Our World: Unsafe Work Practises

There are hundreds of iron works shops around Jeddah, all producing things like railings, fences, doors, and window coverings.  It is rare to see workers using any type of safety equipment, like safety goggles or gloves or even proper work shoes. 

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Decked Out Supermarket

There are two recognized holidays in Saudi Arabia called Eid and both holidays are religious.  Many businesses and all government offices close.  People visit with family and eat too much.   The red, white and blue banners hung on this fresh produce section of a supermarket is a very typical holiday decor for Eid celebrations. 

Mosque in Gas Station Plaza

There are mosques in every neighborhood, every few blocks here in Jeddah.  From our rooftop, we can probably hear the calls to prayer from at least 10 different nearby mosques.  Muslims are required to pray five daily prayers at specific times and all businesses are required to close during those prayer times, which makes it really inconvenient for non-Muslim customers.  Businesses stay closed for about 30 minutes to an hour for each prayer.  This funky looking minaret indicates that there is a mosque located somewhere in this business plaza.  It's probably just a small prayer room for workers in the immediate area, but nonetheless it's nice that there is a space made available specifically for workers to pray.

SkyWatch: Beach Pool

This is the pretty scene out at one of Jeddah's beach resorts north of the city that caters to Jeddah's working expats.  You can see the Red Sea beyond the umbrellas in the center of the photo.



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Intricate Carved Arches

Intricately carved arches at the Tayebat Museum in Jeddah.  The museum features traditional Hijazi style architectural details.

Jeddah Restaurant Complex

I love this interior of the restaurant complex called Teatro Mall here in Jeddah.   It houses Outback Steakhouse,The Noodle House, and others.

Our World: Confusing

I'm always taken aback by the confusing mixed signals I see in displays such as this here in Saudi Arabia.  The model's faces are completely blurred out in this advertisement for sexy women's lingerie. 

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Roshan: Saudi Window Covering

Charmed.  At Tayebat Museum in Jeddah.

Jeddah: Apartment Building Construction

I've noticed that most apartment buildings are built in generally the same way.  To me these building all look like long railroad cars lined up side to side and then stacked on top for as many floors as the building has.  There is really not much creativity that has gone into the design at all. 

Typical Saudi Coffee Table

This is what a typical traditional Saudi coffee table might look.  Saudis are known for their hospitality.

SkyWatch: Inside a Compound

Inside the walls of Jeddah's residential compounds where working expats live, it usually doesn't look like the rest of the city at all - with lush tropical vegetation of palm trees and bougainvillea and other flowers.  Compounds are walled in with security guards on duty 24 hours a day.  Many also have barbed wire on top of the high walls and an obstacle course roadway one must drive through to enter the compound. 


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Half a Car on a Truck

This was rather a weird site on the streets of Jeddah one day...

Tayebat Museum Courtyard

An interior courtyard at Tayebat Museum is rich with traditional Hijazi architectural designs.

Our World: Jeddah Bakery Ovens

The bakeries here in Jeddah have huge fire ovens!  Saudis love their bread and there are so many types available.  All kinds of flat breads, loaves, cakes - you name it.  There are even gluten free items available here now. 

  


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Carters and OshKosh in Arabic

Here are the Arabic logos of Carter's and Oshkosh.  The shops are located in the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah.

Jeddah: Elegant Door

I love these beautiful intricately carved details on this wooden door, located at the Tayebat Museum in Jeddah. 

Mosque Street Scene

A very typical street scene in Jeddah featuring a mosque.  Notice the disabled / abandoned car on the left.  Jeddah has a huge problem with disabled and abandoned vehicles left sitting in the streets.  I think the problem would be alleviated if the owners of these vehicles were levied with big fines and also charged to have the vehicles towed away.  

SkyWatch: Jeddah Villa Courtyard

I always wonder what it looks like inside, behind the high villa walls here in Jeddah.  Sometimes I am lucky to get a glimpse through an open gate.  This villa has a lovely vibe to it, with lots of tropical plants and a garden area along the wall, a built in barbecue in the corner, an elevated terrace and a large tiled patio.

 

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King of Trucks

The king's photo appears everywhere here in Saudi Arabia.  Many businesses display enormous photos of the royals on the sides of their buildings to show their loyalty and respect.  It's common to see big rigs like this one with a tribute to the king visible on it as well. 

Jeddah: Mosaic Tile Fountain

This beautiful mosaic tile fountain is located in an interior courtyard of the Tayebat Museum in Jeddah. 

Our World: Saudi Arabia Censorship

Another example of censorship in Saudi Arabia - In a mall in Jeddah, this huge advertisement shows the woman's face on the left is blurred out while the man's and children's faces are not.  *sigh*

  


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Copper Teapot

Copper is my favorite metal, having grown up in Arizona in a copper mining country.  This shiny copper teapot really caught my eye.  The small brass one with the distinctive spout is called Dallah.

Glass Dome Ceiling

Dome shapes are incorporated into many overhead designs in architecture here in Saudi Arabia

Tommy Hilfiger in Arabic

All the world famous designer labels are available here in Saudi Arabia.  Many younger Saudis are very into looking good and being fashionable.  This mall offers a Tommy Hilfiger outlet.  

SkyWatch: Tayebat Mosque Minaret

This is one of several mosque minarets at Jeddah's beautiful and traditional Tayebat Museum

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Replica of Old Jeddah

This is a small part of a very large miniature replica of Old Jeddah at the Tayebat Museum.  The entire replica takes up the length of about half a block and features many mosques and traditional home designs. 

Jeddah: Atypical Minaret

This is a not a typical shape or design of a minaret.  It's rather unusual, in fact.

Our World: Jeddah's Abandoned Vehicles

In many of the empty lots in the middle of the city, one can see lots of abandoned vehicles.  All over the streets of Jeddah, you can see disabled and abandoned vehicles.  This problem has existed for many years.  The number of these unsightly cars increases every time it rains.  Because of poor city planning and no drainage system, there is severe flooding when it rains.  People die.  It's a mess.  Thank goodness it doesn't rain very often here, but even so, the city shouldn't flood and people shouldn't die every time it rains.

See the cat paw prints on the abandoned vehicle in the center?  Who knows how long this car has been left sitting there, taking up valuable parking space in a city where parking is always such a problem.  Building continues at a rapid pace here but parking always seems to be an after thought.  According to this recent newspaper article, more than 17,000 abandoned vehicles were removed from the city streets of Jeddah in 2015, yet it continues to be an enormous problem. 

This vehicle has been parked in this residential area just one block away from a major mall for a very long time.  It's covered in dust, has broken windows, and flat tires.  I found dozens of articles about the problem of abandoned vehicles in Jeddah, dating back to 2009.  One of the more interesting articles was from January 2012 and featured abandoned luxury cars like Rolls Royce and Bentleys.

   


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Coffee House: Arab Scene with Dallah

This is a very traditional Arab hospitality scene with cushions, Arab architectural design details, and a pretty Dallah teapot.  This was taken inside a traditional Saudi cafe in Jeddah.  Conversation is a very big part of Saudi society, and tea, coffee, and juice are always offered to guests.  Arabic coffee is called "Gahwa," and actually contains very little coffee in it.  One of the main ingredients in Gahwa is cardamom.  Gahwa is traditionally served in very tiny cups without handles.

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 "Coffee House."  

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