Downtown Dubai

Yesterday marked my first trip through Jumeirah, the neighborhood beyond Bur Dubai where my hotel is. The 15 mile ride down Sheikh Zayed Road revealed more buildings under construction than I could ever have imagined. At points the building density is almost like being in midtown Manhattan with none of the skyscrapers having been completed yet. I wonder if there is a struggle of sorts around defining the Dubai "downtown" as the World Trade Center area, Deria and the proposed Burj Dubai all seem to represent a possible center for the city. The future tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai, seems conscious of this as their advertising always refers to the building being in the "new downtown." The picture here is of the approximate state of the Burj Dubai today but gives you a sense of the look and feel of this part of the city.