Jeddah: Dental Clinic

One of Jeddah's dental clinics.

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.

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.  

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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Jeddah: Neighborhood Construction

Another mosque minaret (I have a thing for them!) rising up from behind a building under construction.

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.  

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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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.  

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.

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.  

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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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.

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.

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.





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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.  

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?

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.  

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?

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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.

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...

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.




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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.  

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.

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.


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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.  

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.  

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."




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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.

Jeddah: Colorful Storefront

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

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."