This 747 Saudia Airlines plane took me on my first trip overseas when I was only two months old. If you put your mouse on the picture it will change to the new design of Saudia's planes. The flight from New York to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia takes around 12 hours, but the entire trip from North Carolina to Jeddah was around 24 hours! Once arriving at Jeddah, you must go through customs which can take hours!! The government checks your personal belongings for items which are against the Muslim religion including pork, pornography, illegal drugs, and alcohol.
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This is the Jeddah Airport at sunset (about the time that the flight arrives.) This airport receives all the Hajj travelers who are making their pilgrimage to Mecca as part of their Muslim tradition. For more on Islam click here. |
 | These pictures (taken in the Arabian Homes compound) show houses very similar to the one in which I grew up (no I did not live in a tent!) The best part about Jeddah was the weather...it rained once a year!(See picture below of my street after a rain) |
 | At night, one of the prettiest monuments is the world's highest fountain which is in the Jeddah port. Saudi families are very fond of having picnics at the beach (but the women must stay fully veiled.) |  |
 | Camels are still valuable property to some Saudis. Camel markets auction off these animals which are still useful to Bedouin families in the desert. In the city, camels are usually employed as rides for children or tourists. |
 | This cafe was one of my favorite places to eat when I was in middle school. It was very popular because it served American food! If you are eating when there is a prayer call (5 times a day) then you must either leave the restaurant or you are locked inside until prayer ends. This is because all Muslims must leave the the premises in order to pray and they don't want people to be able to walk out without paying. (The same goes for grocery stores.) |
 | Permanent carnivals have popped up along the coast to entertain children and adults. These carnivals contain go-carts, ferris wheels, and bumper boats just like an American fair. Some may not be open to women but girls under 12 are usually allowed into any of them. |
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 | Streets in Jeddah are kept very clean with street sweepers and palm trees line the highways. Monuments like these two are centered at roundabouts to beautify the city. |
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 | If you go downtown, you will see the "Old Quarter" which has old houses which have been renovated to preserve history. |
 | The new, more modern buildings make Jeddah look like any other booming city. |
 |  | The downtown area is called the souq (market). Many goods are for sale including Arabic food, baskets, gold, and silver. Most of the shop keepers speak some English and are always willing to bargain on their prices. |
 | Grocery stores in Saudi are very similar to American stores because many European and American brands are imported into the country. American newspapers such as USA Today arrive a few days late after they have been censored for offending material such as scantily-clad women, alcohol, pork, and religious references (Christian or Jewish.) |
Slide Show of My Personal Pictures |
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| This is a collection of my pictures from the desert. One is of my mom riding a camel (she looks like she's having fun, but she actually didn't want to because she's afraid of heights.) Another is of us in a real Bedouin tent where we were served Arabic coffee and tea. |
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| This is a collection of my pictures from the desert. Every year our school sponsored a desert trip where we had a huge bonfire and party at the desert. The only problem was once in a while a car would get stuck in the sand! |
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| These pictures of me riding a camel are from Abha. In one picture, you can see the Shada Palace on a hill in the background. |
| Here I am hanging out with my friends at the pool and at the local McDonald's which served the same food as in the US, but the women had to eat in the "family" section (separated by screen windows from the single men.) |
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