Jeddah: Outdoor Restaurant

This is a very attractive and inviting outdoor eating area of a restaurant in Jeddah. 

Saudi Arabia: Starbucks in Arabic

Just like in the states, Starbucks are everywhere here in Saudi Arabia. 

Jeddah: Corner Villa

Outside details of a villa on a residential corner in Jeddah.   All private villas have large walls surrounding them for privacy.  I thought the tile design element on the left curved wall of the villa was an interesting choice because to me it looks like a cross, not a symbol one sees here in Saudi Arabia very much. 

Jeddah: A Problem all over the City

Empty lots within the city of Jeddah have become dumping grounds for trash and rubble.  It is a huge unsightly problem as well as a public health hazard.  Another related problem are the broken vehicles abandoned all over the city. 

SkyWatch: Parked in an Intersection

This photo shows one part of a huge intersection in Jeddah.  The white car to the left, the gray car in the center and the red car behind it are all parked in the middle of this very busy intersection.  Until recently there were no traffic lights in use at this intersection, where at least 20 lanes of traffic converge.

Jeddah: White Door

Metal doors like this one are commonly used in Jeddah for low income housing.  They are painted in a wide variety of colors.

Jeddah: Foot Locker in Arabic

Foot Locker: Another Western brand name store at the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah. 

Saudi Arabia: Modesty

Fulla dolls are modestly dressed fashion dolls and are very popular with young Saudi girls.  Many Fulla dolls are sold wearing the traditional Saudi black outer cloak that women wear called abayas. 

Sold on the shelf right next to the Fulla dolls were the above rather immodestly dressed dolls.  The doll on the right has her chest exposed because her top is not pulled up where it should be. 

Jeddah: Help Wanted

Shops that sell women's apparel are under the gun to hire Saudi saleswomen.  When I first moved to KSA in 2007, I never saw females working in retail positions at all - which meant that women were forced to purchase items such as intimate apparel and cosmetics from salesmen.  This was particularly ironic in this strictly gender segregated society where contact between unmarried men and women is strictly prohibited and where women must be covered in black from head to toe when out in public.  There are now new laws in place for businesses to replace male sales clerks with females in shops that cater to women customers. 

Jeddah: Angawi House Door Within a Door

Angawi House of Jeddah actually has a smaller door within the large main entryway door. 

Jeddah: Dress Shop Display

Dresses embellished with embroidery, beads, and other details are very popular with women in Saudi Arabia.  When out in public, women wear outer black cloaks called abayas over their normal clothing. 

Jeddah: Angawi House Pool

This is another interior shot of the indoor pool area at Angawi House in Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia: Gender Segregation

I thought this was an interesting shot to show the reality of the extreme gender segregation in Saudi Arabia. This picture shows a popular cafe in the Red Sea Mall, with the single males' section in the lower half of the photo.  The smaller women's/families' area is toward the top of the photo.  You can also clearly see the variety of clothing choices the men and children are wearing, while the women are all wearing black abayas.  The strict gender segregation is something I still haven't gotten used to in the five years I have lived in Saudi Arabia. 

Jeddah: Angawi House Stained Glass Windows

I love the shape and colors of these stained glass windows that are part of Angawi House in Jeddah.

Jeddah: (Wo)MEN in Black

Women shoppers at the Red Sea Mall are all dressed in black cloaks called abayas.  In Jeddah one is likely to see a few women wearing different colored abayas, although the vast majority still wear black. Saudi women generally cover their hair with scarves called hijab, and many also cover their faces with veils called niqab. 

Jeddah: Looking up at Angawi House

Angawi House interior shot.

Jeddah: Red Sea Mall Interior

There are countless shopping malls in Jeddah.  The Red Sea Mall is one of the most popular.  The huge mall has 18 entrances, a large food court and family entertainment area. 

Jeddah: Angawi House Seating Area

I love the mixture of patterns and textures that are everywhere in the Angawi House. 

Jeddah: Female Prayer Room Sign

Because Muslims are required to pray five times daily, many malls offer prayer rooms or have designated prayer areas for people to pray. There are always separate prayer areas for men and women.

Jeddah: Angawi House Indoor Pool

An indoor pool is one of the main features of the Angawi House of Jeddah.  The pool's floor is a gorgeous mosaic tile pattern that appears to be a Persian carpet design.

Jeddah: Mechanical Bull

A mechanical bull is not something one might expect to see in a place like Saudi Arabia.  But this one exists in the Iceland Mall on the corner of Sultan and Batterjee Streets.  I've never seen it in operation though...

