Trip to Ta 'if

This weekend, we took a day trip to Ta 'if. Ta 'if is a city located on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains near Mecca, about a three hour drive from Jeddah.

Almost as soon as we left the city and hit the highway, we came across signs determining which road must be taken by Muslims, and which by non-Muslims :

Non-Muslims are not permitted to drive through the holy city of Mecca, so we had to take the long way around. The non-Muslim road was narrow and the asphalt bumpy and cracked in quite a few places from the heat, making for a rather uncomfortable journey. We soon rode into the desert, which was nothing like the one in Dubai. No rolling dunes, no powdery, knee-deep golden sand, just a flat dusty landscape, with scraggly bushes and trees here and there. Even so, I thought it was interesting and charming in its own way. We encountered a number of Bedouin camps, which basically consisted of two-three rickety tents, often a truck parked to the side and sometimes a small herd of camels or sheep. At some point, we were lucky enough to witness a truly authentic Bedouin, dressed in traditional attire, shepherding his flock atop a camel.

After a couple of hours in the desert, we began ascending the mountain, which held an awesome surprise. Reaching the outskirts of Ta 'if, there were many cars parked on the side of the road and people gathered around looking at something behind the railings.We stopped to see what all the commotion was about, to be greeted by dozens of baboons. They seemed relatively tame and accustomed to the presence of people. Most were completely ignoring the crowd, focusing on the food that had been thrown out to them, removing each others ticks meticulously, or doing whatever it is primates do during their daily lives. Some, bolder than others, were reaching out and taking food right out of peoples' palms, or even leaping over the railing and walking amongst the delighted spectators.  In general, all of them looked as if they enjoyed the attention and the food, except for a few mother baboons, who were holding their tiny babies tight to their chests and half-hiding behind boulders.

                                                                                                                                                 

This guy seemed to be the boss. He was the biggest and all the other baboons kept a safe distance from him. If he had his eye on a piece of food not one of the others dared challenge him. He was pretty intimidating. However, all the other baboons were absolutely adorable, like these guys here:

This little one was a complete diva, jumping on the hoods of the cars and lapping up the attention: 

 The one thing that really got to me throughout the whole journey was the amount of litter everywhere. Both sides of the road, in the desert and on the mountain, were strewn with all sorts of rubbish: old tires, plastic bottles and bags, tin cans, construction site debris... I don't even know how half those things got there, seeing as it was literally the middle of nowhere. Saudis' lack of environmental consciousness is pretty scary. Just take a look at what was going on in the parking lot we stopped halfway up the mountain: 

Getting out of the car to gaze at the mountain scenery and stepping on a full diaper with cream coloured shoes isn't the best, I'll tell you that.

Anyhow, we finally reached Ta 'if. As a city, it's nothing spectacular, at least for European standards. However, it's cleaner and quieter than Jeddah, and manages to maintain a traditional feel to it, despite being a very modern resort city. At an altitude of about 2.000 meters , it's cooler as well, thus making it a great summer getaway from the larger cities, Riyadh and Jeddah. What made a great impression on me was the amount of amusement parks we encountered. We must have come across five or six within a few square kilometres. Maybe it's not so surprising though, considering that a resort city needs entertainment venues, and in Saudi Arabia every other type of fun is banned. 

  

Ta 'if is an agricultural area well known for its excellent grapes, roses and honey. It also boasts one of the last remaining truly authentic souks (marketplaces) in the Middle-East. Unfortunately, the souk is about 40 kilometres away from the city centre, so there was no time to visit it. We did do some shopping in an open-air fruit market, though,which had all sorts of lovely produce. In Jeddah getting fresh, good quality fruit is a bit difficult, since nothing is produced locally and everything must travel a long way to reach the consumer. 

