The New Mecca Essay

George Saunders o his short story about The New Mecca, describes the changing scenes of Mecca over the decades. Dubai is located in the UAE along the Arabian Peninsula. One would wonder why anyone would want to go to Dubai with all stereotypes of being beheaded or critical language barriers requiring a translator. In 1950s, Dubai was a cluster of dilapidated mud huts and scattered Bedouin tents. After the discovery of oil, the city began taking a different shape. It is currently one of the most attractive cities in the world. In fact, it is referred to the “Vegas of the Middle East.” It has one of the world’s largest malls, theme parks, tallest building skyscraper, and the best seven star hotels costing up to $ 12,000 a night.
Another striking feature is the mega-archipelagoes designed such that specially designed boats dredge sand from the bottom of the oceans and spray it to form the spectacular islands. Visiting the Burj Al Arab is like arriving in heaven. On arrival, the staff welcomes one with cold towels, water to wash the hands, incense, and dates. The smell makes one experience a completely new luxury never before experienced. The gold coated walls are made up of twenty-four-karat gold. The hotel is constructed in such a way that it discourages pedestrians. The pedestrian entrance is concealed and it takes one sometime to locate it. It is not labeled. The stares are hand washed by an Indian guy. Although the works is a lot and tedious, he is not willing to give it up as giving up one’s job is not the duty of the person especially with the high unemployment rate in India. The elegance of the hotel attracts various young people to take photos of themselves but getting into the hotel is not possible.