Almost totally empty, the new city of Ordos in the desert of Inner Mongolia, is still under construction. Wealthy Chinese buyers are snapping up its luxury houses and condominiums, furniture and all, despite the fact that no one is likely to move there for the foreseeable future. Why? Investors see real estate as a long term, secure acquisition, much like gold. To maintain the image that genuine social life may eventually take root there, town authorities hold two concerts each year in the city's enormous auditorium.
