Old
Jeddah
This has to be one
of the first things you do when you arrive in Jeddah! When you grow weary of the modern world, retreat to a
simpler age by walking through the alleys and streets of this living time
machine. Don’t be put off
by the maze of lanes - It is difficult to get completely lost - the people are
friendly and no translation is required to point you in the right direction.
Photography is allowed and although you do not officially require a
letter of consent from the Jeddah Historical Preservation Department, some may
feel more comfortable with it in hand - telephone Mr Sami Nawar on (02) 647
2280.
This part of town and the tour are described in huge detail in Old Jeddah
The
Corniche
The Corniche is an
entertainment zone in its own right and it is worth taking the time to explore
all its different faces. This
subtle masterpiece of civil engineering has changed the coastline of 30 years
ago beyond recognition. Effectively
divided into two sections, North and South, by the port and naval base, the
South Corniche is impressive just by its existence - you can reach it by heading
south beyond the port, through the checkpoint, rejoin the main road and turn
right at the second roundabout. Pass
a collection of houses and shops selling beach toys, drinks and ice, the petrol
station on the other side of the road and then straight on to the sea.
Out in the middle of nowhere, yet there is 60km of tarmac road with
pavements and picnic spots hugging the coastline, with the desert attempting to
claim back its own by occasional wandering sand dunes!
The public beaches here are popular with Saudis and expatriates, many
camping for a few days on Eid holidays. Diving
is good from parts of the beach where the reef comes in close to the shore - the
Coast Guard maintain a high presence but are on the whole a friendly bunch, just
concerned for safety. At certain
points, the South Corniche is also popular with wind and kitesurfers (as
mentioned in the Sports Roundup),
where the reef runs a long way from the shore, creating a relatively shallow
lagoon. (Before heading out for a
trip to the South Corniche bear in mind the essentials are some form of shade,
lots of sun tan lotion and water and, preferably, a companion vehicle - mobile
phone coverage is not yet entirely reliable.
Back in town, the Corniche is
again divided - this time by the desalination plant at the eastern end of Tahlia
Street. To introduce yourself to
the Corniche drive from one end to the other - starting at the northern end by
joining the Corniche from the Globe roundabout on Malek Road (E7).
From here to where the road parts company with the coast at the junction
with Sary Street, are a number of hotels -
the Sheraton, Movenpick,
the newly-opened Westin and soon to be
opened Hilton.
Like a British seaside town, the collection of fun fair parks sit quietly
during the day, preparing for an evening of razzle dazzle and entertainment for
families. There are restaurants
such as Al Bohaira, the cheap and
cheerful Sea Garden with views over
the Red Sea and the superb Green Island
set on stilts over the reef. Undercover
entertainments for children include the Jeddah Science and Technology Museum and Fun Time Pizza (I8), the vast undercover entertainment zone, is
further south, near Al Nawrus Square (J8).
From the roundabout near the
US Consulate on Al Andalus Street to the junction of Palestine Street, the
Corniche (O7) becomes an open air exhibition of sculpture and then, further
along in the evenings, the beach is given over to quad bikes, donkey rides for
children and horse drawn carriages decorated with glowing lights.
At dusk and on through the
evening, the Corniche, particularly in South Obhur and Al Hamra, takes on a
whole different character - families gather to picnic, play ball games, ride
bicycles, splash in the surf. A
jibber jabber of music and neon lights and delighted squeals of children at
play. Why not pack a coolbox
yourself and join in one evening - take a rug or two and some cushions and watch
Jeddah at play.
Art Galleries
For
those that prefer to view art in air-conditioned comfort, the following are
worth a visit: (They are in the
'freebie' section but of course, should you wish to purchase anything ….)
Al
Alamia Gallery (N6) Tel 663 5107
Off
Arafat Street, Al Hamra District
Open 10am-1pm and 5pm-10pm Saturday to Thursday
A permanent but constantly
changing exhibition of work by artists primarily Saudi but also from France,
Iraq, Italy and Spain.
Darat
Safeya Binzagr (P6) Tel 657 1030
Dubayy
Street, off Madinah Road, one block south of Waly Al Ahd Street
Open Wed 5.30-8.30pm Thurs
10.30am-1.30pm (Ladies only)
Group Bookings by prior arrangement.
