We spent this past weekend in Dubai. It was surreal after barely leaving Bangalore for 18 months as the two cities are such a stark contrast to each other. Dubai is shiny, sparkling, and new - it has only been around for decades whereas Bangalore has been around for centuries and has all the challenges that comes with such a long history.
I think what may be even more interesting, though, are the similarities in what they are facing, and I'm very curious to revisit both places two decades from now. Both cities are experiencing exponential growth; both cities are working on mass transit initiatives; both cities have air inversion issues and smog; both cities are melting pots of people; both cities have been impacted by the economic slow down of 2009. I wonder how each will develop. It will be like watching two very different children grow up. One with a very structured and planned environment while the other suffers from seeming randomness.
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