SAUDI ARABIA – Mecca Province (Jeddah, Mecca)

MEKKA PROVINCE  (Jeddah, Ta’if) Nov 27-29

DARB ZUBAYDA Tentative WHS (Pilgrim Road from Kufa to Makkah) (08/04/2015).
Al-Jumaimiyah Pool N3275894.87 E 364798.83
Al-Thulaimiya Pool N 3278032.44 E365701.37
Zabala Pool N 3252358.56 E 360364.63
Faid Site N 3002185.00 E 254404.13
Al-Rabadha Site N 2726024.07 E 731792.87
Al-Kharaba site N 2455251.21 E 689080.3
There were historic pilgrimage (Hajj) Roads that passed through the Arabian Peninsula to reach Makkah, connecting the Arabian Peninsula with the major neighbouring countries, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The Al- Kufi pilgrimage route, also known as “Darb Zubaydha”, was one of the most important among them. Zubaydah trail runs from Kufa to Makkah, and is named after Zubaydah bint Jafar wife of the Abbasid Caliph Harun Al-Rashid for her charitable works on the numerous stations along the trail.
The origin of the trail date back to the pre-Islamic era, but its importance greatly increased with the dawn of Islam, and the route flourished during the time of the early caliphate. Zubaydah Trail reached its peak of prosperity during the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 C.E.), when markers and milestones were installed and the trail was developed with stations and provided with wells, pools, dams, palaces, houses, and pavement that made it more easily accessible. 27 major stations and 27 substations have been identified, the most prominent among them are: Al-Sheihiyat, Al-Jumaima, Faid, Rabadha, That-Erq and Khuraba.
In the year 751 CE, the first of the Abbasid Caliphs “Assafah” ordered the installation of milestones, flags, and lighthouses along the trail from Kufa to Makkah. The following caliphs and their wives, especially Zubaydah, completed the development of the route and provided it with all necessary amenities like water reservoirs, wells, palaces, and rest-houses all along the road. The Caliph Abdullah Al-Mahdi carried out great work in easing and paving the road. During successive centuries, the last organized pilgrimage convoy along this route was carried out by Abbasid Caliph in 641 AH/1243 CE. In the following centuries, the trail lost its importance and was almost completely abandoned by the pilgrims and travelers.

EGYPTIAN HAJJ ROAD Tentative WHS (08/04/2015)
One of the important pilgrimage routes in Islamic history, linking Egypt to Makkah and Medina, through which benefited the masses of Muslim pilgrims coming from Egypt, Sudan, Central Africa, Morocco, Andalusia and Sicily, as they meet in Egypt, then travel through Sinai to Aqaba then march across two trails: the first, is internal trail moving to Medina passing Shaghab, Beda, valley of the villages, and the second is coastal trail passes through a number of stations most important of which are: Ainouna, Al- Muwailih, Dhuba, Al-Owained, Al-Wajh, Al-Hora, Nabat, Yanbu and Al-Jar. From Al-Jar the trail heads to Makkah through Al-Juhfa then Khulais then Usfan. Or heads through Badr until it reaches Makkah or Medina. Like all the other Islamic pilgrimage roads it received great interest and attention of Muslim rulers in different Islamic eras and periods, as they established many structures on the path of this road like pools, canals, and wells, they also paved obstacles and built barricades, bridges, castles, forts, and mosques, and on the road near the camps are numerous Islamic inscriptions and commemorative writings, engraved by pilgrims as they passed through the toad.
This path is important not only for Egyptian pilgrims, but for it was is the path of the pilgrims from Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, and Central Africa; it was also the path for pilgrims from Andalusia (Spain). The course of this road changed through time, according to political circumstances and technological development. This road is divided into to four distinct stages:
Stage one: extends from the Islamic conquest of Egypt, until mid 5th century AH/9th century CE, this route was divided into two paths in Arabia: an internal road and coastal road.
Stage two: the stage of Aitheb path, during this period, the northern Hijaz land road was halted. Egyptian pilgrims used Nile ships to sail to Qus and then travel to Aitheb by caravans then crossed the sea to Jeddah.
Stage three: during which pilgrims returned to use the coastal road.
Stage four: the land road was discontinued and pilgrims traveled by sea from Suez, and then, by air to Jeddah.