One thing Ta 'if certainly seems to lack is ethnic and cultural diversity, judging by the absence of any other foreign faces and the way we were received by the locals.The waiters in the restaurant we had lunch and the salesmen at the fruit market were not only unable to communicate with us, due to their non-existent English, but also unwilling to do so.  The people we passed on the street also seemed baffled and annoyed by our appearance.The weirdest thing happened in the ladies room at the restaurant, though.When I opened the door there was already a woman inside by the sinks with a toddler. The minute she saw me, she snapped something very hostile-sounding at me in Arabic, covered her angry face hastily and rushed out the door dragging her child behind her. That didn't feel too great. I may have felt slightly uncomfortable at times in Jeddah, but no one has ever been openly hostile towards me. Oh well, you can't win them all.

All in all, I enjoyed Ta 'if. It's a nice weekend trip if you're in the area, the mountain air feels amazing and even the journey itself offers a unique experience. I mean, what are the chances of a troop of baboons flocking around your car in Europe?

Jeddah's Corniche

Yesterday, I decided to take a stroll along the shore road, Jeddah's Corniche. The better part of the coast is inaccessible to the public, blocked off by the towering walls of the King's summer palace, which leaves about 3 kilometres of beach for the masses to enjoy.

It was quite crowded yesterday, as it was Friday, the last day of the weekend. Many local families were picnicking under the kiosks provided, on the stretches of lawn here and there, or even right on the concrete in front of the water. Saudis have the uncanny ability to picnic literally everywhere. I've seen families sprawled out on rugs in the middle of vacant lots, having a meal right next to piles of rubble and garbage. I've seen men taking their tea on the side of the road, the exhaust fumes from Jeddah's horrific traffic perhaps adding flavour to their cups. I've even seen a woman exit McDonald's with her children, lay down a mat and start chowing down on Big Macs right in the restaurant's parking lot. So, yeah, Saudis really seem to enjoy their meals al fresco, surroundings notwithstanding.

The Corniche though, is a very pleasant place to picnic, having recently been redesigned in order to provide the best for Jeddah's citizens. With a lovely view of the sea, adults and children engage each in their own activities. Men and women alike sit on rugs, chatting, having tea or smoking shisha, eating or even napping. Many had set up small grills and were barbecuing, causing the smell of cooking meat to mingle wonderfully with the salty air. The children were kept very busy as well. Some were wading in the shallows, pants rolled up, shrieking in delight every time the tiny waves splashed them (swimming is not permitted). A group of boys had set up a makeshift football field with empty soda bottles serving as goalposts, as boys all over the world do, and were having what seemed like a very intense game. There are also playgrounds all along the Corniche, where many children were swinging, sliding, climbing, running, and generally making the most out of the Corniche's new facilities.
 Everyone seemed to be having a very enjoyable time, and, to be honest, I felt a little out of place, as there were no other expats to be seen. Nobody spared me a glance though, at least not until I got my camera out, which caused a few wary looks my ways. Even so, by being as discreet as possible, I managed to get a few decent shots, even of people. Here are some of them:

A man strolls along the shore gazing thoughtfully at the water. Nothing like a walk by the sea to clear your mind.

A mother and her son walk toward the floating mosque at prayer time.

I really enjoy observing how the locals, with all their unique beliefs and customs, interact with each other.  I found myself wondering what these people's relationship is. Not that I would ever dream of asking...

After grabbing a cup of  Costa coffee from across the street, it's time to relax and get some sun. Those hands aren't going to tan themselves.

At kiosks like this you will find anything your heart desires, from refreshments and floaties, to carpets and tea kettles.

There are several mosques along the Corniche. I don't know anything about the first two mosques, but the one right above is Jeddah's Floating Mosque, also known as the White Mosque of Jeddah. It's a real architectural beauty and it's probably the number one attraction for Jeddah's very limited tourists.

Fitting Room Mystery Solved

After an extended holiday in Athens, I have traded in my winter coat for an abaya once again, and returned to the Kingdom, ready to get back to blogging. The first post of the new year, brings what may be the explanation to one of the first things that struck me as incredibly odd in Saudi Arabia.

