END OF RAMADAN

Another Ramadan ends today. Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim friends!

Dates are often eaten to break the fast at the end of the day during Ramadan.

During Ramadan many shops are closed during the day, they but do a thriving business at night.

 

COLORS OF SAUDI

ORANGES IN THE DESERT

DELICIOUS DATES

COLORFUL SPICES

ART & TEXTILES

BEDOUIN ROOM WITH QATT WALL DESIGN

A big Thank You to my friend, tour guide Mohammed at Najran Tours, for allowing me to showcase these photos for today's post.  Visit him on Instagram - @NajranTours  and on FACEBOOK.

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LINKING TO - TUESDAY'S TREASURES

OUR WORLD TUESDAY

MY CORNER OF THE WORLD

 

AT THE SPICE SHOP

GRINDERS

STRUNG DRIED DATES

SPICE BAGS FOR SOUPS AND STEWS

 

VIP SIGNS

VIP DATES

A NEW TWIST ON VIP - VIP DUMP TRUCK

VIP TURKEY SALOON - MEN'S BARBER

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READY FOR RAMADAN

RAMADAN DECORATIONS IN SUPERMARKET

DATES ARE OFTEN EATEN TO BREAK THE FAST DURING RAMADAN

SPECIAL RAMADAN PACKAGING FOR CHOCOLATES

LINKING TO - ALL SEASONS

 

FACES OF ARABIA 5

THE DATE MAN

A TOOTHLESS GRIN

 THE FLOWER MEN

LINKING TO - TIMELESS THURSDAYS

Jeddah Salesclerk

A cheerful, friendly and helpful clerk in a wonderful shop in Jeddah that sells coffee and dates, among other things.  I took dates from this shop back to the US with me as gifts, and everyone was wild for them - they were absolutely delicious.  There is a much wider variety of scrumptious dates here in the kingdom than can be found in the US.

Yummy Dates

Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East has a constant love affair with dates.  There are hundreds of varieties of dates that can be found in this region of the world and there are even huge markets that solely sell dates. Some dates are soft and gooey, while others are hard and dry.  Some are eaten before they ripen.  I've liked every single kind that I have tried so far! 

The dates pictured here are soft and gooey. First we separated them because they stick together, then we cut them in half, took out the pits, and then placed a nut, like walnuts or almonds in the center. Then we rolled each date in sesame seeds. It makes a delicious and nutritious healthy snack.  It's a messy job, but it's really fun to lick your fingers when you're all done!

Saudi Symbols

This is one of many similar sculptures that stand in the center of traffic islands in Jeddah that depict symbols of Saudi Arabia - the crossed swords, the date palm, and the color green. 

Our World: Strung Dates

These are dates that have been pitted, strung, and dried.  Dates have long been a very popular staple in Middle Eastern diets and are usually offered in Saudi homes to guests who come visiting.  There are many varieties of dates, which are produced by the date palm tree.  They can range in color from a very light brown, to reddish or golden brown, to almost black, and their level of sweetness can vary as well.  Saudi Arabia is the world's 2nd largest producer of dates, as dates thrive in desert climates and conditions. 

Different kinds of dates are eaten at different stages of ripeness depending on when they are harvested.  In Arabic, dates are known by their state of ripeness.  Unripe is known as kimri.  The 2nd stage is called khalal, where the date is crunchy and large.  The 3rd stage of ripeness is known as rutab, which describes dates that are soft and ripe.  And finally, ripe and sun-dried dates are called tamr.



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.

Herb & Spice Shop

Many smaller shops in Jeddah are stocked to capacity with product.  This shop sells dates, herbs, honey, spices and many other items. 

Red Sea Mall: Bateel

Shopping is the national pastime of Saudi Arabia.  Store displays in malls are highly competitive with each other, vying for business.  This is a wall display in a beautiful gourmet gift shop called Bateel in the Red Sea Mall.  The shop sells beautiful custom made gifts such as dates, chocolates, and pastries in unique presentations. 

Date Souk