The Dubai we loved and still cherish

When there was no public transport system, riding an abra (water taxi) across the Dubai Creek was one of the most popular and cheapest modes of transport. There were two types of abras. One, a motorized version for which you paid 50 fils to cross from Bur Dubai to Deira and vice versa. And the other, a 'rowing' boat. Yes they had oarsmen who would ply the creek on small wooden boats and a trip from Bur Dubai side (it was called the BBME bank side then) to Deira (Murshid Bazar also known as the Spice Souk) would set you back by only 25 fils.


You could ride a taxi for only Dhs1. Yes, those were good times. A shared taxi would set you back by just a dirham, and if you hired the entire cab, you would pay Dhs5 for a trip anywhere between Satwa and Bur Dubai, and if you crossed over to Deira from the Bur Dubai side you would pay Dhs7. And the best part, you could negotiate the tariff with the cab driver. Many a times, if you or the cab driver didn't have exact change, either party  would graciously accept whatever was handed out.
If you were driving from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, you knew you had reached Dubai when you passed the Jebel Ali Village. And once you reached the popular 'Toyota Building' at the Defence Roundabout (as it was known then) you knew you were in Dubai. Built in 1974, it was  one of the first buildings to spot from a distance. The building got its moniker from a massive Toyota hoarding on the roof. The Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway had two tracks. Fewer cars used to ply the highway,  and you could cross the highway easily, without any fear of getting knocked down.
You knew that the Jumeirah district and the city limit had ended when you touched Chicago Beach - a beach that  officially never existed. It got its name when people started calling the stretch after the Chicago Bridge Engineering and Iron Company which used to have tall cranes with signboards reading Chicago Bridge and Engineering Company and it could be spotted from great distances. This became a reference point. Later, Dubai's first resort named Chicago Beach Hotel came up on the beach.
Al Ghurair Center was perhaps the only 'proper' mall in town, there were smaller ones but not full fledged malls. Visiting the mall used to be a memorable affair, because it had an entertainment arcade, and the stores stocked brands you wouldn't find anywhere else in town. So a visit was a must for most residents on pay-day weekends. The other shopping venue was the Al Mulla Plaza on the Dubai-Sharjah border, but Al Ghurair Center was the one that drew the crowds.
6.Before heading home for their annual vacations, most expatriates would do their holiday shopping at either the Deira or the Bur Dubai souk. And you would find all the gifts you needed - electronics, watches, perfumes and textiles (may sound a bit odd now, but yes, people bought metres of cloth to give away to their near and dear ones). A trip to the famed Murshid Bazar was also a must for spices, so was a visit to the gold souk. 
The 39-storey World Trade Centre was the tallest building in Dubai. It was the first skyscraper on Shaikh Zayed Road. Formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1979, and constructed by Bernard Sunley & Sons, it was popularly known as the Sunley building and one could spot the magnificent tower from a great distance. The Hilton Hotel which was built adjacent to the Trade Centre was a popular haunt for residents.
There was only one English language television channel in Dubai, and it used to broadcast from late afternoon until 10pm. The only exception was Thursday nights when Channel 33 used to air a Hindi film after the 10pm news.  It was a much-awaited affair for Asian expats because Thursday night was the only night they could stay up late as most companies had a 6-day work week. Then on Friday, the channel would start broadcast early afternoon with cartoons and children's films.
It was common to spot camels walking alongside the highway whenever you  were driving to another emirate or in the city's outskirts . Soon as you left the city limits you would see sandy patches for miles and there were no barriers to keep animals from straying on to the road. So, whenever you were driving on the highway, especially after sunset, you had to keep an eye out for camels. Many drivers in the past have had disastrous encounters  where either man or animal would get fatally injured, not to mention the vehicle.
There were two open-air cinemas, one in Satwa, known as Andalus Cinema, and the other, Rex, a drive-in cinema on Al Khawaneej Rd. You could carry your own dinner to the movies or else you would have to buy refreshments from ushers who would ply the aisles. Hindi movies were very popular and well attended, and Hollywood releases were far and  few. The Al Nasr Cinema next to the Al Nasr Club was a popular haunt, where on some days, you could watch two movies on one ticket. Plaza, Strand, Deira and Al Shaab were also as popular.
michael@khaleejtimes.com