Sunday, October 30, 2016

Jeddah: Unusual Architecture


Unusual architectural design is very common in Jeddah's modern office buildings.  This is just one small section of a building that spans a couple of full blocks.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Jeddah: Familiar Logos


Well known chains like Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins Ice Cream are often found right next door to each other here in Jeddah.  

Friday, October 28, 2016

SkyWatch: Jeddah Business in a Villa


This looks like it was once a villa, but it has been turned into some kind of business.  Many women's salons and photography studios are housed in villas that used to be residences.



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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Saudi Arabia: Always a Mosque Close By


Every few blocks one can always find a mosque closeby in Jeddah.  Every neighborhood has at least one nearby mosque, if not a choice between two or three.  Even when traveling out in the middle of the desert, there are roadside areas designated for prayer every few miles.  The white villa in this photo is home to one family, while the other is actually a duplex.  

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Our World: Cell Phones and Driving


While new laws in Saudi Arabia require vehicle occupants to wear seatbelts and prohibit use of cell phones while driving, unfortunately many drivers continue their bad and dangerous habits.




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Monday, October 24, 2016

Jeddah: Architecture


Architecturally speaking, Jeddah has some very unusual modern buildings.  Many of the buildings feature blue reflective glass (or other colors), curves, cement, and steel - with one of a kind architectural details.  

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Jeddah: Business Signs


I'm always fascinated with the business signs here in Jeddah.  Many are written in both English and Arabic, but others just have Arabic.  I have been told that there is a law that business signs here cannot be only in English.  Many of the signs that are only in Arabic often have graphics which show what type of business it is, but not always.  I've posted several times about the VIP phenomenon used frequently in this country, and you can see that on the blue sign with yellow and white Arabic script, the only thing written in English is "VIP."

The business sign that really stands out in this photo is the super-colorful one with the banners hanging down at the bottom of the sign.  Those festive banners are commonly used for holidays in this area of the world.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Jeddah: Gardenia Inn


The Gardenia Hotel is a typical family style hotel in Jeddah.  It is a fairly large building and is located just south of the airport, close to the Mall of Arabia.  

Friday, October 21, 2016

Skywatch: Mosque and Minaret


All too often the area of Jeddah that I live in does not have very pretty skies due to all the dust in the air from construction.  I was pleased with the sky and clouds on this particular day though.




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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Jeddah: 5 Riyals Store


In the USA, we have Dollar Stores, where all stocked items are sold for $1.00.  Here in Saudi Arabia, we have the 5 Riyals Stores, where everything costs 5 riyals, which is roughly $1.25.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Jeddah: Welcoming Gate


I'm attracted to gates and doorways no matter where I am in the world.  This one caught my eye.  I think the vegetation adds a lot to its appeal.  All private villas here have tall walls and gates for privacy.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Our World: Construction Zone


It looks messy, and I'm not really sure what this guy is doing sitting in the middle of it all.  It's not the most clear picture (it's hard to get a great focus when zooming past in a vehicle), but I rather liked the composition  of this photo and thought the man sitting there made it more interesting.





Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Jeddah: Domino's Pizza


Domino's Pizza chain has many branches here in Saudi Arabia.  Most restaurants here in KSA, even fast food restaurants, deliver since women still are not allowed to drive.  

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Jeddah: Look Up


I looked up inside a local Asian restaurant here in Jeddah and really liked what I saw - very modern and clean looking, don't you think?

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Jeddah: Sunlight on Golden Glass


My favorite time for photographing is the end of the day.  The sunlight can make some pleasing effects on buildings then.  This is a newer Holiday Inn Hotel.  I like the way the sun lights the golden glass of the front of the building.  

Friday, October 14, 2016

Skywatch: Construction During and After


I've been interested in this building since construction began on it more than a year ago.  I'm always curious to see what types of materials will be used in the product.  Many apartment buildings like this designate the lower first or second floors for businesses.  



Below is the finished building.  I rather like the blue windows against the terra cotta colored tiles. And the white accents around the windows really set them off nicely too.  What do you think?



