The Old & The New : A Tale of Two Cities

Not content with building the biggest constructions, the tallest skyscrapers or just creating the largest man made islands in the world, Dubai went one better this year. It brought snow to this sun-baked desert oasis. Ski Dubai boasts a 400-metre indoor ski slope, which holds more than 6,000 tonnes of snow and was built at a cost of $US272m.

However, does anyone wishing to indulge in a bit of snowboarding and the like really feel that Dubai is the destination for them? What's more as Dubai's sprawling metropolis threatens to engulf the old parts of the city, is the new city in danger of forsaking its past for the future?

Dubai the city of an emerging skyline, a city of dancing cranes and pirouetting buildings all merged into a display of the unstoppable desire of man to live amongst the clouds.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will be packing its bags and heading off to pastures new, namely Dubai, later this year.

Buying an off-plan home in Dubai is easy, and with new projects especially of the iconic flavour being snapped up in days there is little sign of a slow down.

Snippets of stories from Dubai.