Madein Saleh - Stairway to Heaven

The tombs at Madein Saleh were carved by hand with crude tools into the gigantic sandstone rocks outside of Al Ula, Saudi Arabia.  Some tombs were never completed, but those that were all have one design element in common - above the entry door into the tomb, were stairsteps which were to lead the occupant of the tomb to heaven.

Historically this whole area was in a strategic trade route location linking southern Arabia with important locations to the north, like Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Jordan.  This region comprised the Nabataean Kingdom, running from south Arabia along the Red Sea all the way up through Jordan to Damascus, Syria.  The Nabataeans were nomadic Bedouins who became wealthy from levying taxes on the trade caravans that routed through their territory.

When compared with its sister site of Petra in Jordan, which was the Nabataean civilzation's capital city, Madein Saleh is unique in that it is considered more of a wealth of information and an archaeologist's dream, as it is virtually untouched and preserved.  Inscriptions were actually carved into the stone at the tombs of Madein Saleh, providing much more information than is available at Petra.  The inscriptions at Petra were apparently made out of wood, which long ago rotted and along with it valuable historical information.



Madein Saleh is home to more than 130 such tombs, many of the large rocky mountains housing several tombs on one rock.  Once the Nabataeans were taken over by the Roman Empire, cheaper and faster alternate transport using the Red Sea became the preferred method for trade shipments, as opposed to struggling with the harsh elements of the desert caravan conditions.  As desert trade dropped off, the once prosperous Nabataean civilzation suffered and dwindled.

Madein Saleh has been closed to the public in preparation for the development of the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia.  It will be interesting to see how tourism develops here when the site is expected to reopen in 2020.  I'm curious to see how the religious and cultural aspects of life in Saudi Arabia will be affected or bent in order to accommodate interested travelers from the outside world.

My friend Laura of the amazing blog Blue Abaya has written a fabulous comprehensive guide and history of Madain Saleh with lots of fantastic photos - CLICK HERE to access it.

I was fortunate to be able to attend the phenomenal Winter at Tantora Festival going on now through Feb. 23rd, with special weekend concerts and tours of the area, including access to Madein Saleh just for attendees of the event.  Tickets may still be available, and visas are apparently easy to obtain for those wishing to come from outside Saudi Arabia for this very special and unforgettable event.  Information and tickets are available at this site:  Winter at Tantora 

Madain Saleh - the Petra of Saudi Arabia from Susie Khalil

Afghani and Turkish Souks of Jeddah

Jeddah afghani souk from Susie Khalil

Jeddah afghani souk from Susie Khalil

Special thanks to Alicia Ali and Nomad Tours for organizing this fantastic outing.   

Almakkiyah: Angawi House

Angawi House is the current residence of famed local Jeddah architect Dr. Sami Angawi.  It is a study of western Saudi Arabia's traditional Hijazi architecture.



The interior of the home is not decorated with expensive museum pieces but is instead filled with ordinary functional and traditional decor.

The variety of materials utilized in the construction and finishing of the home is astonishing.  Angawi is a master at combining materials, textures, and shapes.  Many of the home's objects are quite old, such as a 300 year old carved door at the entrance.

The heart of the home is a beautifully aqua blue tiled indoor swimming pool, the bottom of which is a mosaic tile pattern that looks like a Persian carpet.  This inner courtyard is surrounded by rich carved wood on multiple levels and hanging plants.

Also used throughout the home are stained glass, arches, and colored lighting.  Pillows, carpets, and varied accessories complete the finishing touches in every room of the house. 

Intricately carved wooden architectural details and Moroccan style lamps are just some of the features that all work together to make this home very special. 

There is none of the stiffness and formal pretentiousness that I have seen in some households here in Saudi Arabia.  Instead the home is warm, welcoming, and comfortable. 

Angawi designed the house to fully take advantage of the prevailing winds in Jeddah, which naturally flow from the north and the west, to keep the air stream circulating throughout the entire house much of the year.  This cuts down on the need for air conditioning in this hot climate. 

The living space in this home is maximized and made good use of, with nooks and crannies used for built in seating areas, planters, and even a rooftop garden.

