WEEKEND ROUNDUP - LETTER "Y"

STARTS WITH "Y" - "YIKES!" STARTS WITH "Y."

SHOES WITH RHINESTONE INSECTS!

A FAVORITE - "YACHT" ON THE RED SEA

"YELLOW" - FRANKINCENSE IN ALL SHADES OF YELLOW

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LINKING TO - THE WEEKEND ROUNDUP

FRIDAY BLISS

 

VARIETY PICTURE PACK FROM JEDDAH

COLLAGE OF PHOTOSHOPPED GATE PICS

THE ORIGINAL GATE PHOTO

RAINBOW OF SANDALS

HEMP HAND CREAM IN SAUDI ARABIA

NEW TAXI COMPANY IN JEDDAH

LINKING TO -  MOSAIC MONDAYS

SOUVENIRS

 

MOSQUE ENTRANCE

Scenes like this are commonplace here in Saudi Arabia.  The entrance to a mosque at prayer time always has shoes littering the floor outside mosque doorway. At larger mosques there can be hundreds of pairs of shoes scattered outside like this at prayer time, despite the fact that there are usually plenty of cubbyholes for shoes that are rarely used.  I don't know why.  

No one wears shoes inside a mosque. All mosques are carpeted with a pattern that has markings for individuals to pray in their own space.  The carpet also indicates the direction toward Mecca, as Muslims pray facing Mecca.    

 

ARTISTIC SAUDI PRODUCT DISPLAYS

COLORFUL TRADITIONAL KHANJAR, CURVED KNIVES

DOZENS OF MADAS SANDALS LINED UP LOOK LIKE ART

BEDOUIN STYLE RINGS

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SOUVENIRS

TRAVEL TUESDAY

MY CORNER OF THE WORLD

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

https://www.instagram.com/najrantours/

https://www.facebook.com/najran.tours/

 

Jeddah Shop Windows

I love this shop window featuring traditional dress for little boys. My favorites are the mustache on the mannequin and the khanjar (curved dagger) in front of the mustachioed figure.

 A colorful two tone variety of the traditional men's leather sandals called Madas fills this shoe shop's windows.  Their design covers more of the feet than most sandals, providing protection the wearer from the elements. To learn more about Madas, CLICK HERE.

And lastly are more stylish thobes for little boys.

 

Saudi Arabia Graphics

Saudi Arabian National Day is tomorrow, and this first sign in a shop window is in reference to the holiday.  Many shops are having big sales to celebrate. 

This photo is at an open air mall here in Jeddah and is signage indicating a female changing room.

On a pole on a road divider are celebratory signs for Saudi National Day

This last photo display also references Saudi Arabian National Day. Saudi Arabia celebrates its 90th birthday on September 23rd.  

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OUR WORLD TUESDAY 

MY CORNER OF THE WORLD 

SIGNS

 

Jeddah - A Peek at Prayer Time

Maghrib is the 4th prayer of the day for Muslims and it takes place at sundown.  There is one more prayer then a little later in the evening, making a total of five prayers daily.  Men can be seen rushing to the mosque for prayers, removing their shoes before entering.  Women usually pray at home.  Most mosques usually have cubby holes outside for shoes, but I rarely see them being used - I don't know why.

There is a call to prayer announced over loudspeakers from each mosques, alerting Muslims to get ready. Ablution is a requirement preceding prayer, which is a specific prescribed manner of properly washing up before praying and includes washing parts of the body with water in a certain order.  Mosques also provide an area outside the mosque where ablution can be performed.

The prayer then begins, and inevitably there will be latecomers.  Many mosques are located in residential neighborhoods as well as in business areas.  There is always a mosque within walking distance in most places. 

When the prayer concludes, the streets are filled with men leaving the mosque as they return to their homes or workplaces.  You can see the two shops to the left closed for prayer with only a piece of fabric covering up the front of the shop. 

"Madas" Men's Sandal Shop in Al Balad

The distinctive looking Saudi man's sandals are called "madas." There are many shops that just sell this type of shoe only.  The design of the madas sandals are such that they cover a much larger percentage of the foot than most sandals, while still being open.  This design allows for more protection and support in this harsh climate and sandy desert terrain.

