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The old part of town..

rayyan

Well-known member
A couple of friends have asked for some images from ' my parts of the wood '.

I have been going through my archives and shall post some here as I find them.


This wall was the end of town not many years back. The guardhouses on the sides
and the walls have been preserved.

Around it are multi-billion dollar structures, in the same architecture of old , which house the official admin and city government offices.

Further down are modern skyscrapers.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
Rugs and floor coverings in the old design. We would, and I still prefer to sit on the floor.

In olden days, it was clay. Then we had modest rugs over the floor. Now it is carpets with cushions and back rests.

When we did not have slippers/sandals on our feet, carpets were not our priority.

 

rayyan

Well-known member
Coffee. Arabic coffee and tea. Chests to store what valuables we had in those bygone days.

Somethings are as necessary now, as they were when my friends and I were young.

We call it ' Dallah '. The coffee. To prepare it properly involves a protocol.

It definitely is not ' Starbucks '. Although we do not have a shortage of those too!!

 

Thorkil

Well-known member
very nice "old" Pictures Ryyan!
And very nice and relaxing to listen to stories of how things used to be! (and gives a quit thought....was it all necessary, is it all worth it...the development, as it called)
Where is it from?
Thorkil
 

rayyan

Well-known member
very nice "old" Pictures Ryyan!
And very nice and relaxing to listen to stories of how things used to be! (and gives a quit thought....was it all necessary, is it all worth it...the development, as it called)
Where is it from?
Thorkil
Thank you Thorkil.

The pictures are from the old souk in Riyadh.
' Deera '. Say ' Deera ' now and they would know where you are going.

But in actuality, to ask someone where he/she was from, I would ask from which ' Deera '...meaning which town!! This area was the town in the olden days.

Regards.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
Many items on sale in the old souk.

But the prices are very high, as it is frequented by visitors from the west!!

But sometimes one can find and strike a bargain.

 

rayyan

Well-known member
Coffee, tea related and other sundry utensils on sale.

An old musket is thrown in for good measure...

 

rayyan

Well-known member
I still like to buy my sandals down here. One gets to talk to the owner.
Talk about the craft and the craftsmen.

 

rayyan

Well-known member
The annual Heritage Festival in Janaderiya recreates, in the minutest detail, our
Heritage.

Here is a building of old..air conditioned of course, but authentic in every detail
of living in days gone by.


I have a similar seating arrangement in my house, which is constantly used.

p.s.the mud thin nosed vessel resting next to the wall ( placed above the floor here ) contains water to keep it cool during the hot summer days.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
To reach the site of the Heritage Festival, or most places nowadays one takes a complicated route..along motorways and the ring road that encircle the city of 6-7 million people.


( nikon image ).
 

rayyan

Well-known member

The most sacred place in Islam. The Grand Mosque in Makkah Al- Mukkaramah.

The compression effects have brought the buildings behind the Holy Kabaa much nearer than they actually are.

The area comprising the Grand Mosque is huge. I really mean huge. The flooring you see is tiled by similar tiles as used in the space shuttle to absorb heat.
In this instance it is to keep the floor cool for the worshippers as they circumambulate the Holy Kabba.

There are golf carts for the invalid, escalators, the covered area is air conditioned as are all the floors.
There are thick, specially fabricated carpets throughout.

Drinking water for the worshippers is supplied from a stream ( a religious story in its own right ) and pumped by the largest water refrigeration plant in the world.
It is one of its kind.

To cater to the simplest and the most complicated medical emergencies for the worshippers and visitors, complete medical facilities are available around the clock.

The lighting of the interior, exterior, the perimeter was an undertaking for the largest international electrical consortiums.

Multiple motorways, interstates roads link Makkah Al- Mukkaramah to all parts of the world. The International airport at Jeddah handles
the air traffic for Makkah.

All services are provided free of cost to the visitors and worshippers to the Grand Mosque.


The Grand Mosque is open 365 days of the year. 24 hours of each day.
 
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Thorkil

Well-known member
thank you very much Rayyan for the splendid pictures and tellings from your neighbourhood!! This is interesting!
Specially like your sandal-shop! But the conditions and view from the Mosque is very interesting too, in a much different way (including the clash of cultural origin…and a little extravagant with all those cooling systems, while our little planet suffer from shortnes of breath:), but thats another talk...
I'll take a more careful look later on, and now one more cup of coffee and off I go for lawn moving at the countryside…
Best
Thorkil
 

rayyan

Well-known member
Thorkil, thanks for the comments. Much appreciated.

There are millions of pilgrims and worshippers throughout the year to the Holy Mosque. It is hot..very hot in summers..and dry. In winters, it is hot and dry.

The water is from them to drink. Not for gardening or washing cars. Water conservation is taken much much more seriously here than in other places..as you can imagine.

Gas ( benzine for cars ) is more easily accessible than water. And cheaper to provide.

My country considers it a privilege to provide all facilities to those that come here to perform the sacred pilgrimage to the House of God.

No expense is spared in that regard, to ensure that the worshippers pray in comfort and safety. The best we can provide.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
The 70s saw the beginnings of unprecedented progress in my country.

It continues to this day..non-stop. Infrastructure, education, healthcare, housing. The biggest economy in the Middle East, by far.

The Museum in Riyadh has a very interesting ' Then and Now ' permanently updated exhibit on show.

And not forgetting..

 

rayyan

Well-known member
But the desert is neither far or ever forgotten..


Thank you for stopping by.

Kindest regards.
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
Rayyan, you are quite right! one has to provide the pilgrims with facilities so they can have a good stay and also survey the heat, not the least. That is indeed a task one has to fulfil!
And the resourceproblem in general is rather complicated and certainly a worldwide problem that hopefully will find cleaver solutions in god time and order.
Best
Thorkil
 

Lloyd

Active member
Incredible set, Rayyan. Thank you for allowing us a small peak inside a place that remains mysterious and remote to many. I would love to see more... much more.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
Incredible set, Rayyan. Thank you for allowing us a small peak inside a place that remains mysterious and remote to many. I would love to see more... much more.
Very much thank you Lloyd!! :salute: ( no my linguistic side is not impaired..yet!! ).

Kindest regards to you and yours.
 
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