Jeddah: Stately Villa Gate

Many of the villa gates of Jeddah stand out and make a statement.  They range from grand to flamboyant to stately to fancy and on and on.  This one has the sides and topper made of beautiful thick marble which matches the walls.  I always wonder about the gates with a topper over them like this one though.  A larger moving truck possibly wouldn't be able to fit through this gate's opening, so I wonder about the practicality.

Inside a Jeddah Mall

From the upper level, this view is of a common area in a local Jeddah mall. 

SkyWatch: Interestingly Tiled Villa

The darker tones of the tiles covering this villa are an unusual choice for Jeddah's hot climate.  The variation of the tile colors make this residence really stand out.



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Jeddah: Walkway to Beach

This walkway leads to a beautiful beach on Jeddah's northern coastline.

Jeddah: Restaurant Interior

This is the charming decor of a nice Italian restaurant named Porto Cervo here in Jeddah.  Great food, charming staff, and lovely ambiance.

Our World: Women Praying in Mall

A sight that always intrigues me here is people praying in public.  Large groups of men will gather in certain areas on the streets and sidewalks to pray, often using prayer rugs that are just provided for anyone who needs to pray.  Many malls have separate prayer rooms for both men and women.  In this particular mall, I know that there is a prayer room for women, but I often see women praying in the bathrooms or in the common areas of the mall.

  


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Watermelons

Street vendors sell all kinds of fruits and vegetables in the open.  At prayer times, many just leave their goods out in the open while they go to pray at a nearby mosque. 

Jeddah: Mosaic Beach Path

Here is another walkway that leads to a beautiful beach in northern Jeddah.  I love the mosaic tile and the variety of colors.

Jeddah: Cute Toy Shop

This cute little toy shop located in a Jeddah mall is packed to the gills with delightful gifts for kids.

SkyWatch: Thatched Paradise

Thatch umbrellas provide shade at one of Jeddah's lovely beach resorts.



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SkyWatch: Saudi Street Scene

This is a typical Saudi street scene.  Men can be seen wearing traditional clothing or modern western clothing, while women in public always appear in abayas, the long flowing cloak that Saudi women wear.


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Jeddah: Arabic Calligraphy Sign

This Arabic style of calligraphy features a horizontal line across the bottom of most letters. 

Jeddah: Waad Academy

This is a model of the brand new Waad Academy in Jeddah, It just opened this past fall and consists of separate facilities for girl and boy students in grades K2 through 8.  I think the design is genius and quite impressive.  This state of the art school hopes to address many of the problem areas of the Saudi education system, combining heart, mind, and body to the learning process.   For more information about the Waad Academy in Jeddah, CLICK HERE. 

 

Our World: Sexy Saudi Ladies Clothing

Another shop window display featuring clothing one might not expect to see in Saudi Arabia.  This type of clothing might be worn at private parties (ladies only) or for a woman's husband in the privacy of their own home. 

 


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Jeddah: Butcher Shop

This butcher shop incorporates graphics into its sign along with the Arabic script.  This writing has a lighter feel to it  and almost has movement.
Correction:  This is actually Urdu script.  Thanks to the readers who corrected me on that.  

Arabic Business Sign Calligraphy

I like this style of Arabic calligraphy font that announces this business.  It's clean and crisp. 

Jeddah Business Arabic Script

This graceful Arabic script adorns a sweets shop in Jeddah.

SkyWatch: Jeddah Villa Gate Welcome

A Jeddah villa gate with Arabic script above it, saying something religious.


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Arabic Calligraphy

Over the next few days, I will feature different styles of Arabic calligraphy.  Arabic script is so beautiful - like an art unto itself.  I hope you will enjoy the various fonts I will post in the coming days.  Arabic is written right to left, the opposite of English.
In this photo, you can clearly see two different calligraphy styles, one in orange on the sign above the business, and the other at the top of the building. The orange script is very graceful and curvy, while the font at the top is more regimented and angular.

Our World: Ladies Section of Bank

Gender segregation is taken to an extreme here in Saudi Arabia.  The other day I showed you the Family Entrance at a Red Lobster Restaurant.  Today's post features a local Jeddah investment bank that has an entirely separate Ladies Section.

 


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Saudi Gold

Gold is one of the things that many expats like to purchase while here in Saudi Arabia.  The actual gold content is usually at least 21K - much higher than many places around the world.  The gold is sold by weight.  There are many gold souks here.

