Jeddah Doors of Al Balad

The doors of Al Balad are a photographer's paradise.  I love the different colored Arabic Script painted around the above door.  My guess is that this building is being renovated and the open wall above the door will maybe be getting window or possibly new roshan, the decorative slatted window coverings unique to this area.

The early morning sun caused the golden light on the upper part of this old door.  Many of the doors in Al Balad have a graceful arch shape above the door, like in the above and below photos.  The arch above the aqua colored door has an open vent, which is also a common architectural feature of these old buildings.

SkyWatch - Gorgeous Jeddah Sunset

These sunset photos were taken in a sequence roughly two minutes after the previous one.  I couldn't decide which one was my favorite.

It's amazing how quickly the skies above us can change.  

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Phonetically Spelling Arabic Words

Trying to write out Arabic words phonetically (transliteration) can be really tricky and confusing.  Arabic has an entirely different alphabet and different sounds.  So when speakers of different languages and accents try to write Arabic words according to how they sound to them, the result is many different spellings of the same word. There is really no one absolute way of spelling out an Arabic word.

Good examples would be the cities of Mecca (or Makkah), and Medina (or Madinah).

 I have taken Arabic classes with women from other countries, and when I compare how we phonetically write the Arabic sounds/words out, they are always different - because we hear different sounds. 

The photos in this post show different ways of spelling the same word - Hindawia or Hendaweyyah? They are both acceptable - and I've seen this word spelled several other ways too!

Green Roshan in Al Balad

Jeddah is known for this beautiful architectural feature of the region - wooden latticed window coverings called roshan.  They are unique and practical and add a special elegance to the old buildings of Al Balad.

Many of the roshan are painted blue or reddish brown, some are left in their natural wood state, but I think my favorite ones are the ones painted green. 

Below is a photo with two shades of green roshan in Al Balad from a distance.

Our World - Al Balad Night Scenes

At night Al Balad becomes a bustling business hub, especially on the weekends. It is loaded with curious sightseers, shoppers looking for deals, and friendly shopkeepers eager to make a sale. 

It's a truly  wondrous place where time seems to stand still. 

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"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.

Buildings of Old Jeddah

Unfortunately many of the buildings of Al Balad are crumbling, in a state of such disrepair that they are beyond salvaging.  The old buildings were made from crushed coral from the Red Sea, which is not the best material for long lasting construction.  The traditional and distinctive old wooden lattice window coverings, called roshan, have also deteriorated from the harsh climate of Jeddah.