Dubai as an example for Tripoli ?

 Dubai, United arab Emirates: Glitter, glamour, posh. What a contrast - coming from Tripoli. But even arriving from Vienna, as I did, the difference is striking. Gone are the days when Dubai was in a deep crisis. Shopping cenetrs are packed again, huge cars, fancy cars and many of them fill the streets of the bustling metropolis in the gulf.
Often it is said that Tripoli wants to become like Dubai. But this applies only if said by foreigners who have not been lon enough in Tripoli. In reality no Libyan wants to become any city in their country like Dubai. Too artificial, too many malls, no real local culture (ok, the creek could be a tiny part of old local Dubai culture).

 However, in the past Emirates and Afriqyah transported three times daily Libyan to their preferred shopping destination. And quite sme Libyans have bought or built a second home in the Emirates. But only a second one, the first one remained in Libya. And in all planning institutions everybody stated that he/she did not take Dubai as an example of how to build a city.
Although, some of the buildings are indeed impressive in Dubai. Like the Burj Khalifa, initially named "Burj Dubai". After the big collapse of financial markets and especially in Dubai also of the property markets, Abu Dhabi stepped in and helped Dubai out. The prices was the renaming of the Burj to "Khalifa".
Intersting enough is the fact that the formwork for Burj Khalifa came from the Austrian company Doka.

 Still, many cranes are standing still, no sign of 24/7 construction activity.
But though some signs of recovery: On small scale projects are continuing and tourists are also flocking in again.
Tweeting some posts about Dubai, one follower posted:
"We don´t need hundreds of mal like Dubai. We only need A mall."
So true.
So lets see if at least in that respect Tripoli can copy Dubai.