The Beautiful Dallah

The dallah coffee pot is very distinctive with its exaggerated spout and an overall shape resembling the female form, with a waistline and bulbous hips.  It can be made out of a variety of materials, like steel, brass, silver, plastic, or even gold (used on really special occasions or by royalty).  It is a prominent part of Middle East identity and culture, representing the warm hospitality of the Arab people.   

More Miniatures and Figurine Souvenirs

Friendships, dance, traditional clothing, architecture - I wanted to show you more of the lovely variety of souvenirs now available in Saudi Arabia. 

Mosque minarets and roshan window coverings, artisans and children at play - these are all depicted in these well made handcrafted knick knacks available as gifts or reminders of one's time spent in the Magic Kingdom.

Personally I have a very difficult time deciding on what I want when there is such a great assortment to choose from! 

Of course there are also the usual refrigerator magnets, keychains, postcards, and coffee mugs available too.

Jeddah Souvenirs from Al Balad

Buying souvenirs used to be quite challenging here in Jeddah just a few short years ago.  Now souvenirs have become much easier to find.  Al Balad, the oldest part of Jeddah, has several shops where an assortment of souvenirs can be found.  There are now many colorful and well made figurines featuring typical clothing, activities, careers, and customs of Saudi residents. 

There are also miniatures offered which feature some of the beautiful architectural details of this region, especially the beautiful and unique window coverings here.

Not everyone here dresses the same, so it's nice to see the variety of different types of traditional clothing that many people can be seen wearing.  

I'm especially fond of the figurines which show many "slices of life" here in the kingdom, such as restaurant workers serving tea to friends leisurely sharing tea and conversation together. 

Here is the link to one of the souvenir shops in Al Balad, with a map to its exact location - 
Al Balad Souvenir Shop

Our World - Christmas in Jeddah

I went to another holiday party at a friend's home, the same friend who had the Halloween party I went to.  She really goes all out for the holidays, and it's all so beautifully decorated.

And OMG the spread she made was absolutely amazing!  It was spectacular.  I tried a little of everything and didn't even have room to have seconds of the dishes I especially loved.

It's nice having a little bit of home all the way over here over the holidays.

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.

SkyWatch - Ramadan Food Booth

The month of Ramadan will be over in about a week. Ramadan is the one month of the year when Muslims fast during the daylight hours. When they break the fast at the end of each day, one of the most popular traditional foods that Muslims like to eat is called sambusek. Sambusek is a small meat pie that is similar to a chinese egg roll or the Indian samosa.  It is very tasty.  Many restaurants build a booth outside their building to accommodate the sales of this popular Ramadan food.  They can literally sell out of thousands of sambusek in the one to two hour period right before the fast is broken at sundown.   

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.

Another Sign of Ramada Coming - Vimto!

Vimto is a popular soft drink beverage consumed in Saudi Arabia, especially during Ramadan.  Flavored with the juice from grapes, black currants, and raspberries, plus herbs and spices, Vimto was first invented and marketed in the UK in the early 1900s orginally as a health tonic. A few years later, it was produced in carbonated form.   

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 - Joy!

It's always nice to bring some of the traditions and holiday experience to our home in Saudi Arabia because it makes me feel not so far away from my family back in the US.  Thanksgiving is one of those times of the year when I feel nostalgic for the days gone by from my childhood.  Our house was the gathering place for our closest friends - often we would have 25-30 people over for Thanksgiving dinner. 

I can't fit that many into our home here in Jeddah, but I can squeeze in a few friends to enjoy the meal.  It was a pot luck with everyone bringing their specialty.  We enjoyed the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn pudding, green bean casserole, cranberry, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, garlic bread, rice, and of course dessert!

Afterwards we enjoyed playing a word game called Fictionary, which is educational as well as fun.  Lots of laughter helped our overstuffed stomachs help digest the feast!  I have to say, it's my favorite meal of the whole year!

City Daily Photo is an online community of photo bloggers that share images of life in their cities around the world.  The first of every month is Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers.  This month's theme is "Joy."

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

Jeddah - Headless, Armless Mannequins

Jeddah has more fancy ballgown dress shops than any place I've ever seen.  Weddings are a huge social event here and the female attendees go all out, like they are attending the Academy Awards.  I got used to seeing the headless mannequins here, but now there seems to be a trend for mannequins to be armless or have arms that are just mysteriously chopped off at some point.  It's kinda creepy.

I'm sure it makes it easier to dress the mannequins if the arms are removed, but if you ask me, it detracts from the appeal and the beauty of the dresses.

Is it just me, or do you find the chopped off arm look distracting too?  A gorgeous dress, so elegant, being worn by a mannequin with her arms chopped off awkwardly below the elbow.  It's just weird...

And I want to know - what happens to all these heads and arms that have been discarded?  Where do they go?  Is there a market for them?

The beadwork, the colors and the styles are truly works of art - why not display them on something a little more appropriate, instead of a hideous version of a human?  I really don't get it...

