SkyWatch: Jeddah's Beautiful Waterfront Park

Jeddah's Waterfront is one of the most popular areas of the city, attracting thousands on the weekends to enjoy being outdoors, the refreshing sea breezes, and the beauty of its natural surroundings.

The photography opportunities are endless, plus there is an ever growing abundance of restaurants to choose from if one is hungry.

At the Waterfront, there is a sense of serenity, calm and peace that washes over the soul with the gentle waves of the Red Sea.

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

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.

End of the Day on the Red Sea

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

Jeddah - Let's Play Chess!

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

Our World: Jeddah's First Movie Theater!

Last week I went to my first movie in an actual theater in Jeddah.  The brand new VOX Theater recently opened at the Red Sea Mall, and it is the first movie theater in Jeddah!  Tickets are purchased online or at the kiosk machines just outside the theater.

It was fitting and somewhat ironic that the very first movie I saw in a theater here was about women's rights - "On the Basis of Sex" about wonder woman and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. 

I was happy to see several Saudi women employed at the refreshments counter.  One suggestion I would have for the theater management is to provide more than one small seating area for those waiting for their movies. There is definitely not enough seating outside the theater in the lobby waiting area.  The seats inside the theater, however, are cushy and comfortable.  It was a fantastic theater experience.

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.

Misspellings and Awkward Grammar in Saudi Arabia

Having had Miss Mahoney, the best ever English teacher in middle school, plus being married to an English major, I am very attuned to misspellings and grammatical errors that I see here on menus, signs, and products.  This post contains a few photos of English missteps that I found amusing. 

Aside from never before seeing baby eels sold in a jar,  I chuckled when I noticed that this product label actually misspelled the main ingredient of "eels" as "ells."

This t-shirt sported a very awkward sounding phrase - "You don't yourself have to prove" - which sounded like something Yoda from Star Wars would say...

Below is a case of bad spelling on the actual sign for the business, where "Shoes" is spelled as "Shose."  It bothered my husband so much that he went inside to point it out to the manager, who was already aware of the faux pas.

Life and Culture in Jeddah

All on the same day, these three men agreed to pose for photos.  I'm not sure what nationalities they are, but I appreciate their willingness to let me take their pics.  Above was outside a small market.  I like the variety of colors and how the younger men in the background got a kick out of me taking the picture.

The above portrait is of a shopkeeper we visit frequently for nuts and seeds.  His tiny shop is packed to the gills from the floor to the ceiling with all kinds of products, like henna, spices, nuts, and perfume.

This old man just sat outside his electric shop while his younger employee attended to my husband, who was looking for special light bulbs.  Another itsy bitsy shop that was totally packed from the floor to the ceiling with product.

Jeddah - Lulu Department Store

I love this pic of a couple of smiling Lulu's employees standing in front of the "Customer Happiness Center."  Below are some photos of just some of the items available at the department store.  

These are prayer rugs with built in compasses so the user can figure out which direction to face for prayer, toward Mecca. 

Lulu's has a huge toy department with great selections for both boys and girls.  I even found some Fulla dolls wearing abaya and hijab!  Lulu also offers their own reusable shopping bags for purchase - plastic bags are a huge problem here in Saudi Arabia...

SkyWatch: Hollywood Nights on Jeddah's Waterfront

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

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 - A Saudi Bee-ing

I saw this cute T-shirt in a shop window at the Red Sea Mall.  The graphic is of a bee wearing sunglasses and the traditional Saudi men's headgear.  I would have bought it for my son but it was quite pricey for a T-shirt...

Yanbu Flowers Festival 2019 Scheduled

As usual, the dates for the 2019 annual Yanbu Flowers Festival are still murky at this point, but the event should be coming up soon.  The General Authority for Entertainment has put out the festival dates as running from Tuesday, March 14th through Saturday, April 8th, however other sites have differing information, starting as early as February 28 and ending March 30.  If I am able to confirm either way, I will let you know. 

