Friday, January 11, 2008

Changing times

It's reported that Dubai International Airport was the world's fastest growing in 2007. More than 34 million passengers were handled and on average there were 725 arrivals & departures each day.

It's all very different from my first arrival in Dubai back in 1977. Then the main entrance looked like this...



Aaahhhh...

Late addition.
Folks, if you read the comments to this posting you'll see that Anonymous enhanced the photo. As s/he took the trouble to do that I thought I should say 'thanks' by posting the improved photo...

7 comments:

i*maginate said...

Wow, can't believe you have a pic of this!

My memory goes as far back as the non-existence of Emirates Airlines...the mere 2 passport check-in desks...the "old" duty-free...the single refreshments "counter"...

The good ole days! But I much prefer the new airport...it's tonnes better of course! Still, it's the same way in to the airport departures on that bending flyover, which brings back memories.

Seabee said...

And taxis without meters, shared with anyone who flagged it down, seats covered with clear plastic, dashboard and windsceen-surround covered in exotic decoration - I wish I'd taken photos of them!

Anonymous said...

I improved the image for you:
http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oldairporteq1.jpg

Seabee said...

anon thank you. It's a thirty year old faded photo and I added it straight from my album as I was writing the posting.

I have a lot of other faded photos too, so I must do what you did and enhance them before I post them.

Anonymous said...

Thanks seabee. I've enhanced the image even more:
http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oldairportab3.jpg

I was just a bit a bored and wanted to play with photoshop.

If you wish to perform the same effect, do the following in photoshop:

1) Image - Adjustments - Auto Levels
2) Image - Adjustments - Color Balance - decrease the amount of Red
3) Image - Adjustments - Brightness/Contrast - increase the contrast

BTW, my folks knew the people who lived at this house:
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/4850/2148/1600/330800/old%20Deira4.jpg
They were Syrian, and not asian as one might suspect. :)

Seabee said...

anon thanks again.
Yes, I knew the pagoda house was owned by Arab not Asian people. It was a real landmark in the old days.

rosh said...

Beautiful - quite beautiful indeed. The second picture almost brings that era back. Thank you for this lovely memory lane walk.