Dubai, UAE

For about half an hour this evening, I was almost blinded by the allure of Dubai. I even spent a few minutes looking for jobs there. It's like a Disney World on earth. And then I remembered it was:
1) in the desert
2) really hot
3) an Arab country
4) therefore in the vicinity of terrorist nations
5) really hot

Here is what I remember from the programme:

• At the moment, over 100,000 Britons own second homes in Dubai; this is expected to peak at 1 million in a few years.

• Completion of the entire development project is expected in 2007.

• Half the (native?) population of Dubai is building it.

• Every home in Dubai is bought before it's built, sometimes even before it's approved, so high is demand.

• There will be a total of 3 Palm Islands, made from reclaimed land. There will also be a group of islands modelled after every nation on earth, and suitably "themed". It will resemble the earth from the air...
  

• There is a giant shopping mall with themed wings: Andalucian, Tunisian, Egyptian, Persian, Indian, Chinese. The Andalucian wing is an exact replica of the Alhambra palace.

• Nobody is left out. Soon there will be a set of neighbourhoods - exact models of Manhattan (down to your favourite pizzeria), Venice (in case the real one finally sinks), Paris (the marketing spokeswoman quipped, "Paris without the French."), and I don't know where else...

**********

Overheard at Number 33 (been ages, hasn't it?)
Or rather, as read in landlady's day planner, which is always left open on a corner of the kitchen counter:

Olivia Private View
174, Old Bond Street

(What have I been up to without my knowledge?)