A Peek Inside a Saudi Wedding

In December I attended a family wedding at the brand new Hotel Galleria by Elaf in Jeddah.  The lobby is quite elegant and it's several stories tall. It has a grand European ambience.  The exterior of the hotel is spectacular. We arrived after dark though, so I don't have any exterior shots, but you can see some HERE. 

Traditionally, Saudi weddings are notorious for starting very late in the evening and lasting until the wee hours in the morning.  I believe this is due to several reasons.  First of all, people don't really start getting ready for the wedding until after the isha prayer, the last prayer of the evening.  Also, the bridal party usually arrives early to take professional photos with the family before the guests arrive. Since many Saudi weddings are still segregated affairs, this allows for time for the male family members to be in the photos, even though they are not part of the actual wedding.  This wedding was for women only. The men's affair was held the evening before at a completely different venue. 

The wedding venue was so elegant and spectacular.  Every detail had been well thought out. At one end of the hall was a raised stage with a gorgeous golden couch for the bridal party (the bride, her mom, and her sisters) to receive well wishers. 

The table centerpieces varied from table to table, with some having candelabras and others with large floral centerpieces.  Delicious dates were available on each table.

Once the female guests begin to arrive, photography is forbidden, so unfortunately I don't have any photos of the amazing evening gowns that were worn that night.  But I can tell you that the gowns could have been worn at the Academy Awards. Some of the younger women wore short trendy party dresses. Many guests had their hair and makeup professionally done for the occasion. 

The gorgeous seating area on the stage for the bride was surrounded by beautiful purple and white floral arrangements.  It was picture perfect.

My husband and I took advantage of the free time we had before the other guests arrived to take photos. We don't get dressed up fancy very often.  I think he looks so handsome in his traditional wear, don't you?  He had to leave before the female guests began arriving.

At the other end of hall was an amazing space great for photos, decorated with flower streams hanging down over flowing white drapes.  It was truly spectacular. 

The female-only servers were all dressed formally in black and white.  They were very attentive and brought us drinks of water and juices as soon as we sat down.  They also served us a variety of finger foods that were delicious.  The crystal chandeliers in the ballroom were exquisite. 

Guests began arriving after 10 pm.  It was fun seeing the variety of gorgeous dresses the ladies wore.  The ladies danced up and down the center aisle you see above. The music was a live female percussion band that had a singer with a beautiful voice who sang in Arabic.  The bride made her grand entrance at about 1 am, slowly making her way down the staircase and then gliding down the center aisle toward the golden couch at the other end.  It was the family's choice that the groom did not make an appearance at the wedding before the women. 

Above is just one of the platters of tasty delights that was served to us.  These were all sweet and other platters of finger foods were savory.  I would have liked to have tasted them all!  Dinner was served at about 2 am in the adjoining banquet room.  It consisted of table after table of scrumptious salads, breads, dips, vegetables, meats, and desserts.  The variety was overwhelming.  It was all delicious!  Sorry I couldn't get photos of the amazing buffet spread, but the female guests were all around, so I couldn't. 

My friend Vicki and I had an fabulous time that evening.  It was Vicki's first Saudi wedding ever and I think she had a very memorable time.  We sat with a table full of charming Saudi women who were old friends of my sister-in-law, the mother of the bride. 

Below is the candelabra centerpiece which adorned some of the tables.  Both types of centerpieces were placed on top of a large glass Lazy Susan, which made reaching things on it much easier. 

One final shot of me and my Saudi Prince - we were actually celebrating a milestone ourselves the very next day - 40 years together!  Gee, it seems like it was only yesterday ...

The New Jeddah Waterfront Project

The city of Jeddah runs north and south for many miles along the Red Sea coastline.  A large phase of the Jeddah Waterfront project was recently completed and officially opened to the public on November 30th.  This phase of the project cost a whopping 800 million Saudi riyals and runs along the coastline for 4.2 kilometers.

