Saudi Arabia - Architecture and Art in Abha

The city of Abha is the capital of the Asir Region located in the southwestern corner of Saudi Arabia and is rich in cultural heritage.  It is more than a mile high in elevation up in the mountains, close to the Red Sea to the west and the country of Yemen to the south.  Baboons are native to the region, dwelling in the national parks in the area.

Many Saudis from around the country flock to Abha in the summer due to its cooler moderate climate.  Abha also gets more rainfall than most of the kingdom and boasts rich agricultural plateaus.  The highest peak of Saudi Arabia is located in Abha.  It's called the Jabal Al-Sooda, or Black Mountain, and its height measures an astounding 3.3 kilometers, which is over 2 miles high!  

The old traditional architecture of Abha consists of buildings made of rocks and mud.  Many are more than 300 years old.  The architectural style of Abha was greatly influenced by Yemeni construction.

Art is important and popular in most regions of Saudi Arabia, and Abha is abundant with art.  It could be said that the area is more colorful in its dress, architecture, and art than other more conservative areas of the kingdom.

The Al Miftaha Art Village at the King Fahad Cultural Center attracts many visitors and offers exhibits of all kids of artwork, ranging from paintings and sculptures to archaelogical treasures, handmade crafts and woven items by local artisans, as well as a variety of sourvenirs.

Arabic calligraphy features prominently in a lot of Saudi art.   If you look closely at the painting above, you can see how the Arabic script is incorporated into the formation of the male figures on the right.

The painting above is reminiscent of the clothing, hats, and style of Mexican or South American figures.

I love the eyes of the above painting.

The remaining photos focus on the traditional wall painting art by female artists called Al Qatt, an artform that has been passed down through generations in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia.  Al Qatt utilizes mainly primary colors and geometric shapes and symbols.

Thanks so much to my friend Vicki Callagan for the use of her wonderful photos for this post.  

Trip to Waba Crater

 I recently took a day trip to Waba Crater, a 363 km jaunt from Jeddah.  We left at about 3am so we would arrive early morning and enjoy the area before the heat of the day was upon us.   I enjoyed seeing the Camel Crossing signs along the way, and yes, we did see camels on the loose.  By the way, you can click on any picture to see an enlarged image. 

It took over 4 hours to get to Waba Crater.  Our first sighting of it was a Thelma and Louise moment - the road just leads right up to it and luckily our brakes worked!  The early morning sun rays created a magical effect on the spectacular scenery before us. 

Originally thought to be a meteoric crater, it is now believed that the crater was formed by an underground volcanic eruption in which the hot lava mixed with an underground water supply and the result was this enormous sunken hole - "a massive steam explosion generated by molten basaltic magma coming into contact with subterranean water."

The white substance in the bottom of the crater consists of crystallized salt and the delicate lacy edges formed when the remaining groundwater eventually dried. 

The diameter of the crater is about 2 km wide.  Volcanic rocks of all sizes line the sides of the crater and there is some visible vegetation in places on the interior of the crater. 

There is a rocky path that goes down to the bottom of the crater, but care must be taken because of the loose rocks that one doesn't lose her footing.  The trail begins on the north side of the crater.  The sides of the crater are quite steep.

The weather was clear, but the wee hours of the morning were briskly chilly and the winds were strong.  It was delightful weather for me but my companions were cold.  We were the only visitors to the site up until our climb back up when we came upon a group of American visitors who had driven from Riyadh. 

The patterns made by the salt crystals against the volcanic rock and the sparse vegetation made for some very artistic looking scenery.

There are several tour companies that provide all inclusive trips to the crater, or you can opt to do it on your own.  We traveled by sedan to the isolated site.   You can also camp near Waba Crater.  There are not really any facilities, so be sure to bring sleeping bags as it can quite chilly at night especially in the cooler months.   I read that the best place to camp is on the south side of the crater just above the palm trees.  

It is recommended that at least three people do the hike down and back together.  Experienced hikers can probably reach the bottom in 20-30 minutes and make the climb back up in 45 minutes to an hour.  Take plenty of water with you.  Arrive early morning if you can to beat the heat. 

There is not a whole to see along the drive up and back besides desert landscape and some hills and mountains in the distance, but we did see many bedouin tents, herds of goats and sheep, and of course, camels. 

To view some more amazing photos of Waba Crater and the surrounding area, CLICK HERE for the Amusing Planet post about the site.  CLICK HERE for a map of where Waba Crater is located.

Images from the Red Sea

Durrat Al Aroos Marina, north of Jeddah

Colorful gems of the Red Sea

The native Osprey, also known as Sea Hawk

Durrat Al Aroos Marina, north of Jeddah

Sea urchin

Durrat Al Aroos Marina, north of Jeddah

A colorful Red Sea starfish

Durrat Al Aroos Marina, north of Jeddah

Baby Osprey, also known as Sea Hawk, native to Saudi Arabia

Durrat Al Aroos Marina, north of Jeddah

Amusing misspelled signs indicating separate gates for men and women - no one obeys them

Colorful clams

Playful dolphins

Uninhabited island north of Jeddah

Red and orange sea spider

Baby Osprey chicks, also known as Sea Hawk, native to Saudi Arabia

Peaceful uninhabited island

Neon green fish of the Red Sea

Shades of blue of the Red Sea

Baby Osprey, also known as Sea Hawk, native to Saudi Arabia

Sand art on the beach, created by sea creatures

Catch of the day

Sea gulls

Colorful fish and coral of the Red Sea

Uninhabited island north of Jeddah

Before you get too excited, just know that I had a little fun with Photoshop on this one!

Many thanks to Trina Epsom for allowing me to share her beautiful underwater shots in this post!