A few posts back I mentioned that most stores in malls don't have fitting rooms. Instead, the clothes must be bought, taken to the bathroom and tried on there. This is an arrangement I have not encountered anywhere else in the world, so I assumed it is the product of some Saudi belief. Saudis are very preoccupied with concepts like modesty, decency, etc, something very understandable, since they strive to live in accordance with Islamic law (Sharia). I was recently told by several people that there is a very concrete reason for the absence of changing rooms.
Apparently, a number of years ago, it was something of a trend for young (unwed) couples to meet up secretly in malls, the man concealing his identity under an abaya and a veil, so it would seem they were just two girls out shopping. These couples would often proceed to the then existing fitting rooms, where they would engage in acts of sexual nature. It seems that this scandalous, and indeed, very haraam* behaviour, became a frequent phenomenon. After a few of these incidents, it was decided that the root of this evil were the changing rooms, as they provided a space with enough privacy for the sinful act of premarital lovemaking. Lo and behold, they were removed from practically every clothing store.
I must stress the fact that this is just something I heard, so I can't be sure that it's the actual truth. It seems bizarre, but very plausible at the same time. After all, anything is possible in a place where sex is considered an extremely taboo subject and sexuality is, consequently, widely oppressed.

That's all for now, just a little fun fact until I can readjust to life in Saudi and start posting regularly. Also, I just added a subscribe field, so if you'd like to follow Hellenic Hijab, all you have to do is submit your e-mail address in the space provided on the top of the sidebar, and you will receive a notification every time a new post is published :)



*Haraam - sinful, a term used to refer to anything that displeases God (Allah) .

Women in Black

One of the first reactions I usually have to deal with when I tell someone I live in Saudi Arabia is: "Ohmigod, do you have to wear a burqa?!?". After getting this for the umpteenth time yesterday, I decided it's finally time to cover the topic of female attire in the Kingdom.

First of all, a burqa is a garment seen only occasionally in Saudi Arabia. It's a type of outerwear that covers a woman's entire body, and even includes a veil which covers the eyes. Burqas are a rather extreme form of Islamic dress, and are mainly worn in countries such as Afghanistan, where they are imposed on the female population by the regime. In Saudi, women wear abayas, hijabs, and, very often, niqabs. The abaya is a loose-fitting black garment, worn over regular clothing, which covers the body like a long dress, from the neck down to the feet. The word hijab usually refers to the headscarf that serves to cover womens' hair, but can also be used to convey the concept of modesty in general.  The niqab is a black cloth, about the size of a handkerchief used to cover a woman's mouth and/or nose.
 Women will be women everywhere, so even with this seemingly limited choice of clothing, each one strives to create her own personal style. Abayas can be found in all sorts of designs, always maintaining the appropriate amount of modesty, of course. They are often adorned with embroidery or sequins, mostly along the sleeves and hem. What's really surprising though, is the variety of ways a hijab can be worn. You'd think that a cloth covering your hair could only look one particular way. However, I have found that wrapping a hijab around your head is something of an art. I haven't managed to do it myself yet, but the local women seem to have hundreds of different techniques. What also varies, is the amount of face and/or hair each women chooses to reveal. Some wear their hijabs low, covering their faces down to the eyebrows, while others wear them pushed farther back, sometimes even omitting a few locks of hair on purpose. Certain women also wear dark sunglasses indoors to hide their eyes, while others even wear black gloves. The amount of skin revealed is based on each woman's interpretation of Islamic law stating that believing women should cover their bodies and hair. There is no requirement for faces and hands to be covered, yet some women choose to do so. It's all a matter of personal belief.

