Construction: Park and Centre

As I was wandering along one of my usual paths a couple of years ago, I was forced to detour by the erection of barriers around two sandy lots that I had been accustomed to cutting across.

I asked several people, 'What are they building?' and was told, 'A new high-rise apartment building,' 'A new shopping centre,' and several other guesses, all of which turned out to be inoperative.

On my latest walk past the construction sites, I saw the signs proclaiming what, exactly, was being erected.

The smaller site is to be a 'Landscape Park.' Meaning, it will have some Islamic-looking structures set among date palms with a wandering path leading through the park. It is being built in something that looks like white marble, and it looks like it's nearing completion.

The larger site will soon be an Ismaili Centre. I'm not sure what an Ismaili Centre is, but the development of the Centre was announced by the Aga Khan, as it will be one of the world's major Ismaili Centres.

I'm hoping it will be open to non-Ismailis who want to learn more about the Ismailis.

In any case, I'm looking forward to the opening of the new park.