JEDDAH MAYOR'S OFFICE IN AL BALAD
IN NEED OF TLC IN AL BALAD
STATELY BUILDING IN JEDDAH
LINKING TO - SKYWATCH
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
STREET & BUSINESS SIGNS IN AL BALAD
BEAUTIFUL OLD STREET MARKERS OF AL BALAD
COLORFUL FISH MARKET SIGN IN AL BALAD
(I believe it's written in Bengali)
"WATER FISH FASHION SHOES"
(In Arabic, it says "Fish of the Water Shoes")
LINKING TO - SIGNS
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
FOOD PRICES IN SAUDI ARABIA
When I go back to the USA for the summers, I am usually shocked at the price of groceries. Food prices here in Saudi Arabia have been much cheaper than the US, but we've noticed a steady climb over the past few years. Especially with imported foods. It's been a while since I've done a post about food prices, so I thought now would be a good time to compare. Here we go!
FRESH PARSLEY, CILANTRO, MINT, DILL, MOLOKHIA, ETC., SOLD IN LARGES BUNCHES FOR 1.44 SR (38 cents US)
IMPORTED BEEF TOMATOES & VINE TOMATOES - 34 SR PER KILO. ONE KILO IS 2.2 POUNDS. SO IMPORTED TOMATOES ARE ABOUT $2.25/LB US
IMPORTED ASPARAGUS AT 86 SR (ABOUT $23 US). ARE THERE ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO LOVE ASPARAGUS SO MUCH THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY THAT PRICE?
IMPORTED BROCCOLI (FROM THE USA) FOR 52 SR PER KILO. SO THAT IS ABOUT $7 US FOR ONE POUND OF BROCCOLI. I CAN'T IMAGINE PAYING THAT MUCH FOR BROCCOLI!
LOCAL BROCCOLI SELLS FOR 14 SR/KILO, WHICH IS ABOUT $1.87/LB US
KIWI - 7 SR/KILO = 93 CENTS/LB US
(NOTE - THERE ARE MANY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD PRODUCE MARKETS WHERE PRICES FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE MUCH CHEAPER)
IMPORTED BRAZILIAN BEEF STRIPLOIN - 68 SR/KILO = $9/LB US
LOCAL BONELESS VEAL - 75 SR/KILO = $10/LB US
FRESH BEEF BURGER PATTIES - 50 SR/KILO = $6.66/LB US
FRESH LAMB SHOULDER - 63/KILO = $8.40/LB US
FRESH LAMB CHOPS - 98 SR/KILO = $13/LB US
(NOTE - THESE ARE SUPERMARKET PRICES - INDIVIDUALLY OWNED MEAT MARKETS USUALLY HAVE CHEAPER PRICES)
FROZEN JUMBO SHRIMP - 69 SR/KILO - $9/LB US
1 WHOLE FROZEN GRILLER CHICKEN 1200G (2.64 LB) - SALE PRICE 11 SR = $2.93 US
THE FOLLOWING MEATS ARE PREPARED, SEASONED & READY TO COOK:
BEEF SHAWARMA - 56 SR/KILO = $7.50/LB US
CHICKEN SHAWARMA - 40 SR/KILO = $5.30/LB US
BREADED BEEF SCALLOPINI - 57 SR/KILO = $7.58/LB US
BREADED CHICKEN SCALLOPINI - 40 SR/KILO = $5.30/LB US
GROUND BEEF KABOBS (MEAT ONLY) - 51 SR/KILO = $6.78/LB US
CHICKEN KABOB (MEAT ONLY) - $2.66/LB US
DELI BEEF MORTADELLA - 41.50 SR/KILO = $5.50/LB US
DELI CHICKEN MORTADELLA - 47 SR/KILO = $6.25/LB US
DELI GOUDA CHEESE - 77 SR/KILO = $10.25/LB US
DELI KASHKAWAN CHEESE - 63 SR/KILO = $8.39/LB US
DELI MOZARELLA CHEESE - 44 SR/KILO = $5.86/LB US
PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE, 280 GRAMS (10 OZ) - 17 SR = $4.53 US
FRESH MILK, 1 LITER - 5 SR = $1.33 US
FRESH MILK, 2 LITERS - 9 SR = $2.40 US
PKG OF 6 HAMBURGER BUNS - .50 SR = 13 CENTS US
(NOTE - WHILE BREAD PRICES HAVE RISEN HERE, BREAD PRODUCTS STILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY AFFORDABLE, AS FLOUR IS SUBSIDIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT)
TWO-PACK OF 1.5 LITRE BOTTLES OF COOKING OIL - ON SALE 29 SR = $7.73 US
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, 500 ML (17 OZ) - ON SALE 11 SR = $2.93 US
JAR OF MIXED PICKLES, 660 GRAMS (23 OZ) - 9 SR = $2.39 US
HONEY BBQ SAUCE, 18 OZ = 12 .50 SR = $3.33 US
KIKKOMAN SOY SAUCE, 20 OZ - 23 SR = $6.13 US
STEAK SAUCE, 10 OZ - 7 SR = $1.86 US
PEPSI, 7-UP PRODUCTS -
15 CANS, 150 ML (5.07 OZ) - 30 SR = $8 US
6 CANS, 330 ML (11.15 OZ) - 16 SR = $4.26 US
LINDT CHOCOLATE BAR - 16 SR = $4.26 US
M&Ms, 180 GRAMS (6.3 OZ) = 14 SR = $3.73 US
HOW DO SUPERMARKET PRICES HERE IN SAUDI ARABIA COMPARE TO YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS?
LINKING TO - OUR WORLD TUESDAY
Monday, January 4, 2021
PEOPLE OF AL BALAD
THE BIRDMAN OF AL BALAD - We watched this man on a scooter park drive to several areas of the oldest part of the city. He would stop and tap on his scooter's horn. Hundreds of birds would fly in as he threw out food for them.
VEGETABLE MARKET IN AL BALAD
BUTCHER IN AL BALAD
LINKING TO - THROUGH MY LENS
Sunday, January 3, 2021
WALL PAINTING IN AL BALAD
I LOVE THIS SCENE IN AL BALAD
CLOSE-UP OF WALL PAINTING
THIS BUILDING MUST HAVE BEEN GORGEOUS IN ITS HEYDAY
Saturday, January 2, 2021
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.
Friday, January 1, 2021
LETTER "A" FOR TODAY
STARTS WITH A - "ARABIC" (THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LETTER "S")
A FAVORITE - "ARCHITECTURE" (VERY SAUDI DETAILING)
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU! WISHING YOU WONDERFUL "ADVENTURES" IN 2021!
LINKING TO - THE WEEKEND ROUNDUP
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