Reaching For The Sky In Dubai

"Seemingly out of nowhere, this tiny emirate on the Persian Gulf decided to force its way into the ranks of the world's great business and tourism centres by building bigger than anyone dreamed possible."

"Condo and office towers are going up on every available piece of land, and taxi drivers are fond of saying that one-fifth of the world's construction cranes are at work in Dubai."

"They also point with pride to the buildings that have already captured international attention, such as the Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped tower by the sea that is often referred to as the world's first seven-star hotel. Equipped with a huge helipad and rooftop tennis court, it's become one of the iconic images of global travel."

"Land has become so scarce that developers have built palm-shaped peninsulas into the water to erect more waterfront towers. The malls are among the biggest and glitziest in the world, packed with shoppers as diverse as British sun seekers, U.S. sailors and the well-heeled women of Iran. There is even an indoor ski hill, where children in traditional Arab dress slip on parkas to have snowball fights. Dubailand, which aims to combine Las Vegas and Disneyland in the world's largest amusement park, is under construction. Soon there'll be an underwater hotel, and perhaps a 32-tower complex shaped like pieces on a chess board."