A fascinating and enlightening
permanent exhibition depicting Saudi culture over the past thirty years, from
the perspective of the artist, Safeya Binzagr.
Spread throughout eight rooms of the ground floor of this purpose built
art gallery and museum, the collection of paintings and drawings, costumes,
jewellery and other artifacts, brings the history of the region to life.
Upstairs, for ladies only, is a library and the artist also runs studios
on-site.
Jeddah
Gallery for Fine Arts (M5) Tel 664 0710
Nazer
Centre, off Tahlia Street, near Madinah Road
Exhibitions are held at
various times throughout the year. Telephone
the gallery manager, Mr Hisham Kandil, for details.
Rosenthal
Gallery
(O6) Tel 667 5304
Shobokshi
Street
, behind Sofitel on Palestine Street
This gallery holds a series of
exhibitions throughout the year. Telephone
to find out what is on.
The
House of Artists (R6)
Balad
Situated near the offices of
the Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department, this is a traditional
building, recently restored and now containing a display of paintings and other
fine arts, as well as holding regular exhibitions.
Outside there is a small piazza with an interesting wall frieze and
unusual 'waterfall' of clay pots!
The
Photographers' House (R6) Tel 647 2280 (Mr Sami Nawar)
Balad
Similar to the House of
Artists, this is situated near the Shafa'ai Mosque and access is by appointment
only.
Rochan
Galleries
(M6) Tel 665 5807
Tahlia
Street
A permanently changing
exhibition of paintings and sculpture by local and foreign artists. All pieces are for sale.
There are other branches in Mosadia Plaza and on Khalid bin Waleed
Street.
Festivals
Jeddah
2001
The annual Jeddah Festival,
held in the months of June and July, has expanded its attractions year on year
and, although precise details for Jeddah 2001 were unavailable at the time of
going to press, it is promised that this practice of expansion will continue.
Keep an eye on the organisers' website http://www.jeddah21.com
for the events list, but expect to see return visits of the popular Dolphin
Show, Circus, Zorro Stunt Show, NBA Basketball, Parachute Displays, Fireworks,
Display, Body Building Contest, Chess, Billiards, Snooker and Tennis
Tournaments, Art Exhibitions, Sand Castle Competitions and much more.
For more information call Freephone 800 244 1421.
National
Day
23rd September is
National Day in Saudi Arabia and it is a real experience to be in Balad on that
evening where the people of Jeddah re-enact the greeting of King Abdul Aziz and
his army on 23 September 1924. There
is a grand parade from Nassif House down through Al Alawi Underpass and Gabel
Street souq - men on horseback, on camels, drummers and chanting and the
inevitable hangers on all adding to the atmosphere.
In King Abdul Aziz Historical Square outside Nassif House singers and
musicians put on a concert, often accompanied by enthusiastic members of the
audience!
Ramadan
and Eid
Ramadan and the two Eids,
celebrating the end of Ramadan and Haj respectively, generate a party atmosphere
throughout the streets of Jeddah - shops and restaurants are open until the
early hours of the morning, crowds throng in Balad and the shopping malls are in
festive mood with traffic jams common at 2.00am!
For a true seasonal experience, try Iftar,
the meal that breaks the day's fast as the sun goes down.
I recommend Yildizlar , just off Al Andalus Street - and to be as authentic as
possible, why not fast yourself! The
incredible sight of the table groaning under the best the kitchens have to
offer, will seem all the more appealing if you are truly 'breakfasting' at
6.00pm!
The
Fish Market
(Q7)
A very early start is required
for this one so set your alarm clock. While
Jeddah slumbers, the middle of the night is rush hour down at the Fish Market.
The hustle and bustle starts from around 4.00am when the boats dock and
unload and the auctioning starts from after Fajr prayer, lasting from about
5.30am to 8.00am - the variety of fish is almost as overwhelming as the smell!
There are filleting areas operated by the major fish wholesalers and
fishing equipment and chandlery stores to browse - and don't forget to choose
something for the barbecue.
Jeddah
International Exhibition Centre
Located across Madinah Road
from Hera'a International Souq, the JIEC has a full schedule of events for 2001,
including the following exhibitions: Food; Computing and Business Equipment; the
Book Fair; Education and Training; the Boat Show; Leisure and Sports; Sound,
Vision and Home Appliances; Business Communications and Multi-media; Building
Industries; Interiors, Furniture, Furnishing and Decorative Lighting;
International Trade Fair; and the Motor Show.