I stayed away until a couple of days ago hoping the crowds had died down.  There is also no way I would attempt to go near there on the crowded weekends either!

The beautiful pier that stretches out over the Red Sea for over 400 meters lights up at night and sports several sections with seating areas for picnics or relaxing or for just enjoying the beauty of the sea breezes.

Lots of large shade canopies were incorporated into the project as well as lovely walkways, sculptures, and plantings of flowers.  

The facilities are also equipped with about 100 surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology.

A manmade island formed in the shape of a crescent moon has been planted with dozens of palm trees.  There are also three nearby beach areas for public swimming - much of the area is not suitable for swimming because of the rocky coastline.  

A fishing pier, several restaurants, and a boat marina are also part of the ambitious addition.  

There are still other phases of the expansive waterfront project coming, extending further north up the coastline.

School children on a school field trip walked along the pier in an orderly fashion.  I like their shadows and the canopies' shadows in this pic.

Some new sculptures adorn the grassy areas and gardens, alongside some old familiar landmarks. 

I love this new graceful seagulls sculpture, don't you?  The Red Sea behind it is a perfect backdrop for this artwork.

This modern sculpture is an elegant human form - I like it!

Above is the view looking to the north along the Jeddah Waterfront.  We were able to see hundreds of fish swimming in the clear waters and we spied many crabs sunbathing on the rocks below.

Jeddah is known as "The Bride of the Red Sea" and the disk this mermaid is holding says that in Arabic.  In the background is one of Spanish artist Julio Lafuente's famous Jeddah sculptures called "Science and Religion."

The sculpture "Science and Religion" is visible from many points around the Jeddah Waterfront.  It used to be inaccessible, positioned in the middle of a lagoon in the area.  The new waterfront design has placed it in its new location in the middle of the corniche park.  

The sculpture is comprised of 72 celestial moons made of marble, symbolizing the moon's phases of waxing and waning, and is topped off by a crescent moon which is an important symbol in Islam.  Each of these moons weighs 1.8 tons! So it wasn't an easy feat to move and place this monument in its new location.  CLICK HERE to see an older photo of mine in its original place in the middle of a lagoon.

It was nice to see so many men, women and children out walking and enjoying the sunlight and the more moderate December weather.

Contrary to popular belief outside the realm of Saudi Arabia, there were many unescorted women out walking amidst the flowers and palm trees lining the Red Sea.

The above photo shows the end of beautiful new pier at the Jeddah Waterfront looking to the south.  There are many shaded areas with nice seating along the pier.

There are several stylized galloping horse sculptures along the Jeddah Waterfront amidst pools and fountains.  They are likely the work of a local artist who has made other horse and camel sculptures for the city of Jeddah.

Another exciting feature is the many nice new public restrooms, which can be scarce (or gross!) in this city of almost 4 million. The logo of the Jeddah Waterfront  project is also shown above on the wall of one of the new bathrooms - it's a flock of birds that are shaped like boomerangs.

Several new colorful themed playgrounds for kids are a welcome addition, and internet service is provided for adults too. Below is another new sculpture next to another playground. 

The floral plantings and grasses were chosen to survive in Jeddah's hot and harsh climate.  Watering systems have also been installed.

Colorful flowers, graceful sculptures, and palm trees with the lovely Red Sea as their backdrop.

Pools and fountains are also scattered throughout the beautiful gardens and walkways, although the ones we saw were drained the day we were there.  

  

Here is another of the new modern white sculptures featured along the walkway near the pier with lots of new palm trees planted in the background.  

There are also several mosques located along this stretch of the Red Sea Corniche where the new Jeddah Waterfront is located.

To read more and see more photos of this new addition to Jeddah's coastline, click  HERE  and  HERE.

Holistic Health Event Tomorrow

WHAT:    HOLISTIC HEALING EVENT  (Ladies only)

WHEN:   Thursday, March 6th, 2014, starting at 10 am

WHERE:  Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

DETAILS ... 