Expat women are only expected to cover their bodies with abayas, and in some places, such as the souk, it is simply prudent to wear the hijab as well, to avoid unwanted staring. Now, what follows the first question is usually:  "Doesn't it offend you,  being forced to cover your body in an unflattering black thing every time you want to leave the house? Don't you feel oppressed?". Nope.  Sorry to disappoint, but I don't feel oppressed or offended by this. And it's not just because I'm generally not especially fussed when it comes to clothing. Imagine for a second that you are staying over at a friend's house for a couple of nights. Your host politely requests that you don't walk around the house in your nightwear, because he/she doesn't feel comfortable with it. Do you feel oppressed because you have to wear a robe, whereas at home you never do? I don't think so. You probably oblige happily, respecting the person who let you into their home, even if you don't necessarily agree with his/her views on decency.
 This is exactly the case here. I am a guest in this country and Saudis are my hosts. This attire is not only a religious requirement, but also a remnant of bedouin tradition wanting wives covered up, for fear of them being stolen by rivals. Therefore,  it's an extremely important part of Saudi culture. I don't mind wearing an abaya knowing that in this way I respect the local culture. It's only clothing after all. And besides, abayas are even practical in a couple of ways. At least when you're not tripping over them on staircases or getting them tangled in the wheels of your shopping cart. That might just be my complete lack of grace though. Anyway, one of the main perks of wearing an abaya is that they keep you nice and warm.  You're probably wondering why one would need to keep warm in the desert. Well, it may be blazing hot outside, but in all indoor areas, from malls and restaurants to banks and supermarkets, the AC is always on full blast, making it absolutely freezing. The best part of wearing an abaya though, in my opinion, is that you never have to fret over clothes. It's the answer to womens' age old dilemma of "what shall I wear".  It practically eradicates the dilemma, since there is barely any choice.  All you need to do is pick out an abaya. Under that you could be wearing a color combination as eye-watering as Dora the Explorer's, or even go stark naked and no one would ever know. Yeah, I'm not the worlds biggest fashionista. Whatever.

Wrapping up, I request that next time you see a woman in Muslim attire you don't hasten to pity the "poor oppressed soul".  Remember that this dress, conservative and oppressing as it may seem, is the product of their religious and cultural beliefs, a personal life choice. Unless you see this woman in a country where it's deemed mandatory by some sort of dictatorship. In that case, you can weep your eyes out with my blessing,  although I'm willing to bet clothes are the least of her worries.

Perspective.

PhotoEssay: Jeddah's Bizarre Artwork Top 10

When I first arrived in Jeddah, one of the first things I noticed was the presence of all sorts of artwork (sculptures,arches,fountains, etc.) seemingly strewn about the city's main roads. After living here for a month I found out why. Apparently, one of Jeddah's former mayors was something of a visionary, and hoped to turn the city into the world's largest open-air art gallery. Many artists, Arabs as well as Europeans, were summoned to produce works of art for this cause. As a result, Jeddah today is adorned with dozens of pieces of art, mainly sculptures. Because it is prohibited in Islam to imitate Allah's creations in any way, art here takes the form only of inanimate objects. Some of this artwork is quite nice, some interesting, but a lot of it is just plain weird. I decided to create a small photo essay of the strangest, most bizarre, artistic creations from the streets of Jeddah to show you what I mean. Most of the following are found along the coastal road or roundabouts throughout the city. Here goes:

#10

This is just one of those things that are supposed to be "modern and abstract", I guess. Maybe the artist should have worked more on "aesthetically pleasing" though. 

#9

I can only assume these are enormous chocolate ice cream cones, just chilling in the middle of the road.

#8 

It's a gigantic red faucet. Enough said.

#7  

Sometimes I like to think that this sculpture is making a statement, perhaps about the value of fair play, or the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle. Then again, maybe it's just a huge yellow whistle.

#6 

There's actually a whole series of these, not just the pliers.  There's also a saw, cutting through some wooden boxes, a hammer, banging on some enormous bricks, and a spade, sticking out of a block of concrete. I really don't know why though.