Contact Al Harithy Exhibitions
for further information on 654 6384.
Museums
Nassif
House
(R6)
Al
Alawi, Balad
This 120 year old house played
host to HRH King Abdul Aziz on a visit to Jeddah in 1928 and is the jewel in the
crown of the Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department.
Recently restored, the ground
floor galleries depict the history of Saudi Arabia and the work done by the
Preservation Department. It is open
to the public from 5.00pm to 9.00pm every day, although you may find it open in
the morning as well. The rest of
the house, formerly the private home of Sheikh Omar Afandi Nassif, a prominent
Jeddah businessman and his family, may be viewed by arrangement with Mr Sami
Nawar, telephone 647 2280. For
more information on Nassif House see 'Preserving the Past for the Future'.
Municipality
Museum
(R6)
Opposite
National Commercial Bank, Balad
Lawrence of Arabia apparently
spent some time here, when it was one of the buildings occupied by the British
Legation during World War I. Now,
this one remaining building is a heritage centre featuring post-WWII photographs
of the city together with Egyptian and Syrian furniture, old weapons, silver
jewellery and knick-knacks, the intention being to illustrate how a wealthy
family would have furnished their house some 50 years ago.
It is open Saturday to Thursday 8.30am-1.00pm - admission is free but
requires a permit from Mr Sami Nawar, telephone 647 2280.
There
are other museums that require an entrance fee, hence they are not in this
section. Please see below.
Saudi
Geological Survey
Tel:
02 619 8000 Fax: 619 8906
The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS)
was established with headquarters in Jeddah following a reorganisation of
several departments within the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
The tasks and duties of SGS include mapping, grass-roots mineral
exploration, geo-hazard and geo-environmental studies, hydro-geological studies
and services to the community. It
is worth giving them a call as occasionally they arrange trips to sites within a
few hours drive of Jeddah. Check
out www.saudicaves.com,
a project they sponsor.
The
Sculpture and Monument Tour
All over Jeddah, roundabouts
and empty land have been transformed into open-air art galleries.
It was Engineer Mohammed Said Farsi in his role as Mayor of Jeddah
(1973-1986) who encouraged private businessmen to donate sculptures, monuments
and fountains to the city and the Corniche.
As mentioned above, the Corniche in Al Hamra District (O7) reveals an
impressive array of modern artists both Saudi and international, the best known
of which is probably Henry Moore.
The presence of the sculptures
and monuments are designed to celebrate characteristics of Jeddah - boats
feature in all shapes and sizes all over the city, highlighting its lifelong
partnership with the sea. Aviation
is another popular theme - the building of Jeddah's first formal airfield in the
1940s promoted the city from a player in the Middle East to the world stage - Julio
Lafuente, a prolific contributor to Jeddah's exhibition, has preserved an
old Douglas aircraft, on a pedestal opposite the old airport, believed to be the
first to have operated commercially from the same airfield in the mid-1940s, as
well as King Abdul Aziz's Dakota, in Saudia livery, at the junction of Prince Abdullah Street and Prince Majed Street.
Some of the more incredible
works of art and perennial favourites with the children include the 'Giant
Bicycle' at Al Darrajah Square (junction of Prince Abdullah and Sitteen), the
'Fruit Boat' on Hera'a Street, west of Prince Sultan, the 'Sunflowers' on the
North Corniche, the 'Camels' on the Obhur Road and the 'Mini on the Flying
Carpet' north of the Sheraton.
Societies
There are various societies
that expatriates can join - the British
Businessmen's Group and American
Businessmen of Jeddah are two that provide forums for like-minded people to
exchange views and discuss business issues to the mutual benefit of their
countrymen. There is also a fairly
healthy rivalry between the British and American groups, that manifests itself
in an annual sporting challenge! Contact
numbers for both, and societies for other nationalities, can be obtained by
calling the relevant Consulate.
There are similar societies
for expatriate women of all nationalities - again your Consulate will be able to
give you details of what is available.
Shopping
Some will complain that this is all there is to do in Jeddah - and there isn't anything to buy - clearly, they have not read the Shopping Guide! It gets an entry under the 'freebie section' as window shopping costs nothing!