Your True Nature "YTN" and Holistic Juicy Living "HJL" fuse together to bring you unique services, products and courses. We invite all holistic enthusiasts to come by and visit our booth at the Binzager Compound in Jeddah.  Exclusive offer to come and meet with Holistic Nutritional Coach Hanane Serhan and Spiritual Life Coach and Healer Alicia Ali and receive a bonus consultation. 

Wholesome duo, Holistic Juicy Living and Your True Nature, proactively respond to lifestyle demand and unleash publications geared to catapult an uprise of the Global Holistic Movement in Arabia - an EXCLUSIVE preview of UPCOMING self transformative titles now available to ATTENDEES ONLY!

Key themes aim to target the holistic conscious audience covering Holistic Health, Spiritual & Self Development and will empower readers with POWERFUL TOOLS and and SELF TRANSFORMATIVE knowledge to bring desired results.

Women are demanding a health revolution as diseases are on the rise in Saudi Arabia.  Poor lifestyle choices, lack of education, spiritual emptiness, and a rise in OBESITY and DIABETES among women and children have reached startling numbers in the region.  Now is your chance to take action. 

Visit YTN and HJL on March 6th at the Ladies Business Bazaar at Binzager Compound- Don't miss this opportunity to personally meet the Holistic Duo of Alicia Ali, Spiritual Life Coach and Energy Healer, and Hanane Serhan, Nutritional Coach and Detox Expert, in their VENTURE for HOLISTIC revival.

JOIN the event on FACEBOOK.

A Real American Bedouin

Erga Rehns was born in Palestine in 1935.  She was raised in New York, lived in Portugal, and lived among the Bedouins in the desert of Wadi Rum in Jordan.  This post contains two videos from 2007 that were posted by Al Jazeera about her life in the desert.



Feeling the need to return to her roots and a simpler life, Erga had lived for seven years in the Wadi Rum desert when this record of her bedouin lifestyle was first presented.   She outlived two husbands prior to her move to Jordan and in the video shares a story about receiving a marriage offer from a Bedouin man when she was 70 years old. 

Don't Miss It! Head Over Heels in Saudi Arabia

Dr. Maisah Sobaihi (photo: Vimeo)

"Head Over Heels in Saudi Arabia" is a one-woman comedy show written and performed by Dr. Maisah Sobaihi, exploring the lives and loves of Saudi women with humor and insight.  I had the pleasure of seeing this delightful show and writing about it several years ago in 2008.  For my review and synopsis of the play, please click HERE.  Since that time, Sobaihi has repeated her performance many times, and this week she is doing it again.

WHERE:  EFFAT UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM in JEDDAH - GATE 13


WHEN:     MONDAY, FEB. 18 (in ENGLISH) and 
                  TUESDAY, FEB. 19 (in ARABIC)

TIME:       8:30 PM 

MEN AND WOMEN ARE WELCOME, BUT WITH SEPARATE SEATING
 
PRICE:     250 SR

BUY TICKETS AT 

Head Over Heels In Saudi Arabia - 3-Minute Promo Video from Maisah Sobaihi on Vimeo.

Inside the Saudi Kingdom - A BBC Documentary

This hour long documentary gives outsiders an interesting look into the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its main subject is Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen, one of the ruling family members of the country and the nephew of the King, and also touches on tribal customs, cultural traditions, religious influence, the legal system based on Shariah law, and the status of Saudi women. It's well worth watching if you are interested in Saudi Arabia today.

Finding Nemo: Snorkeling in the Red Sea

After living in Saudi Arabia for 4 years, I finally got an opportunity to go out on a boat to the beautiful coral reefs of the Red Sea and go snorkeling. The Red Sea is considered one of the best places in the world to snorkel, and it did not disappoint. I’ve been fortunate to have snorkeled in many places around the globe when I was younger and in the travel business – the Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, Fiji, Tahiti, to name a few – but I hadn’t been snorkeling in many years. And now at age 60, I wondered if I had the stamina for it.

