The Land of Desera

[art128]

The sandy morning picture is outstanding Nedal! 

[Huston_N7]

I've seen this update on Simtropolis, and just couldn't take my eyes of the picture of the sandstorm during the evening. Really great stuff 

[Ol.S / Benoit]

Small town is growing fast !
Great work, very impressive.

[nedalezz]

Thanks for all the comments! Much appreciated, and hoping for more!

Year Five

The decision to construct the House of Council was not a thoroughly planned one – it happened from the frustration of the Royal President after yet another long winded argument between departments over who gets what space. During a Desera Council meeting, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance both declared they needed more space to operate efficiently, something the Independence Hall lacked. An argument over who would get the final two available offices in the building led to the head of the Ministry of Transportation, Jaleel Borkani (also head of the Borkani tribe of northwestern Desera), to storm out of the meeting. At that point, the Royal President Sidebe Mallam's temper flared, and he declared the illegal houses next to the Independence Hall be cleared and immediate work to start on a new building to house the council and its departments. The Independence Hall would continue to serve as his residence and his office, the Royal President declared, but would have nothing more to do with the Desera Council.

Indeed, work started immediately, and after its completion, the government had spent almost E30 million on the project as a whole. The architect was a local man, Haitham Banja, who had just finished his degree in the United States, and was given the task of designing a building befitting to Deseran culture. The Royal President, in his meeting with Banja told him of the importance of the building and how it had to be a reflection of Desera as a whole. In the end, pretty much everyone was extremely happy with the result.

   

Towards the end of Year Five, the Desera Council officially opened to the public the Kafra Beach Hotel – initially, the name Kafra Palace was given to the project, but the Royal President felt the name did not befit the architecture, and so the name was changed. The project, which cost E80 million, was the second largest the council had undertaken, with only the Kafra International Airport costing more. The adjacent beach was given to the hotel property, and easily became the country's most popular destination during the weekends.

The Kafra Beach Hotel had a total of 243 rooms, including 10 suites, as well as 3 restaurants and a nightclub. The regular other services were there, too, such as swimming pools, a spa, and access to its own private beach. It was, by far, the tallest building in the country, and had a second, smaller building whose rooms were rented out as private residences, generally used by foreign dignitaries and businessmen who were staying in Kafra for a few weeks or months at a time. The guest rooms were equipped with modern technology – satellite TV and internet, 40" LED screens (55" in the suites), marble bathrooms, and elegant interior design. Many of the middle and upper class families of Kafra chose to stay at the hotel for the weekend, enjoying the services and hospitality.

   


Desera's oil production of 5,000 barrels per day doubled during Year Five, as investment was poured in to the oil sector by the government. More importantly, however, was the ground breaking on a new refinery that would mean the country would no longer have to import refined oil, and instead be able to use its own to meet the its growing demands. The Yelmara Refinery, named after the area where the oil was being extracted from some 150 miles north of Kafra, was due to become operational in around two years, and initial costs put it around E150 miliion. Nevertheless, the majority of Desera's oil production would still be exported, but the fact that the country would be able to support itself in terms of its oil demand would mean subsidies on the resource for the general public, something that would help the economy in a big way.

In Kafra, planning was being done to begin work on a university, as the Royal President continued to insist that education was the way forward for the country. As educated labor force, he claimed, had to be the pillar and backbone of Desera's economy. Although there was no official word on the location or details of the university, it was hardly a secret around town that the project was due to commence any day. The most likely location, it was presumed, was either north of the city on Mallam Road, or to the east of it, down Masjid Street and to the north of the new Kafra Beach Hotel. Obviously, however, there were still no details on how the Desera Council was going to make it affordable for the common family to be able to send their children to this university.

Kafra's population was now at over 15,000, and there were no signs that the growth was going to slow down anytime soon. The Desera Council was becoming aware that they had to do more to spur on private investment, both in the capital city and in the country – they needed local and foreign companies to create jobs and bring money into the system. This was one of the council's main objectives going forward.

   

[jmyers2043]

I like the aerial shots and the palm trees that you are putting around and about. 


- Jim

[tb7]

Very beautiful desert city! 

[vortext]

Nice progress! I really like how the centre turns green while at the same time the slums continue to expand outward. In addition the night shot from the previous update is just stunning! 

Keep it up

edit: forgot to mention I would like to know where you've found the House of Council, it's a nice BAT.

[art128]

Seems like some good things are up in this fifth year, Nedal!

Both the council building and the finished hotel fit the region perfectly. I have to agree with Jim, you did a good job as well on the palms. I like them plopped around the city as well.

[Kergelen]

The aerial shots at night and days are very nice.
I like the natural growth of the city and how you show it step by step
Good use of the flora too

[nedalezz]

Thank you all for the kind comments! Please do leave a comment if you visit, and I will answer any questions you might have

Year Six

It was bound to happen – as with every other nation on Earth, those with access to money and power became corrupted by it. All over the southern coastline of Kafra, slums were destroyed to make way for the large estates and mansions of the politically powerful, mostly tribal leaders and other prominent members of the Desera Council. Money that was being given through the council's welfare scheme to the different tribes was not all making its way back to their respective areas – some of it was being kept in the pockets of those entrusted with it, and being spent in Kafra to build themselves luxurious homes and the like. What a difference a year makes, truly.