#5 

 

This thing just looks like the product of a minaret and a really big seashell mating.

#4

Is it a wave? Is it an octopus? Nope, it's a bunch of blue tiles and it's ugly.

#3 

This can only be a tribute to Saudis'  driving skills.

#2 

This is probably one of my favorite artworks in Jeddah's open- air gallery. I mean, it's a car riding a flying carpet. Doesn't get much cooler than that.

#1

I didn't manage to capture this as I would have liked, since I was in a moving car. In case you can't tell, it's a boat overflowing with massive fruit, riding tile waves. I'm pretty sure it's the most random thing I've ever seen.

Well, that's my Top 10 of Jeddah's most bizarre art, but it's really the smallest possible sample of the incredible artwork to be found in the city's streets. If you'd like to see more, please comment below :)

Dubai Days, Pt.II

So, continuing from where I left off on my last post, more things I enjoyed in Dubai:

*Dubai Museum

The Dubai Museum is located inside Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787 to protect the city from invasion and renovated into a museum in 1971. Some of its exhibitions are what you would expect to see in most museums: jewelry, weaponry, all sorts of everyday artifacts. What's really impressive though, is the lifesize dioramas in the galleries, which depict life in the U.A.E. before the discovery of oil. Scenes from desert and marine life,  trading in the souks, date harvests, religious practices, and more, come to life while walking through this amazing exhibition. The figures are so lifelike it's almost eerie.

*Sand in a Bottle Art

This man had a little stall, at which he sat creating a very unique form of art. I stopped to watch him and he explained the procedure to me as he worked. Around him were many bowls filled with sand that he had dyed earlier in a variety of colors. Taking sand from these bowls, he poured layer upon layer, switching colors as he went, into a glass bottle, until he had created an image of camels with rippling sand dunes in the background. He packed the sand in tightly, sealing the top with glue, so, even if the bottle were to be shaken vigorously, the image would not be ruined. He made this little masterpiece in less than 10', and of course I bought one, the only souvenir I got from Dubai.

*Cruising the Dubai Creek

The Creek is essentially the reason Dubai exists as a city, since this is where members of the Bani Yas tribe created the first settlement. Not only that, but it was also where the pearl trade with the outside world began. Today, trading still commences on dhows (traditional wooden boats) on the Deira side of the Creek. Taking a cruise on the Creek is a rather touristy thing to do, but very pleasant. Large or smaller dhows carry passengers along the Dubai Creek, passing by key points of the city, such as souks, the Dubai Museum, the Heritage Village, mosques and more.

*National Pride

 December 2nd and 3rd are U.A.E.'s national days, celebrating its formal nationalization from the British Protectorate Treaties and the unification of the seven emirates (1971). This means that when we got there, preparations were in full flow, and Dubai was completely decked out in celebratory decoration . The whole city was a haze of green, red, black and white. Flags were the main decoration, as it happens on national days around the world. Simply everywhere, ranging from tiny ones clasped onto car windows with little plastic rods, to enormous ones, that seemed about an acre wide, draped on skyscraper exteriors. It wasn't just the flags though, everything seemed to be U.A.E. themed. I even saw a few cars with a U.A.E. paint job, complete with the faces of the local rulers on the side doors. That's another thing I get a kick out of, and it's done in Saudi Arabia as well. The rulers' faces are everywhere, often blown up to enormous proportions, so wherever you go, you have Sheikh Something-or-Other staring down at you. I just love visiting cities when they're all "dressed up" and festive :)

