The Sad Island

My friends and I went to Batam over the long weekend. What struck me most about the place was how it had a sadness about it. I beleive that some time ago it was developed as a touristy place. People probably also bought real estate as it would have provided a nice place to live and opportunities for people in the industry. Something must have happened then to turn everythign around (financial crisis?) Developments look half finished and things are just going on where they have stopped. What lead me to this conclusion? Hotels which have nice interiors and facilities have run down surroundings. Places which would have once offered good views etc have just been taken over by slums and other buildings. There are half finished buildings around each corner which look like they've been abandoned for years and land has been leveled and gates built for housing estate but nothing is built and the areas overgrown. Even where estates have been built no amenities seem to have moved close to them.
Only way I could explain is to say that it was a place that started with so much optimism but then it was left high and dry and it does what it can with what its got now.