Day 1 Sat Nov 28.
Fly to Jeddah on Saudi Airlines from Mauritius, arrive 21:10
It took me over three hours to do my business at the airport (even has a train to take you to immigration and the main airport). Could only find one ATM with money, only one car rental agency of 14 there with cars, would take Mastercard, would rent to a foreigner and offered unlimited milage (Yelo). Then got a SIM card (the guy was super nice as he filled out the T app necessary in SA, and found my hotel as it required Arabic). I finally got the car, complained about the low tire warning (it is normal!) and drove 21kms to my hotel – Dallah Jeddah. It is not great but adequate and only 200 SR for 2 nites (about US$25/night).

Day 2
JEDDAH (Jiddah) –a large metropolitan city on the Red Sea, the second largest In SA and the commercial centre, and the gateway to Makkah and Madinah
I then had my usual drive/walkabout to see all the NM sites in Jeddah.
Jeddah Tower. Previously known as Kingdom Tower, is a skyscraper construction project currently on hold. Located on the north side of Jeddah, it is planned to be the world’s first 1 km (3,281 ft) high building, and the centrepiece and the first phase of a development and tourist attraction known as Jeddah Economic City.
There was steady progress, but in January 2018, building owner JEC halted structural concrete work with the tower about one-third completed due to labor issues with a contractor following the 2017–19 Saudi Arabian purge.
The design, created by American architect Adrian Smith, who also designed the Burj Khalifa, incorporates many unique structural and aesthetic features. The creator and leader of the project is Saudi Arabian Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a grandson of Ibn Saud, and nephew of the Kings of Saudi Arabia after Ibn Saud.
King Saud Mosque. His Majesty King Saud Mosque is the largest mosque in the city of Jeddah. The Mosque was finished in 1987. It is mainly built of brick and covers an area of 9700 m² with the prayer hall alone covering 2464 m². The largest dome has a span of 20 meters and reaches a height of 42 meters. The Minaret reaches a height of 60 meters.
The layout reminds of Persian “four Iwan” designs, such as the Great Mosque of Esfahan in Iran. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan in Cairo in Egypt may have served as the model for the minaret and other features such as the decoration of the attic.
The mosque itself is almost square. The north and south iwans are each set in front of a domed hall that separates four pillared halls to the east and west. The actual mosque is built at an angle to the street grid so that the qibla wall may point to Makkah.
This completely white mosque has maquina designs on the minaret and main entrance. It does not appear to be used regularly. A back door was open but I could not see the inside.
Bicycle Monument. This is a huge rusted Iron 2-wheel bicycle set on pillars in a roundabout next to a freeway. It has a wire seat and two lights.
Abdul Raoud Khalil Museum (Al Tayebat International City). This entire over-the-top place and the museum are the product of Mr. Khalil, a megalomaniac collector. There are 380 galleries over 3 floors with a maze of rooms – Saudi, Islamic, and the world collections. Everything is also of high quality and everything is labeled. Not only are the glass cases full but every square inch of the walls are covered with art, not necessarily fitting with what is in the rooms. Some of the highlights were the reconstructed Bedouin and other “tribes” recreated houses, the hundreds of miniatures (including a mother of pearl Jerusalem, the ivory and bone (huge carved tusks, a boat, bone chests, and a chess set), the carpet “pictures”. It is a total ethnographic experience. One of the best collections in the world. Privately owned, it is quite expensive at 80 SR and would take days to do it justice.
Mall of Arabia. A huge, very modern mall near the airport with 3 floors. Has all the brand names and one of the largest food courts I have ever seen. There was no parking but a steady stream of cars letting off small groups of women.
Aisha Mosque. An ultramodern mosque (built in 2008) is a round cone with a round minaret shaped in a spiral at the top. Inside the prayer hall is square with wood beams. Inside is plain white. The mihrab is thousands of hanging crystals in a rectangular shape.
The Globe. In the center of the roundabout, this large tilted globe sits on a conical platform and is covered with glass mosaics.
Floating Mosque (Al Rahma Mosque). This area was one mammoth construction project. Combined with the upcoming Formula I Race, it was impossible to get close even with walking. From a distance, this modern, round, large domed mosque has one minaret.
Red Sea Mall. This mammoth 3-story mall is two ovals around a central area. The inner oval has a glassed roof. I had an Iced Capp at Tim Hortons.
Accident (Crazy Speed) Sculpture. In the NM Bizzarium series, This large concrete block has the bodies of several cars sticking out of it.
Jeddah Aquarium (Fakieh Aquarium). The highlight is the large pool with sharks and penguins. The dolphin show was closed. 65 SR
Jeddah Lighthouse. Landmark port lighthouse and observation tower with a distinctively modern, Islamic influenced design. The port appears to be a high-security area and I was not allowed to enter. I could see the remarkable-looking lighthouse from about a block away.

Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah. World Heritage Sites. An outstanding example of Red Sea architecture, once common on both coasts of the Red Sea, with only scant vestiges preserved outside Saudi Arabia. Characterized by imposing tower houses decorated with large wooden Roshan built in the late 19th century by the city`s mercantile elites, and also by lower coral stone houses, mosques, ribat-s, suqs and small public squares.
As a gate to Makkah for Muslim pilgrims reaching Arabia by boat since the 7th century, it had a cosmopolitan population where Muslims from Asia, Africa and the Middle East resided and worked.
After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the introduction of steamboats that linked Europe with India and Asia, enormous wealth built lavishly decorated houses, suqs and mosques.
Now it appears to be crumbling in on itself with the balconies and lattice windows in poor shape. Many shops line the narrow streets but it is uncertain if many people live here.
The next three sites are in Historic Jeddah
Jeddah Regional Museum (Bait al Balad). Appears to have been closed for some time. Under restoration.
Souq Al Alawi. The largest souq in the country has narrow ways, vivid colours of the traditional garments and textiles, spices and herbs, “cosmetic shops” (perfume, shampoo, lotions, toothbrushes and paste, but no evidence that anyone in SA uses dental floss or interdental brushes).
Naseef House. Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency for King Abdul Aziz. Ramps allow camel-mounted messengers to ride all the way to the upper terrace. The huge tree left of the door, as recently as 1920, was the only tree in the whole of Jeddah.
Also appears to have been closed for some time.

Day 3
I woke up early for a big drive day to see what I could in Mecca and then continued to Asir Province.
Islamic Development Bank

MECCA
Despite everyone stating that non-Muslims can’t enter the city, it is not true. I drove in and was let through the barricades by a very friendly policeman to park 50 meters from the square and the entrance to the main religious areas. I have a feeling that if I had a pilgrim’s “outfit” and entered with a crowd, I could have made it to the central mosque. 
Al Haram Mosque
Abraj Al Bait (“Towers of the House”). In the NM Architectural Delights series, is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels in Mecca.. These towers are a part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project that aims to modernize the city in catering to its pilgrims.
The building complex is metres away from the world’s largest mosque and Islam’s most sacred site, the Great Mosque of Mecca. The developer and contractor of the complex is the Saudi Binladin Group, the Kingdom’s largest construction company. It is the world’s second most expensive building, with the total cost of construction totalling US$15 billion. The complex was built after the demolition of the Ajyad Fortress, the 18th-century Ottoman citadel on top of a hill overlooking the Grand Mosque. The destruction of the historically significant site in 2002 by the Saudi government sparked international outcry and a strong response from Turkey
The site of the complex is located across the piazza to the south from the main entrance (King Abdul-Aziz Gate) to the Masjid al-Haram mosque, which houses the Kaaba. To accommodate worshippers visiting the Kaaba, the Abraj Al-Bait Towers has two large prayer rooms (one for men, one for women) capable of holding more than 10,000 people.
In addition, the Abraj Al-Bait Towers has a five-story shopping mall (the Abraj Al Bait Mall) and a parking garage capable of holding over a thousand vehicles.
List of component towers:

Makkah Royal Clock Tower. In the NM Architectural Delights series, is the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The clock tower contains the Clock Tower Museum which occupies the top four floors of the tower.
The central hotel tower, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower has the world’s largest clock face, and is the the tallest tower in the complex and the tallest building in Saudi Arabia, with a height of 601 metres (1,972 feet). Currently, it is the third-tallest building and the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world, surpassing the Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China but shorter than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE, the Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo, Japan, the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China, and the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China.
It also contains a five-star hotel, operated by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, to help provide lodging for the millions of pilgrims who travel to Mecca annually to participate in the Hajj.
The Clock Tower Museum occupies the top four floors of the tower.
The building was planned to be 734 m (2,408 ft) tall in 2006. In 2009, it was published that the final height would be 601 m (1,972 ft). The complex was built by the Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Arabia’s largest construction company. It was designed by the German architect Mahmoud Bodo Rasch and his firm SL Rasch GmbH. The façade was constructed by Premiere Composite Technologies, and the clock was by German tower clock manufacturer PERROT GmbH & Co. KG Turmuhren und Läuteanlagen. According to the Saudi Ministry of Religious Endowments, the project cost US$15 billion.
Clock. The project uses clock faces for each side of the main hotel tower. The highest residential floor stands at 370 m (1,210 ft), just below the media displays under the clock faces. At 43 m × 43 m (141 ft × 141 ft), these are the largest in the world. The roof of the clocks is 450 m (1,480 ft) above the ground, making them the world’s most elevated architectural clocks. A 151-metre-tall (495 ft) spire has been added on top of the clock giving it a total height of 601 m (1,972 ft). Behind the clock faces there is an astronomy exhibition. In the spire base and the glass-covered floors (The Jewel), there is a scientific center which is used to sight the moon in the beginning of the Islamic months and to operate an atomic clock which controls the tower clocks.

A private viewing deck is 558 m (1,831 ft) above the ground, right under the crescent. There is also a public viewing deck at the base of the clocks at 393 metres’ height.
The crescent was constructed in Dubai by Premier Composite Technologies in April 2011. The crescent is made of fibreglass-backed mosaic gold, and it weighs up to 35 tonnes. Peugeot Joseph, the company official, said a team of five engineers and a hundred workers carried out the project, which cost 90 million United Arab Emirates dirhams and took three months to build.
The minaret and its base have loudspeakers which broadcast prayer calls to a distance of 7 km while nearly 21,000 lamps illuminate the surrounding area to a distance of 30 km (19 mi). During occasions like Muslim Eids and new Hijri years, a 16-beam light illuminates an area of a diameter of around 10 km (6 mi) while 21,000 lamps beam white and green lights to a distance of 30 km (19 mi). The light beams are intended to allow the deaf, and Muslims in more distant parts of Mecca and nearby cities, to know prayer timings.
Construction fires. The Abraj-Al-Bait complex had two fire incidents during construction. The first fire accident was at Hajar Tower on 28 October 2008. It took 400 firefighters to put out the fire, which burned for 10 hours, consuming nine floors of the tower.

The 115 km drive to Taif went up and over the top of the mountains on a 4-land divided highway (no tunnels for the Saudis). On top was a city. I had a delicious mocha frappe at one of the 5 drive-by coffee shops on the side of the highway. A gondola ended beside the highway. Several small amusement parks, trees, and grassed areas, and much cooler here.

TAIF. A moderate-sized mountain town and a popular resort area. Has beautiful vistas and attractions in the mountainous areas surrounding the city.
Shubra Palace. Old Ta’if architecture. Contains the Sharif Museum about the Saudi royal history (King Abdul-Aziz and King Faisal both reside here). A 4-story square white building with brown balconies and lattice windows. Closed
King Fahad Garden*. A popular recreation spot with large green spaces, a lagoon with an artificial waterfall, cafés and restaurants.
Shafa Mountains & Cable Car*. Up Al-Hada Mountain starts in Al-Kurr Village.
Ta’if Zoo. A well done zoo with many African animals in nice enclosures but like most zoos very child orientated with a large amusement park. 50 SR