Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Back from Oman and time to check out the Dubai Creek area of town and Burj Khalifa (although it opened a week after I left and so was still called Burj Dubai and I couldn't visit the observation deck). Dubai's main reason for existence seems to be shoppings as both the Mall of the Emirates (near Burj al Arab) and the Dubai Mall (near Burj Khalifa) are enormous, complete with ski slopes, gold souks, restaurants, aquarium, ice rink, etc. The dancing fountain outside of the mall would easy give the one outside the Bellagio in Las Vegas a run for its money.