High tea atop the Burj Khalifa. Reservations required, no jeans, elevator escorts, all of it. We would be dining on floor 122 for the view and the food at At.Mosphere. Not for those who are afraid of heights or $300+ lunches.

It was superb. The views from 122 are beyond expansive. You can literally see the city limit, the edge of the desert and then for miles beyond that. I can see new buildings, cranes, and the homes that make up the older sections of Dubai. They look like raised thumb prints in the sand compared to the monstrosities being built a few miles away.

You can also get more bang for your buck by getting drunker faster at such an altitude. The champagne hit like a fright train for some reason. But I guess if you are gonna be there, may as well go all the way.

Tea was exceptional, several courses punctuated by champagne. Tea selections from the world over or champagne. Finger sammiches and champagne. So basically, the champagne was really good.

But look! Look at the view! Not bad post sandstorm.

The afternoon spent here is an afternoon well spent. It is truly something best told in photos. Overall, the food was good, not amazing. But I didn’t go there for the food, really. I went for the views, the experience. The paradox of an incredibly old city and culture mashed up against what is clearly the present but inarguably the future.