The United Arab Emirates, along with other Gulf States, are in the middle of massive building boom, using their fabulous oil wealth to create financial, political and cultural institutions to rival any in the world. In terms of urban development, it is happening virtually overnight, similar to the pace of Chinese development over the last decades. The glitzy newness of everything makes the entire endeavor seem a bit like Las Vegas or Disneyland. It is a place completely inhabited by tourists from all over the world. Most are economic tourists there to work in the exploding economy; actual Emiratis make up only 11% of the total population.

Both Saudi Arabia and the Emirates seem to be promoting foreign population growth and non-oil economic development in their massive construction projects. But there also seems to be a bit of wealth ostentatiousness about it all.

Dubai

We stayed in a small (9-room) courtyard hotel in one of the "historic districts" of the city newly reconstructed to resemble "traditional" arab towns. The courtyard is dominated by a windcatcher, an iconic traditional ventilation system. It was interesting to see these devices atop even the most massive new housing projects, a fascinating effort to incorporate the greener technologies of a pre-oil world.