Jeddah: Angawi House Ceiling

Attention to detail is the key to the beauty of the Angawi House in Jeddah.

Jeddah: King's Road Tower Lobby Interior

Jeddah's King Tower interior shot - an interesting combination of design elements and shapes.  The ultra-modern building was completed in 20122 and soars 34 floors into the sky.  The exterior sides on the north and south of the building house the world's largest LED screens (used for advertisements) and can be seen for miles away.  The LED screens have quickly made this building a well known landmark in the city of Jeddah. 

Jeddah: Angawi House Interior

This is an interior shot of Angawi House, the home of one of Jeddah's most famous architects, Dr. Sami Angawi. 

Jeddah: Saloon Turkey

Barbershops in Jeddah are called "saloons" instead of salons.  I still get a chuckle out of this after more than five years living in Saudi Arabia because of the connotation of "saloon" where I come from - which seems especially ironic in a place where alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited by law. 

SkyWatch: Spotlight on Jeddah

I really like this evening shot of a business area in Jeddah.  I hope you do too.

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.

Jeddah: Purple Neon

At night Jeddah comes to life with many buildings entirely lit up in neon. 

Jeddah: Moroccan Lamp

This beautiful Moroccan lamp hangs from the ceiling at Angawi House.  This month I am featuring various photos of details of Angawi House in Jeddah, a private residence conceived and created by Dr. Sami Angawi, a famous architect and activist of the region.  

Jeddah: Country Burger

A cowboy hat atop a burger is the logo for Country Burger of Jeddah.  The sign also indicates that the business serves BBQ.  BBQ and cowboy hats are not necessarily what comes to mind when one thinks of Saudi Arabia.  I've never tried their fare, but I hope I can check it out one of these days.

Facade: CDP Theme Day

This is the beautiful facade of the Angawi house, a private residence in Jeddah, which was built and is owned by Jeddah's most famous architect Dr. Sami Angawi.  Local stone and crushed coral were used for the main structure while detailing was accomplished with a variety of techniques and Middle Eastern design elements, such as the traditional wooden window coverings of Jeddah called "roshan." I'll be featuring other views of this magnificent home in future posts, so stay tuned.

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 are different themes that CDP members can participate in.  This month's theme is "Facade."  

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

Jeddah: Coach in Arabic

Jeddah: Michael Kors in Arabic

As with women the world over, shopping is the major pastime of many women who live in Saudi Arabia.  Many famous designers have stores in Jeddah. 

SkyWatch: Bubbles in the Air

Street vendors in Jeddah never cease to surprise me with the variety of items they have for sale.





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Goodies Display

In addition to being a fabulous restaurant, Goodies at the Stars Avenue Mall in Jeddah also has a terrific gourmet gift section. 

Goodies at Stars Avenue Mall

Interior shot of Goodies Restaurant at the Stars Avenue Mall.

Our World: Cafe Ceramique

I have found a new hobby - painting ceramics.  Cafe Ceramique is located in the Stars Avenue Mall in Jeddah and offer a wide selection of unpainted ceramics that customers can paint themselves. 

I painted the above camel and the magic lamp below.  What do you think?

Cafe Ceramique also offers food and drinks and is a great place to spend quality fun time with the family. For more information, call Cafe Ceramique at Stars Avenue Mall at 02-275-4668




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.

Jeddah's Stars Avenue Mall

Jeddah: Huge Incense Burners

Until I moved to Saudi Arabia, I never knew that incense burners were made in sizes larger than life.  These huge incense burners are seen everywhere here.  Many businesses have them outside their entrances and they are often equipped with smaller incense burners on top to burn the actual incense in.

Attention Getting Storefront

SkyWatch: Jeddah's Yellow Mosque

This is a newer mosque in the city of Jeddah.  It is painted a bright yellow, which is rather unusual - but it makes it easy to identify and spot!




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Coming to Life

Jeddah seems to come to life at the end of the day when the lights starts coming on.  It changes the whole atmosphere of the city. 

Jeddah Sculpture: Engineer's Tools

Jeddah is the home to many large and unusual sculptures which grace the city's landscape.  Many of these sculptures are being repaired, refurbished, and relocated.  Many of the sculptures were originally placed in the center of large roundabouts - a nice idea at the time, but with the city's phenomenal growth, these traffic circles have proven to be disastrous for traffic flow and safety.  So the roundabouts are all being removed and replaced with overpasses to help with Jeddah's horrible traffic congestion.  This sculpture is still standing in its original spot on a huge roundabout, but I would imagine there are plans in the future to move it.  It is called "Engineer's Tools."