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Old Bastakia


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Water Tower
Dubai's Water Towers
Dubai's Domestic Water System 1970s.
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Bastakia's Wind Towers.
Derelict Demolished Restored.
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Captain's Store
Captain's Stores.
Cameras Binoculars Smuggling.
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Chicago Beach Hotel
Chicago Beach Hotel.
Popular but Demolished.
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Clock Tower
Dubai's Clock Tower.
The Story Behind the Tower.
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Dubai's Water
Finding Water for Dubai.
Dubai's First Domestic Water System.
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First Traffic Lights
Dubai's First Traffic Lights.
They didn't work at night!.
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Sheikh Saeed's House
Sheikh Saeed's House.
Derelict prior to Restoration.
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Port Rashid Terminal Opening
Sheikh Rashid.
Opening Port Rashid Container Terminal.
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Creek Raft Race
Dubai Creek Raft Race.
First Race in 1971.
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Dubai's First Power Station
Dubai's First Power Station
Demolished
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Port Rashid
Port Rashid.
Chapter 2
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Dubai's Police
Dubai's Traffic Police.
Dealing with new Technology
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Dubai's Markets
Dubai's Markets
Before Supermarkets
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Kazan
Dubai's Kazans.
An Engineering Marvel
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Dubai Lady
Dubai's People
Shopping Dubai 1970s
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Jumeirah Beach Road
Jumeirah Beach Road
How it was in 1968
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Wadi Portrait
Wadi Portrait.
When Dubai was innocent!
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First Show Jumping
First Show Jumping
Dubai Metropolitan Hotel 1987
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Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Demolished??????
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Dubai Grand Prix
Dubai Grand Prix.
Motor Racing comes to Dubai 1981
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Al Fahidi Fort
Al Fahidi Fort.
Dubai's best Museum
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Emirates Golf Club
Emirates Golf Club.
Dubai's Premier Golf Course.
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Dubai Post Office
Dubai's Post Office.
Postal Order Process!
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Dubai Creek
Dubai's Creek
How it used to be 1963
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Dubai Defense Force
Dubai Defense Force
On Parade in Jumeirah 1972
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Dubai Country Club
Dubai Country Club
Demolished 2007
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Dubai Creek
Bait Al Wakheel
Dubai's First Office Building
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Creek Cargo Wharves
Dubai's Wharves
Where Dubai used to make its money
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Cycle Dubai
Cycle Dubai
Cycling come to Dubai
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Dubai Dirt Donksl
Dubai's Motorbike First
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Queen Elizabeth 2
Britannia in Dubai.
Queen Elizabeth 2 State Visit
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Al Maktoum Bridge
Al Maktoum Bridge
Opening 1969
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Bastakia
Bastakia
Before it was restored
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Dubai's People
Dubai's People
As they used to be
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Dubai Airport Immigration
Dubai Airport
Immigration and Customs
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Dubai's Power Station
Duba's First Power Station
Demolished!!!!
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Dubai Car Crash
Dubai's Police
Car Crash 1970s Style
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Dubai's Trade Center
Dubai's World Trade Centre
Dubai's First Hi Rise
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Dubai 1972
As it used to be!

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Dubai Dirt Donks as they used to be and still are!


Dubai Dirt Donks

Photo provided by Barry Hope of Gulf Sport Racing LLC

The Start

Dubai Dirt Donks started in 1978. Dubai's first Off Road Motorcycle Club adopted the name Dirt Donks of a well known motorcycle magazine. Barry Hope and Graeme MacFarlane arrived in Dubai in 1977. They soon realised Dubai was ideal for indulging their shared interest in off road motorcycling. Soon others with the same interest joined them and Dubai Dirt Donks Off Road Motorcycle Club was born.

Dubai Dirt Donks

The Bikes

RM400 Suzuki Dirt Bikes were imported by Yousuf Habib Al Yousuf. These Suzuki Motorbikes became the Club's mainstay motorbike.

The Track

A "Supercross" Track was built in the old Al Nasr Football Club Stadium next to Rashid Hospital with the help of Sheikh Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. Material for building the track was provided from materials used to build the new Al Nasr Football Stadium. Suzuki Motorbikes sent Japan's leading Motocross Rider Katsutoshi Iwao San to help the new Club. Katsutoshi Iwao was one of the first international sportsmen to visit Dubai. His inaugural ride around the new course was not all it should have been. Iwao San fell off his bike as he negotiated the Club's new "Double Jump"!

Dubai Dirt Donks

Photo by Barry Hope of Gulf Sport Racing LLC

The Competition

Dubai Dirt Donks popularity spread both within and outside UAE. Membership was international. Clubs were established in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman leading to interclub competitions and championships. The Club was invited to complete in India and achieved success at the Indian Motor Cross Grand Prix held at Poona in 1985.

The Finish

Dubai Dirt Donks established training programmes for Novices and Youngsters so Membership grew. Eventually Dubai Dirt Donks was restructured into Dubai Motorcross Club which still exists today in modern Dubai.

Dubai Dirt Donks is one of Dubai's Oldest Sports Clubs!

Sheikh Rashid