Unfortunately for the Royal President Sidebe Mallam, there was little he could do. As much as it pained him to see corruption begin to reveal its ugly head, he needed the support of the tribal leaders now more than ever. The Desera Council was operating as usual, but behind the scenes, trouble was always brewing. There was an uneasy truce between the members of the council, one that was not without its share of fighting. If the council was to fall apart, so too would the legitimacy of the Deseran government led by Mallam – at that point, who knows what foreign powers with their eye towards Deseran resources might do. For the sake of peace and progress, the Royal President had to turn a blind eye towards the corruption or else risk upsetting the balance of the council.

He was now 51 years old – his son and heir, Prince Diallo Mallam, 28 years old. It was the young prince who had brought the investors initially to Desera, and it was through these investors and the riches they brought with them that Mallam named himself Royal President. Lately, however, the prince was constantly at odds with his father – he thought Desera was progressing too slowly and wanted less responsibility in the hands of the Desera Council, which he proclaimed was the reason the nation was being held back. In response to the growing dissent amongst the other tribal leaders, Prince Diallo doubled the size of the Deseran Army, which was loyal to the ruling family. Additionally, he was attempting to persuade his father to set up a division of the Deseran Armed Forces whose sole responsibility would be to protect the Royal Presidency – a Royal Guard, of sorts. A wiser man than his son, the Royal President rejected the notion, claiming that other tribal leaders would view that as a threat to their own power and would rebel. Secretly, the Royal President was worried – it seemed the prince had little regard for the consequences of his suggested actions, and would rather resort to violence than diplomacy to get his way.

Kafra saw its greatest growth to date in Year Six, with its population doubling in a single to over 30,000 residents. While there were a few families, mostly West Africans, that had immigrated to the nation in hopes of finding a better life, the vast majority of Kafra's new residents were former nomadic families who settled in the capital city because of the economic opportunities, healthcare, and educational facilities. The Desera Council was having trouble keeping up and controlling the sprawling shanty towns that were growing in every direction. Central and eastern Kafra's streets were lined with trees standing in front of what architects were calling Deseran Revivalist buildings. Drawing inspiration from 17th and 18th century European architecture, Deseran Revivalist buildings were similar to the type of buildings one would see in London, Paris, or New York, and even included a hint of Mediterranean architecture found in Italy and Spain. It was the Royal President's love for that type of architecture that led to the construction of these types of buildings, which were most evident on Masjid Street heading towards the University Roundabout.

The commercial center of the city had shifted east, while warehouses and other light industrial buildings began finding a home towards the west of Kafra, also on Masjid Street. After completion of the University of Kafra, construction around the area sprung up seemingly overnight, and while most traders and wholesalers still did their business in the area just north of the Kafra Seaport, retailers and service oriented businesses saw a shift towards the eastern end of Masjid Street. The university in itself was described by the Royal President as Desera's finest achievement. The architecture was Deseran Revivalist through and through, and its three halls were home to over 3,000 students during its first term. Also on campus was the Sidebe Mallam Stadium, which also was named the official stadium for all future outdoor national teams. The entire university project cost almost E100 million upon completion, but it was safe to say that the investment in education was going to pay that off fairly quickly.

   



   

Above: The first three pictures are of the new commercial center of Kafra, the last three are of the University of Kafra.

The area between the Kafra Beach Hotel and the University of Kafra quickly became the most expensive and sought after address in town, serving as a continuation for the southern coastal area where estates and mansions were built. By the end of Year Six, the area became known as the Akhdar neighborhood, which translates into the word green, because of lushness of trees and grass that could be found there. In addition to serving as the neighborhood of residence for several of Desera's most prominent individuals, it also housed important foreign envoys and ambassadors, with the mansions serving as embassies as well as the official residences.

   



The most immediate concern for the Desera Council as the town swelled to a population of over 30,000 was the fact that the Kafra Seaport was now too small to handle the load required of it. Plans had to be drawn up for a new seaport, both of bulk containers and for its oil and gas industry. A lot of money was now being put into the welfare schemes in hopes of betting the lives of its people, but an estimated E1 billion to be made available for the new seaport. How this was going to be possible was not yet clear, but it was a most pressing matter.

   

[nbvc]

Great work I like the night images.

[art128]

Excellent work on this update Nedal.

Night view, day view, over view, close ups.. Everything there is phenomenal.

I'm eager to know what will happen between the president and his son. Also a seaport expansion is indeed needed.

[nedalezz]

Thank you, art128 and nbvc! This update will be a storyline driven one, as I attempt to incorporate drama into the MD! For all those interested (there were a few questions before), the House of Council building is actually the CSX Palace of Justice BAT.

