Old Bastakia
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Old Bastakia
Charles Chapman sent an email with his memories of Dubai as it used to be.......
I visited Dubai as a child and young adult in 1974, 1981 and 1986. My Father worked for Marconi's in their broadcasting division selling TV studio equipment etc in the Middle East. During the summer of 1974 (when I was 11) my mother and I joined him on a trip to Beirut, Damascus, Amman, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. My main recollection of Dubai is the dark wood pub-like bar at the Carlton Hotel. It had medieval shields as decoration which seemed out of place in 1974 Dubai! We moved to Cairo in 1976. I accompanied my Father on a business trip to Dubai in '81. We were held up in traffic on the way to Cairo Airport for a very long time. At the airport we were told President Sadat had been assassinated. The assassination took place at a stadium along the Cairo airport road and all traffic (with us in it) had been stopped.
Al Fahidi Fort in 1981 provided by Charles Chapman
My photo shows flags being flown at half mast in respect for President Sadat.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel on Dubai Creek which is where I took these photos....
Dubai Creekside at evening in 1981 provided by Charles Chapman
Dubai Creek from Intercontinental Hotel in 1981 provided by Charles Chapman
COMMENT: This photo shows Dubai Creek as it used to be - a busy commercial waterway. The opposite side of the Creek is devoted to Offshore Oil Industries and Cargo Wharves. A small tanker is making its way up the Creek to deliver bitumen to Shell Oil Company's Bitumen Storage Facility near to the Al Maktoum Bridge on Deiraside. The bitumen was destined for Dubai's road building programme.
.... but I am not sure what this photo shows or where it was taken. I may have taken it from someone's office that my Father was visiting on business.
Al Maktoum Street in 1981 provided by Charles Chapman
COMMENT: Photo was probably taken somewhere along Al Maktoum Street towards Dubai Clocktower. The "black building" is distinctive and one of the first "architectural challenging" buildings to be built in Dubai. A "High Rise" building can be seen behind the "black building". It's the Hyatt Regency Hotel under construction. Hyatt Regency opened in 1981 as the centrepiece for Dubai's 1981 Motor Grand Prix. Probable location for this photo is shown on the following Google Earth Map. There were no high rise buildings in 1981 to block the view of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Google Earth Map by DAIUTB
Charles also provided photos he took during his 1974 visit that show something of how Dubai used to be.
Dubai in 1974 provided by Charles Chapman
Dubai in 1974 provided by Charles Chapman
COMMENT: Today Windtowers are associated only with Bastakia. In 1974 Windtowers could be found across Dubai and Deira. Most were demolished to make way for apartment blocks, commercial buildings and houses.
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