Dubai Days, Pt.I

These past few days, I spent in a very different part of the Arab world, one that is familiar to most westerners, as it is one of the world's leading travel destinations. Dubai.
Dubai is truly a remarkable city, especially considering the fact that, within mere decades, it has transformed itself, from a quiet coastal settlement to a bustling metropolis. The discovery of oil in the region was, of course, key to this incredible growth and prosperity. However, the insightful leadership decided not to rely solely on oil revenues, which wouldn't last forever, by investing in creating a quality tourism destination. Within approximately 30 years, modern Dubai emerged, exciting and culturally diverse, a true cosmopolitan city.
Having said all that, Dubai wouldn't be on my list of "must see" destinations, the reason for this being that it is a bit too superficial for my taste. Its iconic towers, massive shopping malls, theme parks, extremely luxurious hotels and  a wide variety of leisure activities, ranging from skydiving to yachting, have practically "buried" the region's Islamic and Bedouin heritage, creating an enormous playground for the wealthy tourist. Hints of Dubai's heritage can only be discerned  in  things such as the plethora of  mosques in the city or the traditional attire of the few locals(locals represent only 8% of Dubai's population, the rest being expatriates and migrant workers).
Even though Dubai is not "must see" material and quite lacking culturally , in my opinion at least, it would be impossible not to admit that I had a very enjoyable time there. After all, it is a city with the capability to satisfy the entertainment needs of any tourist, very different from Jeddah, where fun is kind of difficult to come across.  Here are some of my favorite things from my trip to Dubai :

* Burj Khalifa , "At the top"

The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, rises 828m above Dubai and has 162 floors. With this height, even New York's famous skyscrapers are dwarfed by comparison. This architectural wonder was built to resemble the desert flower Hymenocalli.
Visitors can take the "At the top" journey, to the floor-to-ceiling glass observation deck on the 124th floor. There was a very long line and airport style security measures to wait through, but it was entirely worth it. Crammed into one of the building's 57 lifts along with 10-15 more enthusiastic tourists, the ascent took just over a minute to complete, before we exited to a stunning view of Dubai landscapes, city, desert and ocean.   Walking around the observation deck there is barely an inch of Dubai that goes undiscovered. Surprisingly, I wasn't able to see the trademark of Dubai, the Palm Islands, which was a bit of a disappointment. The rest of the view made up for it though, and being so high above the world gives you a truly amazing feeling.

The view from above

* Dubai's Dancing Fountains

Located in front of Burj Khalifa,on the Burj Khalifa Lake, Dubai Fountain provides a spectacular show of lights, water and music every half hour during the evening and twice around midday. Music starts playing and the performance begins, with great jets of water shooting out of the fountains as high as 150m. Twisting and turning in different patterns and combinations, following the song's rhythm, they seem to be dancing like synchronized swimmers. Colorful lights are projected across the water adding to this magnificent sight. The technology behind this performance is incredible. The fountain's "dance recitals" are extremely popular and huge crowds gather round it before every show.

* Dune-Bashing

This is one of the things you absolutely have to do if you ever find yourself in Dubai, or any place with an abundance of sand for that matter. There are many agencies in Dubai which organize "dune-bashing" expeditions. We opted for an evening expedition, so, round 4 'o' clock, a driver in a white Hummer picked us up from our hotel and drove us to the desert about 30' away from the city. Upon arriving we were greeted by a convoy of more white SUVs from the same agency. The driver gave us a few minutes to take pictures, while he released pressure from the tires. I took this opportunity to remove my shoes and walk in the sand. It was pure bliss. Soft and warm, I sank into it almost up to my knees. Never before have I encountered sand with such lovely texture. Soon, we were in the car again, ready to start "bashing the dunes". We raced up and down incredibly steep dunes, kicking up sand in our wake, rolled along the top of others, jostling terribly in the back seat, until, with an abrupt swerve, our driver sent us speeding down again. At certain points the car was practically moving on two wheels, leaning so much that, if the window were open, I could run my hand along the sand. It was excellent! Slightly terrifying and immensely thrilling, a great adrenaline rush. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who suffers from motion sickness though. After about 40' of "bashing", our convoy gathered at a "Bedouin" camp, created by the agency, for supper, shisha smoking, camel riding and a variety of other activities.

This post turned out quite longer than I would have liked, so more on Dubai in the next one!