[BTinSF]

Naw--I didn't take 'em, but I thought they were kool anyway. The current NG magazine has an article on Dubai:

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.6.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.7.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.8.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.1.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.5.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.17.jpg

[mSeattle]

Trust NG to do it. I love that journal. Great shots too.

[Xeelee]

hrm... not bad.

[austin356]

What page? My Dec. 06 just has this stupid thing on Saturn, nothing as cool as Dubai.

[mcbaby]

I read it and thought it was interesting. Dubai has some good aspects and bad ones. city planning has been lacking for so long. the island projects have created some bad environmental problems. the human right issues regarding foreign workers living in slums with open sewers was very dissapointing. prostitution and trafficking in women seemed sad. it would be nice for dubai to invest in solar and other alternative energy and even work to make there city more environmental friendly. just because it's in the dessert doesn't mean that all these people and constant construction doesn't cause an impact.

[urbanflyer]

I believe the 2nd picture from the last was a comparison from the early 90s to the first shot.

[westsider]

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.17.jpg

WOW. Awesome picture, this is why I love NG. My grandparents had probably every issue from 1940-1990 and I must have thumbed through every one.

[BTinSF]

What page? My Dec. 06 just has this stupid thing on Saturn, nothing as cool as Dubai.

January 07--page 94.

[TheMeltyMan]

Yeah, these two shots ought to be juxtaposed. Same intersection.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.5.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.6.jpg

[MolsonExport]

Freeways, right in the centre of downtown. Have they not learned anything?

[BTinSF]

Freeways, right in the centre of downtown. Have they not learned anything?

Well, I would say in their behalf that walking around in a pedestrian-friendly downtown when it's 120 degrees is not that much fun.

[WesternGulf]

Yeah, these two shots ought to be juxtaposed. Same intersection.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.5.jpg

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature3/images/gallery.3.6.jpg


and look how much the road has stretched across. That building on the right in the desert photo is still there and not too far from the road.

[VivaLFuego]

I read it and thought it was interesting. Dubai has some good aspects and bad ones. city planning has been lacking for so long. the island projects have created some bad environmental problems. the human right issues regarding foreign workers living in slums with open sewers was very dissapointing. prostitution and trafficking in women seemed sad. it would be nice for dubai to invest in solar and other alternative energy and even work to make there city more environmental friendly. just because it's in the dessert doesn't mean that all these people and constant construction doesn't cause an impact.

The banking center and playground of all the middle east oil ticks, investing in solar and alternative energy? Sorry! :jester:

Pretty amazing pictures though, the amount of construction is breathtaking....it's basically a developers sandbox, do what you want, where you want, cheap!

[Fabb]

I wonder if the Toyota building is still there.
If it is, its days may be numbered.

[Tom_Green]

Freeways, right in the centre of downtown. Have they not learned anything?

Hey expert this is not the downtown of Dubai ;)

It`s just the CBD far away from the real downtown.

[excel]

Dubai reminds me of cheating in sim city, because you have unlimited money and tons of land, you make everything as big as you can and as nice as you can . Massive buildings right away and expensive roadways. whereas when you dont cheat in the game you have to start small and build up as your pop grows and as demand grows. just like all cities in real life. the thing that is the most intense is looking at photos of new york, chicago, london etc. when they were small cities, and then looking at them now. its almost impossible to comprehend the differences, whereas dubai had no prior look except empty land.

All of this is clearly refering to the NEW parts of Dubai not the old city. Obviously Dubai is a very established old city. im not saying this in a negative mannor, it just blows me away with what is going on over there.

[keninhalifax]

Ah, Dubai... After all these years, I still don't get it!

[sync]

^^î don't get it either.

[crisco disco o o]

when was the picture of the toyota building taken?

[lexicon506]

Wow, that new Dubai looks horrible. A beautiful freeway at your doorstep and 120 degree weather!! Who would really want to live there? :yuck:

[phillyskyline]

That highway looks like the parkways in south american cities...

[bpg88]

Looks like Dubai is building a postcard image. What a waste.

[lexberg]

Hmm.. Dubai is too kitschy for my taste.

[Tom_Green]

I am not really sorry to show you the following pics and destroy your tacky, fake and plastic image many of you have from Dubai.

Overlooking the real core of Dubai
http://tinypic.com/4kdxtl

Urban life
http://tinypic.com/4ktl6d

Culture and history
http://tinypic.com/4ktliv

[AltinD]

I wonder if the Toyota building is still there.
If it is, its days may be numbered.

All the buildings in that picture are still standing, not for long though. The picture should be from early '80s.

[AltinD]

Ah, Dubai... After all these years, I still don't get it!

Yes, it is SO different from Ottawa, and after visiting your town lately I'm not surprised at all that you don't get it. :D

[oliveurban]

Nice pictures. Dubai is an incredibly intense verson of North America's "sun belt" ...

[BorisMolotov]

the article said there is not very good city planning here

[Buck]

Great shots from NG and the other ones of the "real" city that were posted. It's nice to see more than the glossy, plastic-y parts. Although those make for great pictures too.