Bershka in Arabic

Scene from a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  

Sweets in Saudi

There seems to be a lot more sweets shops and bakeries here in Saudi Arabia than I've noticed back home in the US.  Saudis definitely like their sweets!  From cookies to cakes, from macaroons to donuts, from baklava to fruit tarts - you can find it all here.  

Resort Like Living - in the Compound

One of the draws for many workers from other countries is the lifestyle offered here in Saudi Arabia. Many expats live in compounds, which are walled-in communities where life is quite different from outside its wall.  Women do not have to wear the abaya inside the compound walls and in some compounds, women can even drive.  

Many compounds have resort-like swimming pool areas, exercise classes, tennis courts, bowling alleys, golf courses, restaurants, beauty salons, theaters, and grocery stores. They also offer easier access to transportation and a variety of events to keep residents as busy as they want to be.  

Mall Merry Go Round

One of the smallest merry-go-rounds I've ever seen - at a local Jeddah mall.  Just about every mall in Saudi Arabia has an entertainment area for children.  Malls are packed on the weekends and during school breaks.

Saudi Boy's Traditional Wear

Above:  Traditional Saudi boy's wear.  Awkward headless mannequins wearing headgear on their shoulders.

Traditional Saudi men's clothing store.  On the left is a sample of more formal men's wear, for weddings or special occasions.  

Our World: Supermarket Bakery

Bread here in Saudi Arabia is one of the most inexpensive products in the country.  I have been told that there is a government subsidy for flour so the lower prices for products containing flour are passed on to the consumers.

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Incense Shop

Stores that sell only incense and incense burners are plentiful here in Saudi Arabia.  It's quite a big business here.  

Lavender Nightgown

The irony ... of seeing things like this in Saudi Arabia.

XL Men Sizes in KSA

I've never seen XL mannequins before, so I was surprised to see them in several shop windows for large men's clothing at the Hera'a International Mall in Jeddah.

SkyWatch: Compound Pool

Many of the residential compounds in Saudi Arabia for expat workers from foreign countries afford a resort living lifestyle for its residents.  Female residents can wear whatever they wish inside the walls of the compound and can even drive vehicles in some.

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Claire's in Arabic

Another well known worldwide chain that also has locations here in Saudi Arabia: Claire's!

Traditional Saudi Men's Wear

You may have seen photos of Saudi royalty or dignitaries dressed in this type of clothing.  But do you know what each piece of clothing is called?

The white flowing robe with the gold trim worn over the white dress (Thobe) is called Bisht.  It comes in other colors too, like black, brown, or gold.

The red and white checkered scarf which is folded into a triangle shape and then draped over the head is called Shemagh.  The plain white one is called Ghotra or Ghutra.

The black hoop worn over the shemagh to keep it in place is called Egal.

The plain white dress worn underneath is Thobe.  

Our World: Swords and Scarves

Accessorize!  Traditional men's clothing stores in Saudi Arabia usually always also sell the swords which are part of the total look for formal occasions, like weddings.

 


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.

KFC in Arabic

The familiar face of Colonel Sanders is also familiar here in Saudi Arabia.  

Jeddah: Yellow Villas

Real estate here in Saudi Arabia seems to be quite a bit higher than in the US, especially the cost of raw land.  It is very difficult for many young couples to afford to purchase a home.  The Saudi government does provide some assistance to those who qualify for it, however land prices are exorbitant  Jeddah has grown by leaps and bounds, with the northern beach area really booming and consequently driving up prices.  

Street Walking in Jeddah

I like the turquoise shop doors and the open arch shaped cutouts at the roofline of this building.  

SkyWatch: Impressive Mosque

This mosque is not on a main street of Jeddah.  We stumbled across it while we were out walking in an unfamiliar neighborhood one day.  Quite impressive!



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.

Bath & Body Works in Arabic

Not much to say - just enjoy seeing this familiar store's logo in Arabic!

Blue Door

I find a certain beauty in the rusty old metal doors all over the city of Jeddah.  

Our World: Fur Vest - Under the Abaya?

It's surprising to see things that are for sale here that I would never imagine buying here...

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.

Typical Saudi Street Scene

I just love scenes like this - taken in front of a business on a busy street of Jeddah.  

Arabic Design Elements

This pretty geometric design is very typical in Saudi architecture.  The keyhole shape is also another element common in Saudi design.  These appear on the outside walls of a wedding hall here in Jeddah.  

Pizza Hut Delivery in Arabic

Jeddah has local Pizza Hut Delivery hubs in various neighborhoods around the city.  Does this one look similar to the one in your area?

SkyWatch: Quiet Sunrise Moment

A quiet and peaceful scene in north Jeddah as the sun sets on one of the thousands of mosques in the kingdom



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Lovely Entrance

I'm not sure but I believe this gate is at a local school.  It's rather attractive, don't you think?

Friendly Salesman

Sometimes when it's slow at work, salesmen try to attract customers to come inside...

Our World: Domino's in Arabic

We even have Domino's Pizza here in Jeddah!

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.

Layla's Restaurant Decor

These are interior shots of Layla's Gourmet Restaurant, a charming and cozy lovely little restaurant in Jeddah.

Theme Day: Smell - Basil on the Street

It was a pleasant surprise to stumble across this healthy fragrant bush of basil growing outside a building in Jeddah.  Someone must obviously be tending to it otherwise it would die from lack of water wince it rarely rains here.

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 "Smell."

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