To  visit MORE friendly skies around the world, fly on over to SKYWATCH  where you’ll find beautiful skies posted by bloggers all over the world.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Jeddah: Architectural Style


The architectural styles of Jeddah run the gamut, from old and decaying, to modern glass structures, and everything in between.  Circular shapes are really popular here too.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Jeddah Intersection Advertising


Jeddah, too, has these huge TV screens that run advertising at the busiest intersections of the city. Does anyone in the world actually pay any attention to the ads?  I think these and giant billboards are such an eyesore...

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Our World: Saudi Arabia License Plate



License plates in Saudi Arabia have both Arabic and English letters and numbers.  Ironically, it was the Arabs / Asians who invented the numbers used in the west which are actually called Arabic numerals (Western).  Yes, our " 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 " system is the most widely used numeric system in the world, however the Arabs use a different version of numbers called Eastern Arabic numbers.

I wonder how many Americans or other westerners actually know that the numbers they use every day originated in this part of the world.




Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Jeddah Villa: Unusual Architecture


This is a villa in Jeddah with very unusual architectural details.  From the outer gate to the two story entryway, I don't think I have ever seen another design like this one.  

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Saudi Arabia: Banner for the King


Another enormous banner which covers a large part of the building and features the rulers of Saudi Arabia - Businesses and businessmen trying to earn favor with the king.

Friday, October 7, 2016

SkyWatch: Jeddah Tunnel Traffic


The dismantling of Jeddah's huge traffic circles at major intersections is still ongoing.  They have been and are being replaced with underpasses and bridges in an effort to alleviate extreme traffic congestion.  Personally, I believe this action is coming about twenty years late, and in my mind, traffic is still as bad as ever.


To  visit MORE friendly skies around the world, fly on over to SKYWATCH  where you’ll find beautiful skies posted by bloggers all over the world.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Jeddah Outdoor Activities Area


I'm seeing more and more public outdoor areas where people can walk and exercise out in the open around the city. These aren't really what I would call parks.  Many of these outdoor activities areas are popping up on the traffic islands on wide boulevards of the city.  It's still a bit warm for me here, but with winter around the corner I'm sure I'll be seeing more and more people out enjoying the weather.  

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Jeddah: Arabic Business Signs


I still can't read Arabic so unless the business signs have English or pictures of the type of business it is, I'm at a loss.  

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Our World: Jeddah Business Logo


It's not hard for an American to figure out what this logo says in Arabic when one reads the tagline, "Better Ingredients.  Better Pizza."




Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Jeddah's Modern Malls


Jeddah is overrun with mega malls, and new ones are being built all the time.  Many of them have entertainment centers where children can enjoy amusement park rides.  Most malls have many of the same shops and chains see at your local mall, wherever you may live.  Weekends are jam packed with families, as you can imagine.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Jeddah: Colorful Storefront


This bold and colorful storefront is also quite busy with graphics all over the store windows as well.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

CDP Theme Day: Abandoned


Abandoned vehicles are a huge problem all over Saudi Arabia.  Disabled and wrecked cars are left sitting along the streets of cities, in vacant lots, or out in the middle of the desert along the roadside.


It is a problem that I have written about many times.  What a blight on the desert landscape and an unpleasant eyesore for our cities!


While there are junkyards outside the cities, thousands of abandoned vehicles litter the streets and take up valuable parking spaces in larger cities.


This problem is one of my pet peeves of life here in Saudi Arabia.  It seems as though no one else seems to care although I did read an article about an attempted clean up last year but it really didn't seem to make much of a difference.


Jeddah in particular has a serious problem of abandoned vehicles due to the fact that any time it rains here - which is not very often at all - it floods, disabling and damaging many vehicles in the process.


My suggestion is to heavily fine the owners of these abandoned vehicles.  It may not completely alleviate the problem, but I think it will cut down tremendously on it.

Today is the first of the month, which means it's theme day for City Daily Photo bloggers.  City Daily Photo is an online community of photo bloggers from around the world,  sharing the wonders of their area of the world pictorially with others.  Each month there is a different theme.  This month's theme is "Abandoned."

Please visit the City Daily Photo portal to view other participants' entries for today's theme day of "Abandoned."