Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Times they are a'changin'

Rostamani Tower, that's the one at the far left which I've arrowed, on Sheikh Zayed Road:


From my apartment at the back of the building I took this photograph:


Of course, that was back in 1981 when it was Abu Dhabi Road and it looked like this:

Photo: Torri Higgins

That's Rostamani Tower in the far top left, and that's how it was when I took the photo.

To get across the road to drive into Dubai we simply bumped across the sand between the two lanes and off we went. There were crashes of course but not like the ones we get now, by far the biggest problem then was speeding cars hitting wandering camels.

In the foreground is the Trade Centre, then Dubai's tallest building and I took a series of shots at a royal wedding celebrated in its shadow:


I found these photos when I was rummaging around in a cupboard back home in Oz last month. When I've posted old photos in the past they've been received well so I thought I'd share these with you too.

I came across some more of the Dubai Highland Games from the same early-eighties period too. Here's one of them, one of the several Arab Scottish Bagpipe Bands which performed at the Games.


The black & white photo by Torri Higgins I found on Len Chapman's wonderful website Dubai As It Used To Be.


(You'll find many more shots of Dubai back in the seventies and eighties if you hit my 'Old Dubai' label).

8 comments:

Mita said...

I came to Dubai in 1989 and there were a few more buildings on Abu Dhabi road and remember the cabbies charging me double because Khaleej times was waayy out in the desert!

Rupert Neil Bumfrey said...

Prescient, is my word for all of these.

Love it or loathe it, all must be amazed at the development, truly amazing!

Did you fleetingly appear at Sikka Art Fair discussion on Social Media and swiftly move elsewhere?

Shalini said...

Great photos and so interesting to see the changes.

By the way, your "old Dubai" label comes up as a blocked page by Du.

Neil Roberts said...

Very interesting post - thanks!

Seabee said...

Rupert no, not guilty. I made no appearance, fleeting or otherwise.

Shalini, I'm mystified why there would be a block on that. I have no problem with getting it.

Dubai Photo Story said...

The old Dubai label is indeed blocked by du!!!!!

Unknown said...

very, very cool

Dave said...

I thin the photo's should not be shown and should be blocked by DU.............................................................................................