A private island off the Gulf coast which was once owned by a famous inventor is on the market for US$29.5 million (Dh108.3m).
But you will need something a little bit more sturdy than an island-hopping speedboat to reach it, as Little Bokeelia Island is located not in the UAE's backyard but thousands of kilometres away in the Gulf of Mexico off Sarasota, Florida.
The 104-acre oasis is surrounded by state and privately owned islands.
The Calusa Indians, a tribe Spanish explorers wrote home about in 1513, were the first to colonise the area due to the abundance of fish off its shores.
And centuries later it caught the attention of the inventor of the Duracell battery, Charles Burgess, who is said to have bought the island in 1942 so his wife, who suffered from an illness that made her susceptible to cold weather, could live in a hot climate.
But he is not the only famous inventor with connections to the island.
Mr Burgess was friends with Thomas Edison, who is said to have visited Little Bokeelia frequently. After one of his stays, Edison, the fourth-most prolific inventor in history with almost 1,100 US patents to his name, left a note in Little Bokeelia's guestbook that reads: "We do not know one millionth per cent of anything," according to an article on privateislandnews.com.
Edison is also said to have planted a banyan tree on the island that still stands today.
The current owner, Tom Munz, 75, never expected to become custodian of the island.
He told The Wall Street Journal he offered a throw-away bid of $1.5m when the property was listed for at least twice that value in 1989.
It was accepted and turned out to be a rather good investment.
The island is on the market for $29.5m, which buys a main 8,000 square foot mansion, a swimming pool, tennis courts, acres of gardens and an "old Florida village".
The enclave of bungalows features a pavilion and an informal museum displaying inventions Burgess left behind on the island.
gduncan@thenational.ae
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
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THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Company%20Profile
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
CREW
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