Jeddah: Evening Social Life in Al Balad

It's a man's world in Saudi Arabia - and men here are generally very sociable.  I took this photo one evening down in Jeddah's historic district of Al Balad, amidst the aging buildings.  These men had gathered on the sidewalk to visit, drink tea, and play games of dominoes or cards.  I love seeing the sandals off to the side of the large carpet where they sit and enjoy themselves.   

Jeddah: Man and his Cat

I feel fortunate when I get permission to take portraits of people here in Saudi Arabia.  Many times I am turned down, but this gentleman was very gracious and was so proud of his cat purring in his lap.  

Saudi Arabia - It's a Girl!

The addition of a new baby to a Saudi family is often marked by decorating the door of the hospital room of the mother.  

Abu Zaid Restaurant

Men in Saudi Arabia are generally not called by their given names, but as the father of their oldest son.  The same goes for women.  So if a couple's oldest son is named Sultan, the father would be called Abu Sultan, and the mother would be called Umm Sultan.  If the children are only daughters, then the oldest daughter's name is used, but only until a male child is born, at which time the parents would be known as the father or mother of the male child.  To those not familiar with this custom or cultural tradition, it may not seem fair and might appear to slight the female children of the family.  Many businesses in Saudi Arabia are also named in this manner. 

Janadriyah: Basket Maker

Artisans of the old arts and trades are featured at Janadriyah, the yearly celebration of culture and heritage held in Riyadh.  These arts are dying here in Saudi Arabia.  I published a post on my other blog with a slideshow of photos from this year's event, which was held in April.  CLICK HERE to see it.

Saudi Artisan: Wood Bowl Carver

The Janadriyah Festival is a cultural heritage festival held every year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  This year the festival attracted a record high six million visitors during the month of April - and I was one of them!  I was fortunate that I happened to be in Riyadh and attended with my fellow blogger and friend, Layla who, like me, writes two blogs about living in Saudi Arabia:  Blue Abaya and her photo blog, Images of Saudi. 

Traditional handicrafts are a fading art in Saudi Arabia, however there are still some artisans who try to keep the trades alive. The man in this post is a wood carver and his specialty is bowls.  Here are some other articles about the Janadriyah Festival.

Arab News: A Record 6 Million Visit Janadriyah Festival


Splendid Arabia: Janadriyah and the Festival of Heritage

Arab News:  Traditional handmade headbands set trend at Janadriyah Festival

Blue Abaya: Expats Guide to Janadriyah

Blue Abaya: Why I love Janadriyah

Blue Abaya: Top Ten Things to do at Janadriyah 

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 are different themes that CDP members can participate in.  This month's theme is "The Creative Artisan"  

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

Another Tile Mural at Binzagr Art Gallery

A slice of life from Saudi Arabia is beautifully captured in this enormous painted tile mural on display as one enters the Darat Safeya Binzagr Art Gallery in Jeddah. 

Photography is not allowed inside the Costume and Paintings sections of the gallery, but this tile mural and the other one I featured a couple of days ago are in the entry area where photography is permitted. 

For more information: 

Phone: 02 6571030
Email: info@daratsb.com
Website: http://www.daratsb.com/main_e1.htm

Tile Mural Binzagr Art Gallery

This huge painted tile mural adorns the walls at the entrance to the Darat Safeya Binzagr Art Gallery in Jeddah.  The size, the intense colors, and the subject matter all work together to make quite a first impression upon entering the facility. 

The Darat Safeya Binzagr Art Gallery is a wonderful little gem tucked away near the old section of Jeddah called Al Balad.  The building itself which houses the museum is a splendid example of Middle Eastern architecture and design.  The fine art gallery features works by the Saudi female artist Binzagr, as well as her extensive collection of remarkable traditional costumes and accessories from the area.  The facility also offers motivating educational workshops for children as well as adults on art, Saudi culture, and local customs.   Their website, listed below, also offers a virtual tour of the Traditional Costumes section in 3-D as well as the Paintings section.

For more information: 

Phone:   02-657-1030  (NOTE: after August 18, 2013, it will be:  012-657-1030)
Email:   info@daratsb.com
Website:   http://www.daratsb.com/main_e1.htm

Typical Saudi Teacup Set

Saudis are very gracious hosts and delight in serving drinks and sweets to house guests.  Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, so drinks served range from the largest variety of fruit juices one could imagine to tea or gahwa (Arabic coffee).  Hot drinks would be served in tiny glasses like shown here.  This teacup set cost 302 SR, or about $ 80 US. 

Happy Holidays from Saudi Arabia!

Our World: Goats in a Truck

The Hajj holidays have just concluded - Hajj is the religious pilgrimage which requires Muslims around the world to travel to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are able.  It is customary to sacrifice an animal such as a goat, sheep, or camel to share with family, friends and the needy at the conclusion of Hajj.

Sorry, I just realized this post should be called "Sheep in a Truck!"  I have a hard time telling the difference sometimes...

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.