Our group consisted of at least 20 mostly expats from various countries, like South Africa, Scotland, Lebanon, Iceland, Yemen, and others. Part of the group opted to go scuba diving while the rest of us snorkeled. The entire day trip, operated by a very professional outfit called Desert Sea Divers and which included a hot lunch of biriyani, cold drinks, snacks, and the rental of my snorkeling equipment cost a total of 225 Saudi Riyals, or about $56 US. We set out early in the morning on one of Desert Sea Divers lovely and well maintained boats. Everyone on the boat had to don the requisite orange life vests as we passed through the inlet to the Coast Guard checkpoint that led to the deep blue Red Sea. The women were also able to then remove our abayas and scarves and feel the delightful wind through our hair. Since this group consisted of expats, the gender segregation thing and the abaya thing once we were out in the open waters of the Red Sea were not a concern.

The weather in Jeddah in mid-April was warm and hit a high that day of about 35C. The anticipation was building during the 90 minute boat ride out to the reefs where we would be exploring the wonders of the Red Sea. Along the way, the captain slowed down in one spot where there were dozens of playful dolphins swimming alongside our boat. The astounding creatures put on quite a magnificent show for us, happily leaping out of the water through the air. We all felt sheer delight at seeing these handsome creatures. I was told that we were lucky and that this was a good omen for our trip since dolphins sightings like that don’t always happen that often.

We arrived at the first of three reefs we visited that day, and everyone busied themselves in preparation for entering the glimmering turquoise waters. I was really anxious to get into the water by that point. I jumped in and the seawater felt great. The temperature was just right. But boy, I have to say that the Red Sea is extremely salty!

The snorkeling was absolutely amazing. The colors in the coral reefs ranged from purples to blues and greens and reds and oranges and yellows. There were large areas where the reefs were extremely close to the surface. We were careful not to touch them. The fish were equally as colorful in stripes, dots, two tones, shiny metallics, and half and half. The clownfish we saw, like the ones made famous in the animated movie Finding Nemo, were bright orange, with white and black accents, but like many fish we saw, they appeared to have a mesmerizing neon glow to them. Many of the smaller fish traveled in regimented schools. We also were bedazzled by the sheer numbers of the glittering transparent purple neon jellyfish.

We spent about an hour at the first site before moving on to the second spot, not too far away. I carefully reapplied sunscreen before going into the water again, but unfortunately I forgot about my lower legs which were exposed and I suffered a bad sunburn on them. A few of us daredevils jumped into the water from the top deck. I should have held my nose – I swallowed a big mouthful of the salty seawater and it went up my nose too. The snorkeling here was just as spectacular as the first place. We broke for lunch and enjoyed chatting with each other. It was really a fantastic and diverse group of adventurous people, most of them in the kingdom for work and determined to make the most of their time in Saudi Arabia.

The third reef we explored was called Marble Gardens and was the largest and most outstanding reef of all. One sea creature that we hovered over in wonder looked like a foot long sea cucumber with a snakeskin pattern on its body and a spectacularly crowned head. It was also cool to see the scuba divers below us getting a closer look at the reefs further below us.

With the day nearing its end, we headed back in late afternoon. As we got closer to our port, we were entertained by some Saudi hotdogs on jet skis, who dangerously crisscrossed our boat at high rates of speed and shot into the air like rockets. At least one guy flipped over and he wound up in the water with his jet ski on its side. I wonder how frequently that happens and how many of these guys are injured (or worse) each year.

It was a full day jam-packed with fun, excitement, great people, and incredible sights. I was totally exhausted and slept like a baby last night. The pain I am feeling today on my sunburned legs was well worth the wonderful time I had. I’m already signed up for next month’s outing!

Further Information:

Desert Sea Divers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

To learn more about why coral reefs are so darn colorful, this National Geographic article is a fascinating and informative read.