A canny and far-sighted mayor, backed by the Saudi government, found a way to save a precious part of his city's historical and architectural heritage from the developers' bulldozers.

The economic and political shifts of the past, the Peninsula's harsh climate, the requirements of religion, and, of course, fashion's dictates – all are threads in the fabric of traditional costume in Arabia.

Yanbu' al-Bahr was once among the greatest of the Red Sea ports; today it is a backwater. But many of the beautiful old stone and teak houses built by wealthy traders still stand, ripe for restoration.

Near Lone Jack, Missouri, a stark metal building houses a rich and impressive display of Middle Eastern artifacts. But it is not just a museum, and not just a learning resource: it's a labor of love.

He wanted to build up a fine collection of the disappearing traditional handicrafts of Saudi Arabia and in a few short years he succeeded. But his greatest prize was the friendship and hospitality of his hosts.