Saudi Arabia: Ice Cream Truck

Yes, there are ice cream trucks in Saudi Arabia too!  I love the bubble gum pink color of this one.

Jeddah: Red Lobster Family Entrance

Restaurants in Saudi Arabia generally have an entrance and eating section for families and another separate entrance and eating area for single men.  Strict gender segregation is part of the culture here, and it is one of the things that bothers me most about life here.  It is unnatural, and after 8 years here, I still haven't gotten used to it or grown to like it at all.

I personally happen to feel that the severe gender segregation in Saudi Arabia causes more problems than it is trying to prevent - as a result, many men have no idea how to behave themselves around women, harassing them, calling them nasty names, and saying inappropriate things.  There is also a very high divorce rate here - many young men and women have an unrealistic idea of relationships and marriage and many couples do not really know one another very well when they marry.  The gender segregation also seems to promote homosexuality, a reality which Saudi Arabia prefers to deny the existence of.

Peace Out, Man!

I love seeing Saudi people acting so normal, when all too often the rest of the world doesn't necessarily see them  as just normal people.

Dallah - Saudi Teapots

The graceful Saudi teapots are called Dallah.  They come in a variety of different metals, like steel, copper, or brass.  The distinctive features of the dallah are the graceful exaggerated spout, the long handle, and the finial top.  Many also have beautiful detailing and decorative touches.  The dallahs are mainly used to serve drinks, such as tea and coffee. 

Traditional Saudi Dress

Traditional Saudi dress for women incorporates Bedouin design elements of geometric shapes and bright colors. 

Jeddah: Abandoned Cars

The problem of abandoned cars continues to plague Jeddah.  As if the rubble and trash everywhere wasn't enough of a blight on this city that has so much potential, abandoned cars covered in dust detract greatly from Jeddah's aesthetic appeal.  Disabled and wrecked vehicles can be seen all over the city, and no one seems to care or do anything about it.  They take up valuable parking places in a city that has far too few to begin with, and they are a public health hazard and a glaring eyesore.

Our World: Saudi Arabia - Recruiting Religious Cadets

The Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vices (or CPVPV, also known as religious police) is a branch of the Saudi government charged with enforcing morality on its citizens and places of business.  Their various duties include seeing that inappropriate gender mixing is thwarted and making sure that men and women are modestly attired (dress code enforcement).  They can also be seen in malls and business establishments rounding up men to pray when it is prayer time.  There is also a special department which deals with witchcraft. 

This photo was taken at the annual education fair in Riyadh, which attracts universities and other institutions of higher learning from all over the world to try to recruit students for their facilities.  The CPVPV actively recruits young men to join their team in fighting immorality in Saudi Arabia.  You can read more about the religious police by CLICKING HERE. 

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Saudi Arabia: Surprising Shop Window

This is not exactly what one might expect to see in shop windows in such a conservative and oppressed country like Saudi Arabia.  To be fair, this shop is located in a female only section of a big mall in Riyadh.  Obviously there is a market for this type of thing in Saudi Arabia too. 

Saudi Doors as Art

These are old traditional Saudi objects that have been turned into modern art forms.  The incense burner in the left front and three sizes of Dallah (Saudi teapots) have all been mounted onto lovely decorated bases, while the Dallah on the left has been beautifully framed.  The miniature versions of traditional geometrically painted Saudi doors have transformed into gorgeous art, appropriate for hanging on the wall.  The studded frames around them really enhance the beauty of the doors.  Any of these would make lovely gifts, don't you think?

Happy New Year - City Daily Photo

Today's post revisits my choice for my favorite photo of this past year.  Even though the quality is not the best on this photo of The Illuminated Globe, it is still one of my favorite sights in Jeddah.  Since most of my photos are taken from a moving car whizzing by, it is difficult to set photos up and get pics in focus, especially at night.   Public art in the form of sculptures is a very prominent feature of this city, with priceless works of art by world renowned artists dominating the landscape. 

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 that CDP members can participate in.  This month's theme is "Favorite Photo of the Year."  

Please visit the City Daily Photo portal to view other participants' entries for today's theme day of "Favorite Photo of the Year."  I'm sure this month's entries should be worth a visit.  Happy New Year!