Seeds of a Rebellion

Anwar Torani had heard enough. Merfil Hamana was at it again, babbling on about how his people were getting the short end of the stick when it came to welfare distribution, all while work was being done day and night in order to complete his new E2 million mansion in Akhdar. The nerve of these people, Torani thought, the sheer audacity. The worst part about it, the most frustrating part, was seeing the Royal President sit back and say nothing. How could he?! Torani never understood it, and he never would. How could Sidebe Mallam, first Royal President of Desera, sit back and listen to this garbage while he knew full well the systematic corruption that was beginning to eat this council alive. If Mallam was going to be quiet, Torani certainly was not. Not anymore.

"Enough!" screamed Torani. The entire council, which just seconds before had been an incomprehensible noise of loud voices trying to talk over each other, turned completely silent. "If I had my way, all of you would be thrown into prison for the blatant theft you all have been a part of. Shame on you. All of you!"

No sooner had Torani completed that sentence did another member of the council, Kamel Shallam, speak up in an even louder voice. "How DARE you – who in the world do you think you are?"

Recognizing the situation was about to about to spiral out of control, the Royal President intervened. "Alright, quiet, both of you. It has been along session, and some of you have long trips ahead of you. We will pick up after..."

All of sudden, the Royal President's voice was drowned out by Torani. "No! This will not continue! It cannot do. I will not be part of this mess any longer!"

"You watch how you talk to your leader!" interrupted Prince Diallo Mallam, the Royal President's eldest son. "I will have thrown into jail for blasphemy and treason, you runt!" He reached for his Desert Eagle, conveniently placed on his waist.

Anwar Torani looked around the room, observing his colleagues and the so-called leaders of the nation. Truthfully, he had no respect for almost all of them, and he could not allow himself to be part their game any longer. He had to watch his next move, however – a wrong move and he knew the Prince would be true to his word. The Torani tribe was known as the fiercest warriors in Desera, but he was not in the Borkan Mountains, where they hailed from – he was in Kafra, stronghold of the Mallam tribe and home to the Deseran Armed Forces. He already knew what had to be done - it was just a matter of getting himself and his personal guards out of the city safe and alive.

"You are right, my prince. My temper got the best of me, as it has so often in the past. I apologize, my Royal President. Please forgive me."

Never a harsh man, Royal President Sidebe Mallam smiled and replied, "No forgiveness necessary, my old friend. As I said, it has been a long day. We all need our rest." He looked towards his son with a stern look and said, "Diallo, remove your hand from there at once! I will NOT have such barbaric actions in my council!"

The Prince hesitantly complied with his father's wishes, all while keeping his eyes on Torani. For his part, Anwar Torani breathed a silent sigh of relief, and immediately dismissed himself. He called for his guards to prepare the motorcade, consisting of two SUVs, to pick him up at the front entrance of the House of Council on Mallam Road – the only way out of Kafra. He wanted to waste no time and take no chances by heading towards the SUVs in the parking lot behind the building – he might have been safe in the presence of the Royal President, but there was no telling what would happen afterwards. He knew now that Mallam no longer had control over his council – it was they who controlled him. Without them, his reign as Royal President would be short, and it was only through the other tribal leaders acceptance of him was his he still ruling. He was not a bad man, but he no longer was to be Royal President of the Torani tribe. As Kafra disappeared in the distance, Anwar Torani had made up his mind – the Borkan Mountains was no longer under the rule of Kafra.

The House of Council in Kafra.






A typical village in the Borkan Mountains.

[art128]

Very nice update. Sound like the council was really heavy!  Why do all the big leaders always have a Desert Eagle? 

The pictures were really nice as well. The small village is well done! On the council picture something bugged me.. I already noticed that in the previous updates.. Its about the parking lots. I think you should use another, or at least lot them, because I don't think you need Shopping cart on the parking lot of the council... 

[nedalezz]

So today, I just wanted to showcase some pictures from around Kafra. Lets call it a glorified teaser! art128, I never noticed those shopping carts before! I had the parking lot changed



Kafra's most prestigious neighborhood, Akhdar.



By contrast, the slums that surround Mallam Road as it enters Kafra from the south.



Masjid Street, around the University of Kafra, is a great place to find Deseran Revivalist architecture.



Kafra's industrial sector is slowly starting to grow, situated around the western end of the town.



The Bahr Mosque and the Church of Peace on Masjid Street, across from the Kafra Fish Market, which comes alive in the dying hours of the night.

[art128]

Lovely set of pictures, Nedal.

I really liked the last and third one. Masjid Street seems like a nice area to live in.

[noahclem]

Such beautiful work here 

I've always enjoyed your cities--the organic looking growth over time, the beautiful zoomed out shots, the well-done details--but your new work is my favorite so far. The MMPing is unique and great, the choice of buildings is perfect, and the green spaces give your city a very nice feel. Keep up the great work!!

[Bipin]

This is really nice, very organic; I mean that in more than one context.

[Kergelen]

The Mediterranean site is idyllic! Beautiful. I only miss some paths near the houses.

In this update 3rd pictures and last night shot are amazing.

[RickD]

Masjid Street looks very nice.