Why Ålesund?
Ålesund, on Norway’s wild west coast, is unusual. When the little fishing village burnt to the ground in 1904, it was rebuilt in three years, entirely in art nouveau style. It has risen from the ashes: 850 homes were destroyed and 10,000 people were left homeless; the tale of this town is one of revival and restoration.
The port town sits beside forest-clad hills which rush down into dramatic seas; medieval spires and turrets sit atop mural-adorned buildings; unique architecture lines the narrow cobbled streets; and a winding canal runs through the town centre. It’s worth spending a day or two in this portal to the Norwegian fjords, taking in the nature and slow pace of life.
A comfortable bed
Originally a fishing warehouse, Hotel Brosundet (www.brosundet.no; 0047 7011 4500), on the banks of the Ålesund canal, is an intimate 47-room boutique property, tastefully converted to art nouveau style. Old-world charm is a strong element in the hotel's unique decor – the rooms still feature pine and oak beams and arched windows. One wall of the hotel dips straight into the canal, and it's not uncommon to see fishing boats with fresh catches sail by. The lobby, featuring dockside timber and aluminium, is a lovely spot to get a cup of tea and listen to the sound of gulls. To get to room 47, you need to step out of the main building, walk five minutes to the end of the jetty, then climb a flight of stairs. The 150-year old Molja Lighthouse is perhaps one of the world's most iconic hotel rooms. The rustic circular bedroom measures three metres across and looks out onto ships gliding across the Atlantic. Double rooms cost from 1,530 Norwegian kroner (Dh726).
The 197-room Scandic Parken Hotel (www.scandichotels.com; 0047 7013 2300) is ideally poised to take in Ålesund's sights. It's a stone's throw from the waterside and town centre, with charming views of spired rooftops and cobbled side streets.
Find your feet
A walk through the compact town centre is an ideal starting point to absorb Ålesund's history and architecture. Pastel-coloured buildings border the reflective waters of the Ålesundet canal. In summer, bright yellow kayaks float downstream. The town is still deeply connected to its roots in the fishing industry: sculptures of fishermen line the streets; the walls of banks and office buildings are covered in murals depicting the town's fishing history. The Jugendstilsenteret (www.jugendstilsenteret.no; 75 kroner [Dh36]) – a former apothecary, now the town's Art Nouveau Centre – is a perfect stop to learn about Ålesund's reconstruction.
Meet the locals
To say Norwegians are outdoorsy would be an understatement. Ålesund’s walks and hikes are lovely. In the midst of nature is where you’ll get to meet and mingle with the friendly locals. From the town park, climb 418 steps to Mount Aksla, or drive up if you aren’t in the mood for a schlep. From the Fjellstua viewpoint, a panoramic sight greets you: the stunning Sunnmøre Alps loom in the distance, Ålesund’s canal slices through the town’s candy-coloured buildings and the sea swirls all around. The mountainside is covered in rough-hewn rocks, fat purple flowers and overgrown gardens; perfect for a leisurely stroll.
Book a table
In Ålesund, seafood is the way to go. Fresh-from-the-water salmon, cod and herring are your best bets. Klipfish – a dried, salted cod – is Ålesund's most popular export. XL Diner (www.xldiner.no; 0047 7012 4253) is a charming restaurant overlooking the harbour that's known for its fish specialities. You can dig into traditional Norwegian recipes as well as innovative turns on standard fish dishes. The Spanish Bacalao casserole is an interesting variety of fiery red stew of dried cod or klipfish, tomatoes, peppers and onion. A meal for two costs about 700 kroner (Dh332)
With its unique artwork and mood lighting, Brasserie Normandie at the Scandic Parken is perfect for a romantic dinner in a chic setting. The restaurant has a good selection of meats – veal, lamb, deer and beef. The fillet of veal features tender meat with pan-fried vegetables and mushrooms in blue cheese on the side. The herb-crusted rack of lamb is another menu favourite; it comes with fat forest mushrooms and a lingonberry jelly. A meal for two costs 800 kroner (Dh380).
Shopper’s paradise
Artifex Kunst & Antikviteter (www.artifex.no) sells antique collectables and artwork by local and international artists. The store houses a gallery with a focus on contemporary art, plus a cafe.
For unique souvenirs, step into Ingrids Glassverksted (www.ingridsglassverksted.no) – a glass-blowing studio with a gallery. For something truly Norwegian, check out the quirky, colourful glass fish.
What to avoid
Give winter a skip and plan a summer holiday, when you can really enjoy the water activity and outdoor walks.
Don’t miss
Cruise through Norway’s stunning Geirangerfjord on an open-top sightseeing boat. Cruises cost 205 kroner (Dh97) per person.
Go there
Return flights with Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dubai to Oslo cost from Dh3,465, including taxes, and take seven hours. From Oslo, flights to Ålesund take one hour; a return ticket costs from Dh468 on SAS (www.flysas.com).
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
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Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
AL%20BOOM
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Marseille 0
Atletico Madrid 3
Greizmann (21', 49'), Gabi (89')
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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MO
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now