There are two Zabeel Palaces.
The orginal Zabeel Palace is in Zabeel Village.
Original Zabeel Palace was built for Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Architect and Builder was Otto Bullart.
The newer Zabeel Palace was built for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Original Zabeel Palace
My then Boss decided I should take charge of Dubai Ports IT Department!
My IT knowledge was limited at best. But IT was not the problem.
Problem was the flood of IT demands from other Departments overloading IT Dept.
We worked together to identify and resolve the problem.
Then, one morning, I received an email from the Diwan.
Sheikh Mohammed instructs all IT Directors and Managers
to attend at Zabeel Palace tomorrow at 3pm.
My Colleagues said "You can't go! You don't speak Arabic. You'll not understand what's happening!"
My response was "That's an order from my ultimate Boss so I have to go".
"So I went!!"
Zabeel Palace By Igor Alexeev
I was apprehensive about entering Zabeel Palace grounds but the Guards waived me through.
I drove slowly for good reason - there were peacocks everywhere!!
I parked my car and joined the others making their way into the Palace.
Inside the Palace there were people directing us to the Majlis.
Entrance to the Majlis was through an intricate and beautifully carved wooden screen.
Inside the Majlis, its walls on either side were lined with white settees where we were directed to take our seats.
Protocol was as each new arrival entered the Majlis, everyone stood up until the new arrival was seated.
Consequently, we spent a good deal of our waiting time sitting then standing then sitting with the occasional shuffle to make room for new arrivals.
Eventually we found ourselves sitting and waiting in silence for Sheikh Mohammed to arrive.
The waiting silence turned to tension at the expectation of Sheikh Mohammed's arrival.
Then Sheikh Mohammed strode into the Majlis through the wooden screen followed by his entourage.
Everyone immediately stood.
But Sheikh Mohammed stopped, turned and began issuing instructions to his entourage.
Soon there were people running into the Majlis carrying ordinary chairs. Sheikh Mohammed directed where he wanted the chairs placed. Slowly the chairs formed a semi circular arc in one corner of the Majlis with a single chair facing the arc.
When Sheikh Mohammed was satisfied with the chairs arrangement, he beckoned everyone to move from the settees to the chairs.
Sheikh Mohammed moved to the single chair. He waived his arm. Retainers appeared bringing sweetmeats and other delicacies which they served to Sheikh Mohammed and his audience and continued to do all afternoon.
Looking around, I was the only Westerner attending but that didn't seem to concern anyone.
From his chair facing his audience, Sheikh Mohammed called out a name. He obviously knew who was in the audience. When that person stood up, Sheikh Mohammed asked him a question. I worked out Sheikh Mohammed was asking about IT progress in that person's Department.
Reactions differed!
Some stood and were totally comfortable with answering Sheikh Mohammed's questions. Others looked distinctly uncomfortable in having to stand and report their progress (or lack of it) to Sheikh Mohammed.
Sheikh Mohammed did not admonish anyone but joked and encouraged those that were hesitant.
Highlight of the afternoon was when a Senior Police Officer stood up and walked out to face Sheikh Mohammed.
Dubai's Police were early adopters of IT. The Officer was keen to show Sheikh Mohammed their latest piece of IT Equipment.
All eyes in the Majlis were on the Officer as he set about getting the equipment to do what it was designed to do.
Except it didn't - work that is. The Officer was struggling both with getting the equipment to work and his embarrassment at his equipmemt's failure to start!
In the end the Officer had to give up and return to his seat. There were no recriminations but everyone in the audience probably had the same thought - "I'm pleased it wasn't me!"
After three hours of questions and answers, Sheikh Mohammed stood, addressed the audience then left the Majlis.
We all then stood and left Zabeel Palace as the sun started to go down.
Was it worth my going? Well - Yes and No!
I didn't make any contribution to the IT discussion but I had spent the afternoon with Sheikh Mohammed.
Len Chapman