The festival is free for all attendees and there are many nice places to stay in Yanbu.  Event timings are 4-11pm daily.  If you love flowers, you won't want to miss this colorful spectacle.  You can see my posts for lots more photos from some of the recent years festivals at these links:  Yanbu FF 2018 and Yanbu FF 2016.

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post from last years Flower Festival.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

Our World: WWE in Jeddah

Last April the WWE came to Saudi Arabia and put on a show for a mixed crowd of 60,000 men, women and children at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah.  That women were allowed to attend an event such as this was in itself historic.  Until recently, women were not permitted inside a sports stadium - period. 

Some of the WWE legends making an appearance in the first ever Greatest Royal Rumble 50-man event were:  John Cena, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Kalisto, Rey Mysterio, and many more.  For a video and more information about the results of the matches, CLICK HERE. 

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share these beautiful photos for today's post of this event which he attended.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

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 - Lulu Groceries

Lulu is a huge department store, much like SuperTarget in the US, except with a much larger grocery section.  One can find almost anything under the sun at Lulu.  Their fresh produce department is quite impressive. 

This is just a small part of the rice section, above.  Lulu also has a large deli section with a great selection of readymade dishes, such as salads adn casseroles. 

They also have a fabulous selection of fresh chilis, all kinds, all colors, all sizes.  Lulu's prices aren't bad either.

Jeddah - Saudi Hospitality

It's not unusual at events, gatherings, some businesses, and Saudi homes to be offered a small cup of hot gahwa upon your arrival.  Gahwa is Arabic coffee made with cardamom.  

Jeddah - Plugged in to Lulu Appliances

Maybe it's been too long siince I've been in the market for new small appliances, but I neer imagined I would see them in the array of assorted colors they come in now.  Lavendar, cerulean, and raspberry blenders?

These irons look more like sporty athletic shoes to me than they do useful appliances.  If you needed to get all new small appliances, would you want to have them all in one color or would you prefer having them in a variety of colors?

These fashion forward small appliances can be found at Lulu Hypermarket - a really fun supermarket / department store in Jeddah where you can find just about anything under the sun.    

SkyWatch: Jeddah Waves at Twilight

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Yahya for allowing me to share this beautiful photo for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ayaa1977

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's Ritz-Carton - The Ceilings!

The elegant and highly detailed ceilings of the Ritz-Carlton of Jeddah are different from room to room.  Many have magnificent chandeliers.  The intricate design elements of colors, textures and patterns are truly a work of art. 

Much of the decor style seems to be a mix of art deco with geometric Islamic patterns.  The results are breathtaking and spectacular.

For reservations or to see and learn more about this amazing hotel, CLICK HERE for the Ritz Carlton of Jeddah website.

Jeddah's Current Tallest Building

Headquarters Business Park is currently the official tallest building in Jeddah, measuring in at 240 meters (790 ft).  Another building in Jeddah is currently under construction however, and when it is finished in 2020, it will far surpass the JQ Business Park in height.  The Jeddah Tower is expected to become the tallest building in the world, at 1000 meters in height (3280 ft).  It will surpass Dubai's famed Burj Khalifa skyscraper by another 72 meters (236 ft).

A big "Thanks" to my friend and amazing photographer Abdullah Y for allowing me to share these beautiful photos for today's post.  Stay tuned for more fantastic pics from around Saudi Arabia taken by Abdullah.  Follow him on Instragram and Twitter @ayaa1977

OurWorld - Jeddah's Ritz-Carlton Hospitality

It's definitely worth planning a visit to see Jeddah's Ritz-Carlton Hotel located on the Red Sea.  Originally built as a royal palace, the Ritz-Carlton oozes elegance and class.  Careful attention to every detail is obvious as one walks from one room to another.

This hotel is breaktakingly gorgeous.  I absolutely love the art deco style with a Middle Eastern flair.  The staff is very welcoming, accommodating, and professional.

This place is so very special.  I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon we spent there.  I'd love to attend some kind of event at this hotel or to enjoy a meal in one of the lovely restaurants!

You can learn more about the Ritz-Carlton of Jeddah by CLICKING HERE for their official website.

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.