Sunday 27 August 2017

Jeddah : A Jaunt Through Memories

Al-Mamlakah Al-Ārabīyah As-Saúdīyah also known as The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia , the Islamic centre of the world where every year millions of people from all around the world visit the country. Apart from being the only Islamic centre this country has a lot to offer , and we are totally grateful to Allah (swt) as we both hail from the same country.
View from the top :)

So today we are taking you on a walk. A walk through the marvels of Jeddah. Jeddah is also known as the bride of Red Sea, it is called so because it lies on the Coast of Red Sea. Pretty fancy name we must say ;)

Al-Balad- Balad in Arabic means city and Al-Balad is the city centre of Jeddah. It also shows the historical side of Jeddah. People travelling to Makkah , Madina or even to other cities like Riyadh, take buses and taxis from balad. Now comes the fun fact, the Tomb of Eve is also situated in cemetery of Balad and it measures 130 meters...........yes its that long. Well, apart from all these you can find all kinds of shops from high quality Turkey carpets to Indian mangoes , from high end watch brands like Rolex to a local fidget spinner. This is one of the best places to shop anything in the city, Just that you need to walk a lot and it's tiring :(

Malls- Who doesn't like malls? Especially when you can find high end fashion brands and grocery supermarkets such as Danube /Carrefour/Othaim or Lulu hypermarket under the same roof. Also the food courts are huge and consist of Starbucks , Al-Baik , Baskin Robins and anything you can ask for.  Best part of every mall here is that each mall is equipped with an amusement section which is not only for kids but also adults can ride on here. Apart from all this a separate ice rink is another made in the basement section of the mall where all kinds of ice skating competitions take place. Now the best mall in town are definitely The Red Sea Mall and The Mall Of Arabia, but there are other numerous and interesting malls where you go just to kill time and shop if you are opulent:)

Fakieh Aquarium- Well it is the only aquarium open to public in the Kingdom, and we must say this aquarium is a piece of art. It boasts of about more than 200 species including sharks , sea horses and all the other fishes. There are dolphin and seal lion shows every day and trust me it's worth every riyal :) The is small compared to the Dubai aquarium but it is constructed beautifully , we recommend you to visit the aquarium on Wednesdays and Thursdays as the crowd is moderate also the tickets for both the dolphin show and the aquarium is 50 SAR. After a 45-50 minute walk from the aquarium you end up in a cute little store where you can purchase your souvenirs.

The Beach- Aaaah we are finally here!!!!!!! "Ocean breeze, puts a mind at ease", yes we love beaches and here in Jeddah you can find two types of beaches , common and private. At the Private beach you need to pay and then access it but it is worth because you can spend your own sweet time with your family at the beach and there is no dress code here. The best example of a private beach is Silver Sands Beach. The common beach also known as Corniche is also a beautiful beach. It has cabanas where you can relax with your family , sip Cawa or just watch the water hitting the shore. You can definitely enjoy in the water here as well just that you need to make sure you have your abaya on and you are covered. Apart from the cabanas there are swings , slides and trampolines where you can play even in the night time.
One main attraction when it comes to beaches is Masjid Ar-Rahma or The Floating Mosque. This mosque is literally constructed on water and it is situated on the corniche it self. The view from the mosque is amazing it's just the Sea on the right side and the city on the left. People visit this mosque without fail because it is a masterpiece ;)

Tahlia street-Also known as Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz street is a sophisticated fashion and shopping amidst Jeddah. It houses upscale shops and boutiques such as Prada, Gucci, Ted baker, D&G, and Chanel to name a few. This street is a Replica of Champs-Élysées located in Paris. It is also marked as a celebration street for soccer fans who drive up and down in super cars such as Lamborghini, Ferrari or McLaren waving club scarfs and sounding their car horns or revving up their super cars just to celebrate victory. This sight is enthralling and the cars are worth watching. If you are a car enthusiast or a heavy shopper this place is meant for you. This street is our personal favourite and Thursday evenings are meant to be spent here.

Hope you enjoyed reading this piece as much as we enjoyed writing it. Hope this post gave you an insight about this beautiful city Jeddah. See you soon with another interesting post. Until then happy travelling :)
Ar-Rahma Masjid :)

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