Dubai

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is a fascinating place and it was the first international spot I ever visited. For that reason alone it will always hold a special place in my heart. That said, it's not a place that I find as interesting as Jordan or especially India. I think the reason is that for a historian there's simply not a lot of history to see. Everything is completely new and bright and shiny. Occasionaly you'll turn a corner and wander into something like the old Gold Souq (which is an amazing place to just grab a bench and watch the world go buy), but beyond that there's less to do unless you have lots of disposable income - and, let's face it, I'm a professor so we know that's not the case. It is astonishing, however, to see how the Emiratis are rethinking their place in the world. Still, spots like the Burj Al Arab (the world's only seven star hotel) and the Burj Dubai (the world's tallest building - picture above) will take your breath away. Essentially, the Emiratis know that oil wealth will not last forever and they have decided to create a new persona, one that may or may not (probably not) ever truly be a comfortable fit with Islam (although, to be fair, Muhammad was a merchant himself). The result is glossy thin veneer over a very conservative foundation. I remember several years ago walking into a little shop to buy some water and the religious officials had just left - they had been using markers to conceal the naughty bits on the models in the fashion magazines. And all I could think was - OK, if this is what you're reduced to then you've officially lost the culture war. And that's something to keep in mind - there is a segment of the population in the Middle East that is far more afraid of the West than vice-versa, and really has much more to lose.