I love how the madas sandals are displayed and organized so neatly in the shops.  This madas shop in Al Balad maximizes a very small space to efficiently display a lot of product. The sandals come in a wide variety of colors, designs, materials, and embellishments.  You can see a wider variety of madas in these prior posts I made by clicking HERE - and HERE.

Saudi Arabia Fancy Female Footwear

Saudi women are very fashionable and elegant.  Whether entertaining guests at home or attending a lavish wedding, Saudi women are the epitome of elegance and grace.  This post shows some fancy footwear worn by Saudi women for fancy occasions.

The shoes shown here are not actually that over the top expensive. They cost about 150 Saudi riyals, which converts to about $40 US. I believe they are made in India or Pakistan.

Madas - Traditional Saudi Men's Sandals

Worn by Saudi men, madas sandals are readily found in shoe shops all over Saudi Arabia.  The styles, colors, and detailing are now endless, quite a change from the past when they mostly came in a choice of brown or black leather. 

Madas are usually made from camel or cow leather and used to be entirely made by hand, which of course makes them quite expensive.  Nowadays more affordable madas are machine made. 

Madas sandals are now also made for women and children as well.  They are available in just about any color and can have different embellishments like beading, contrast stitching, and different leather effects, like ostrich texture.

Madas - Traditional Saudi Sandals

Originally made of camel or cow leather, the madas sandals are traditionally worn by Saudi men in all walks of life, from royalty to laborers. They are worn for any occasion, from formal events to work to business meetings to hiking in the desert.

In the past madas were all made by hand, a painstaking process which is costly in today's world.  Madas offer more support and protection than simple flip flops.  Nowadays most madas found in the marketplace are mass produced and machine made.  Cheaper knockoffs made of imitation leather are readily available in a variety of colors and embellishments, like beadwork and stitching designs in colorful threads.

This style of sandal has also become popular with women in the last few years and even can be found now with low heels for the ladies.  

Our World: Saudi Sandals

Saudi men's traditional leather sandals are quite distinctive in their style.  The outer edge of the toes and the heel part are open, but almost every other surface is covered.  The big toe loop covers the entire toe except for the tip.  Many of these sandals are still handmade by artisans in various South Asian countries.  The sandals are available in a wide variety of colors, designs, and price ranges.

Below is a great little short video that shows some of the artisans at work making these special sandals.  If it doesn't display correctly, try CLICKING 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.

Fancy Pearl High Heels

I am always amazed at the fancy fashionable styles available here in Saudi Arabia.  The weddings I have attended here are always over the top with glitz and glamour.  I used to wear heels as high as these back in my younger days, but no more!  It's comfort all the way for me now, baby!

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. 

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.

Ladies Shoes and Bags in Saudi Arabia

Since women are required to wear the usually black abaya and scarf when out in public, many women choose to distinguish themselves with their accessories, like shoes and handbags. I enjoyed the coincidence of capturing this street scene of ladies with their colorful accessories walking by an even more colorful shoe shop.

Thrift Shop Find: Painted Chest

Thrift shops are not very prominent in Saudi Arabia, not like they are in the USA.  The culture here seems to turn up their noses at previously owned items.  But there is a thrift shop I found that is the best kept secret in Jeddah!  Like any thrift store, you do have to look for finds and you may not find what you are looking for.  I loved this rustic painted chest that I found there.

The thrift shop is called MAWAKEB AL AJER, located in the Al Khalidya District behind Al Badrya Towers.   Proceeds benefit widows, children and the poor.   HOURS are SAT-THU 9am-9pm, FRI 4pm-9pm. TEL: 056-868-9001 or 055-241-2167. Clothing, jewelry, shoes, furniture, knick knacks, paintings, dishes, books, etc.

DIRECTIONS: South on Prince Sultan Rd, then West (right) on Rawdah. Turn right after Danube. After you pass Salon/Spa on left, turn around and turn right onto street where salon is. CLICK HERE for a pinpoint map location.

Clarks in Arabic

Head Over Heels

Despite the fact that women in public in Saudi Arabia must wear cloaks over their clothes to hide their figures, I often see women wearing flashy high heels at the malls.

I've seen high heels like these everywhere lately - must be really in right now.