The National staff
Three world records were set on the first day of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship yesterday.
They were the largest serving of Aseeda (2.8 tonnes), the largest serving of pickled vegetables (1,570 kilograms) and world’s largest chocolate truffle mosaic (404 square metres). The truffle mosaic displayed Dubai’s logo for Expo 2020 and used more than 360,000 pieces of chocolate. It was the brainchild of Sara Rashed Al Sanqiti, an Emirati businesswoman who runs Minilicious in Dubai.
Meanwhile 70 women from across the country walked away with gold and silver medals, and prize money totaling Dh525,000 as winners of the Homemade Dishes category.
The competition seeks to highlight UAE cuisine on the global stage and will continue till 18 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
