sheikh Maktoum during the "Arabic Night" in the desert. Oh well, although it is only seldom allowed to take photos (understandably for example, not when the Ruler and his subjects take their places on the floor of the big beduin tent at a finely set table): The unique impressions are saved as experience and can at least be fleetingly mentioned to our readers. So for example, the meeting of the diplomat couple and the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, whose son Rashid (what is usually unthinkable for a member of the Royal Family) took a rememberance photo for the Cappells, the invitation of the arabic Multi-Multi-Millionaire Mostafa Abdul Lafit in his private palace (and this on a "holy friday"), or the reception in the newest "World Wonder", the Emirates Hotel Palace of his Royal Highness Zaeed in the capital, Abu Dhabi. Of course - to be rich is no disgrace - in Dubai. Quite the opposite. There, rich people gain admiration and the economy is on the upswing - in contrary to the bad economic conditions in Germany. The wave of tourists seems not to flatten, despite overdimensional building projects like Palm Island and hundreds of construction site silouettes along the coast before the gates of Dubai. The annoyance caused by the building work and hundreds of approaching and departing construction trucks is really, for the vacationers long since unbearable. Ambassador Conrad Cappell, Elke Klaassen, General Manager Willy Optekamp, Folkert Klaassen Obviously the vacationers console themselves with the thought that in about 2 years perhaps everything could be finished here. As management of the Jumeirah Beach Hotels revealed, increasing numbers of vacationers are now avoiding the (originally fine and peaceful) Ritz-Carlton, located in the previously unaffected Jumeirah Grand Hotel because of the nearby construction. To be on tour with the Ambassador couple Cappell, who during their 4 years in the Emirates were able to assemble countless contacts, is a true rarity. Everywhere - even from the generally reserved, finely distinguished Very Importand Locals - is one greeted warmheartedly and welcomed. One feels certainly "high carat" together at a long dinner table at the Royal Meridien Hotel, where the hospitable arabic noble man Mustafa Abdul Lafit invited leaders of international concerns and diplomats. The priviledged few included, the Consul General of Kenya Prem D. Prinja and his wife, Brian Labelle, Vicepresident of Emirates Skywards (Australia), Mohammed Al Ahmed, Manager of Oilfields Supply Center LTD, Cindi Betzina Lufti, GM Sahtain-Gourmet-Food, Jane Arden, Interior Designer, Sabine & Mazen Khourdaji, Managing Director Granini/Tschibo and Jane Jaggers-Bacher (Hilton-Group). Actress Uschi Glas with her new partner, Publicist and Gala-Singer Folkert Klaassen, Designer Elke Klaassen, Ambassador Conrad Cappell, UNESCO Attaché Lady Lilo Cappell, Lady Mona Mustafa Abdullatif, "Sheikh Nooruddin" Mustafa BIN Abdul Lafit The management of many top hotels in Dubai is solid in german hands, for instance the "Jumeirah Beach Hotel", "Emirates Tower" and now also the largest hotel-palace in the world, Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. It is not yet time to speak of the fact that the General Manager Willy R. Optekamp can take up "residence", in the truest meaning of the word, in this splendid, pure gold leaf refined palace. For that, there are still too many important details for the function of this enormous Hotel Palace Complex of 1 million squaremeters with a 1.3 km long beachfront, 10 fine restaurants and 28 special kitchens, that need to be personally dealt with as well as fullfilling the special wishes of the high-class guests and arabic Ruling Families. Perhaps here is an amusing tip to those wishing to visit the palace grounds: Visitor groups, that go on exploration tours through the palace terrain, could eventually manage the sightseeing tour faster with the availability of roller skates, previously dipped in gold. GM Optekamp has to give a lot of effort to control the storm of television networks and other media from around the world, that would like to report on the architectual wonder, Emirates Palace. Tel. 00971- 2 690 9000, Fax 00971-2 690 9999 www.emiratespalace.com The Crown Prince with his followers before the world press and the embassy television channels, right top VIPnews Chief Editor, Folkert Klaassen UNESCO Attaché Lilo Cappell, Sheikh Mohammed, Conrad Cappell Brunei is the 191st country in the world to join into UNESCO. As we were just informed out of Brunei, the trigger for the Sultanate admission, in which Conrad Cappell is the German Ambassador: The far-reaching activities of UNESCO Attaché Lilo Cappell for CHILDREN IN NEED, a full page publication about it in the "Borneo Bulletin", as well as intensive conversation between the Ambassador`s wife and the sister of the Sultan, Her Highness Princess Masna.

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ZURÜCK

2002 Veröffentlichung unter Quellenangabe gegen Beleg.