Watch Out Your Abaya

this is a sticker they have on escalators in IKEA here.. i have never seen anything like it before, usually in europe they warn you about long coats and stuff, so it made me smile :)


and i'm wondering, do they have such stickers on escalators in other muslim counrties?

It's Interesting To Know That...

...the name jeddah actually means grandmother in arabic.. according to a local legend, eve, the mother of humanity, is buried here.. the graveyard still exists, it's called hawa cemetery and can be found just outside of the historical area of the old city (northeast of al-balad)

saudis pronounce the name of the city more like jiddah, which means prosperity and happiness

another pronunciation is joddah and this means a narrow passage between two mountains or a long road

Jeddah Flood

you might've already heard of the flash floods that stroke the south of jeddah on wednesday, december 25.. on that day (which happened to be the first day of hajj) some 70 millimeters of rain fell over the city in less than two hours, which is more than two-thirds of the kingdom’s annual average rainfall.. the drainage system was unable to cope with the load of water, causing the streets to turn into rivers.. the death toll in the floods has now reached 117, with 48 people still missing



it's heart-breaking to read about people losing their loved ones in the floods and whole families being drowned.. like the family who went out for a picnic on that day and lost three of their five family members.. or the man who lost his wife, sisters and three children as they lived in a first floor apartment and the flood was so powerful it broke open their door and drowned everyone.. or the local imam who was on the way to hajj with his whole family, they were cought in the flood on the way to mekkah and all drowned



subhanAllah! indeed, as Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meaning): "wherever you are, death will find you, even if you are in towers built up strong and high" (4:78)

so let us pray for those who lost their loved ones and their property, may Allah give them patience and fix their affairs.. and inshAllah those who drowned are martyrs and in jannah



and if you are in saudi arabia and want to donate anything to help those affected by the flood you can call these numbers: 6581122, 6056025, 6055406

Pantalon Abaya

here's a new abaya style from a saudi designer eman joharjy based in jeddah - pantalon abayas.. the designer claims it to be "the perfect hijab for active saudi women. Whether working hard at the office or while jogging, these exclusive abayas are made from great quality material with innovative design"

innovative? definitely.. however, i would still stick to the classic version of an abaya

what do you think? would you wear something like this?

No Reservations In Saudi Arabia

if you are an american you might have seen this show on tv.. i've found this episode of no reservations show on youtube and just looooved it.. it shows the nice side of saudi which pretty much nobody knows or hears about.. and ta-da! it was filmed in jeddah where i live :) i also loved this danya girl, she's so sweet and bubbly mashAllah.. in a word, do watch!

It's Interesting To Know That...

...jeddah, situated on the coast of the red sea, is the second largest city in saudi arabia.. its' population is 3.4 million people and it's the largest urban center in makkah province.. jeddah is famous for high levels of humidity and, unlike other cities of saudi arabia, warm winters (+15 at midnight and +25 in the afternoon).. the summers are hot, tepmerature going above +40 in the afternoon and dropping to +30 at midnight.. it really feels like steam room when you go out on a summer day, the only thing missing seems to be a bath sponge

The Heart Of Entertainment

if there's one hot spot you can't miss out when in jeddah, it is undoubtedly tahlia street.. located in what was once the outskirts of jeddah, it has become the heart of city life for those who live here.. in the early nineties, tahlia gained attention as a cruising road for the young generation to show off their cool cars.. later the introduction of a great number of cafes, fast food chains and restaurants changed the dynamic nature of the street turning it into food mecca

now if you’re a shopaholic, tahlia is definitely where you can get your fix.. this is where the label conscious will find high-end designer brands.. for fashionistas who prefer a mix, there are a number of shopping centers located along tahlia to choose from.. for the young ones, most malls have an amusement level dedicated to entertaining children with rides, games, and activities.. some of the malls also include a hyper grocery store.. plus here you'll find a full size ikea which will provide you with any interior needs you might have

tahlia, however, is not only about fun and games.. there's a business-oriented center located towards the very beginning of the street.. plus saudi arabia’s three cellular service providers have outlets located on tahlia, giving easy access to all of your communication requirements.. ATMs and bank branches are also readily available on the street

but since tahlia has it all, everyone loves to go there.. therefore it can be quite congested with traffic on the weekends

tahlia starts from the corniche (the coast) down to makkah road and is constantly being renovated and redesigned with new shops and restaurants.. with the relaxed criteria for construction, taller buildings are being erected on tahlia, while adding a much-needed change to the jeddah skyline.. with all the amenities available, it’s no wonder that tahlia is considered jeddah’s - and possibly the kingdom’s - entertainment hub

source: destination jeddah