Video transcript:

Deira. Deera. Dayr. Dere.

Deira, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Yorkshire

Deira was a kingdom in Northern England between 559-664 AD which probably emerged when Anglian warriors conquered the Derwent Valley. It was the southern of the two kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia which later merged to form the kingdom of Northumbria.

Deira, an area in the traditional centre of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai, the most cosmopolitan city in the Gulf. It is a city of absolute. Most vital, most sophisticated, most enterprising and with its mixture of modernity and tradition, many would describe at as the most attractive.

It is one of the biggest financial centres in the Middle East and the flow of money is as free and regular as the tidal waters of the creek.

The sea was and is the reason for Dubai’s commercial prosperity. The creek is a pocket of colourful bustle in a city that is always bustling. It cuts through the heart of the city.

Cargo flowed through Dubai Creek to regional areas such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, India and as far afield as East Africa.

On its sundancing golden ripples, the abra, tiny water taxis chug from side to side carrying passengers past huge big belly dhows.

Taking a trip on an Abra is an unforgettable experience for locals and tourists alike. Boarding was a ritual with greetings exchanged, 25 Fils handed over together with instructions on where you wanted to go.

Boatmen were all older local Arabs, usually thin and wiry with muscles as a taut as piano wire.

Much of the social life of the city revolves around the hotels. They provide an enormity of entertainment and visitors walking down Al Maktoum Street have been staggered to spot faces more familiar to Shaftesbury Avenue in London’s West End.

Hotel Guests and Residents enjoyed uninterrupted views across Dubai Creek.

The dark wood pub-like bar at the Carlton Hotel had medieval shields as decoration which seemed out of place in 1974 Dubai.

The Moaners, an all girl band played at American Service Bases in Europe, at the beginning of the 1970s . They came from Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Poland, Germany and Ireland. Their German agent offered them a choice of work in  Vietnam, Ethiopia or Dubai. The first two had wars so the band chose Dubai as being safer!

An all girls Band in 1970s Dubai soon attracted a lot of local young men to watch them perform at the hotel. Some began offering all sorts of riches to go out with them.

The Hyatt Regency was the centre piece for Dubai's 1981 Motor Grand Prix.

The biggest motor racing event ever to hit the Arabian Gulf with racing cars and classic cars taking part, it was described as "a potent mixture of razzmatazz and pizazz and racing nostalgia with a certain amount of competition thrown in".

When the idea of racing was first introduced, the locals thought we were talking about camel racing. We got permission to call it the Dubai Grand Prix to make people realise it's a motor car racing event.

Al Nasr Square was named in honour of Gamal Abdul Nasr then Ruler of Egypt. Today it is called Bani Yas Square. The square was always busy with Dubai's Traders selling goods to sailors from the many dhows moored in Dubai Creek.

Jashanmal was Dubai's first Department Store and its pioneering retailers.
Yashica cameras, Clarks boots, Elizabeth Arden cosmetics, these brands and many more were brought to Dubai by Jashanmal in the 1950s and sold from his original Store located in Deira Square. Everybody came to Al Nasr Square for shopping, even from Abu Dhabi.

Al Watan Cinema (National Cinema) an open air and Dubai's first Cinema was located next to Jashanmal . It was demolished in the 1970s to make way for new developments.

Unlike today, Nasr Square was the end of the city then. The cinema was next to a cemetery and there were no bridges or tunnels that connected Deira and Dubai. The only transportation was the abra, but this did not stop people from attending the movies.

The cluster of Windtowers which always reminded me of my home town Oxford. Windtowers were the same colour as Cotswold Stone and had a similar silhouette to the Oxford Colleges.

These traditional homes were removed during 1969-70 as part of their modernisation programme. Almost all were demolished to make way for apartment blocks, commercial buildings and houses. Their historical value was recognised in the 1980s.

The clock was given as a gift to Sheikh Rashid by his new son-in-law to replicate Doha's existing Clocktower. The Clocktower's actual Clock is reported as having been purchased in Manchester which then had a tradition of clock and watch making. The Clock Tower would be both a roundabout filler and an emblem at this important intersection as the other roads would in time be surfaced.

Deira was home to many of Dubai's first apartment blocks.

Sheikh Rashid created a welcoming environment that encouraged Expatriates to bring their families to live in Dubai. Soon those families were inviting family and relations they had left back home to come to Dubai for a holiday. Over time an increasing number of Grannies, Grandpas and family members traveled to Dubai. They did not need hotels. Their "hotel" room was the guest bedroom in their Dubai family's house. "Granny Flights" became a seasonal feature at Dubai International Airport.

Welcome to Dubai. Despite the limited time you have here. This morning we will take you on a short tour, during which you will see a variety of aspects of life here . The town centres around the Creek which forms both its commercial and visual heart ; in fact the Creek is the reason for the existence of the town and still plays a vital part in its economy.

For those who do not find the heat too oppressive, there will be an opportunity to cross the creek on a small water taxi which will give you a unique view of the city.

You will also see some fine modern architecture as your journey round the city.

The comparisons between old and the new are numerous and unavoidable. They become inevitable basically because what is old is not very old and what is new is ultra modern. And it all happened in a such very short time.

By adopting only the better aspects of the western way of life and combining them with those of the Arab world, Dubai has found some of the attributes of a modern utopia.

The essence of Dubai is in the huge office blocks, in the sea going dhows and in the banks and in the homes and in the mosques. It’s everywhere and in everything.

The traditional dhows that called Dubai Creek their home for years will have to shift their base as the new wharfage begins operations which will allow more than 450 dhows to berth at a time has been developed.

According to Saleem, a sailor, who has been sailing to Dubai on traditional dhows for the past 20 years,

“Authorities have given us a deadline until early next year to move the operations to the new facility. I have been coming here for 20 years and I will miss this place. But the new place is not too far. In fact it is closer to the fish market from where we can buy the foodstuff.”

The Creek will be redeveloped as a tourist hub once the dhows move to the new wharfage.

Deira will be restored and revamped to showcase Dubai’s rich history and Emirati heritage in three years. The project will create new cultural and commercial opportunities and ultimately attract 12 million visitors to this historical district by 2020.

The changes include:

• Floating exhibits housed in traditional pearling and trade boats to retell the culture of the sea

• A Historic Square will be constructed for visitors to discover Dubai’s history through a series of installations and exhibits

• Daily light and sound productions will be projected on the old and new buildings on both sides of Dubai Creek

Aladdin City, a city of towers to be the icons of legends of the past with a touch of beauty and tourism characteristic of the city. It comes in the prime location of Dubai Creek maintaining the activities of the port heritage. The project is located outside the zone waiting to be registered with the World Heritage by Unesco,”

'Aladdin City' will add yet more enchantment to Dubai, whose mix of modern architecture to middle eastern design is heralded. The new initiative is to shift the perception of Dubai from a must-see city to a must-be-experienced city.

The symbolic content of the architectural form of the project buildings was inspired by the ancient legends from the 11th century, where vessels were sailed from Dubai Creek to the coast of East Africa, India and China. It may have been here where the tales of Sinbad and Aladdin came from.