The entire house is a visual treat which is layered with magnificent colors, patterns, and designs featuring geometrics, florals, and Arabic calligraphy.

Angawi graciously opens his amazing home to visitors mainly arranged through special group tours. 

For more information about Angawi House, email:    info@amarcenter.me

Mad Traveler's Quick Look at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Toni Riethmaier, manager at the beautiful Il Villaggio Restaurant here in Jeddah, sent me this video which he had a hand in producing. 

It is a lovely short film shot around the city of Jeddah, showing the Corniche area which runs along the Red Sea coastline and the old part of Jeddah called Al Balad. 

The video also shows a few of the sculptures around Jeddah, which I have highlighted many times on my blogs. 

It's interesting to note that the guide of the video is a man dressed casually in a T-shirt and shorts - acceptable attire for men here, while women must cover up everything but their faces and hands.

It's a great quick look at the city I live in. 

Tour of Al-Balad

I recently had the pleasure of being part of an organized group tour of Al-Balad, the oldest historic part of Jeddah, which is a must see for any visitor to the area for its architectural delights, colorful souks, and fascinating history. We met in the late afternoon one February day outside the landmark Naseef House, which is perhaps the most famous as well as the youngest structure in this area. The group tour was organized by the International Muslims in Jeddah and I’m estimating that there were between 50-60 expats in attendance, a diverse mix of different nationalities, and at least a dozen extremely well-behaved children tagging along.


Our tour guide was Mr. Sami Nawaf, a lively, interesting, and knowledgeable fellow, who himself grew up in Al Balad. An engineer and the Director of the Historic Area Preservation Department, Sami is able to provide personal firsthand accounts of what life was like in Jeddah, before the big oil boom of the 1970s changed it into a sprawling modern city that it is today.


Our group strolled through the narrow winding streets, many of them closed to traffic, with Sami pointing out architectural details or historical tidbits which brought this ancient place to life. Sami pointed out the once buried 500 year old aqueduct which was excavated a few years ago and supplied fresh water to the fishing village of Jeddah from nearby mountains.


One of the most beautiful and interesting features of Al Balad is the architectural feature of the wooden latticed window coverings called rawasheen, which appears on just about every building in Al Balad, affording privacy as well as air movement inside for the inhabitants of the dwellings.


Many are painted brown or blue, and a few are painted green. Some are falling apart and others have been replaced. Many buildings have been destroyed by fire too, due to faulty electrical hookups, and indeed, dozens of unsightly and dangerous electrical wires can be seen running everywhere.


On some of the crumbling buildings which are hundreds of years old, it was easy to see the methods of construction, but the sad truth is that much of this historic area of Jeddah is decaying and not much is being done to preserve it. The structures are all made from local materials abundant in the area – coral, seashells, and clay – except for the wood which was imported from places like Africa and Indonesia. In fact the coral and seashell bricks are actually visible in some of the decaying walls that are now exposed. Most of the buildings in this area were built several stories high, which afforded shade to people walking down on the narrow streets below, and also allowed the buildings inhabitants to go up to the rooftops and enjoy the cooler breezes coming off the Red Sea. Many of these huge old homes were built for wealthy merchants by laborers and artisans who came to Saudi Arabia from foreign lands for the religious pilgrimage called the Hajj and ended up just staying to live here.


Our group returned back to Naseef House and climbed the several flights of stairs up to the rooftop, just in time for us to be treated to a stunning sunset and to hear the chorus of the calls to prayers by the 36 neighboring mosques. I had never heard anything quite like this before. Adhans from every direction, each of them calling for the prayers in their own unique style - it was amazing!


We watched as the lights of the city began to glow below from our perch which gave us a bird’s eye panoramic view, and the pink and blue hues of the sky deepened with every passing minute. It was a magical experience. I felt fortunate to have been a part of this group because every time I have been down to Al Balad, the Naseef House has been closed, so I was extremely happy that I finally got to go inside. But to be on the rooftop at sundown and hear the Adhans' calls for the Maghreb prayer was such a special treat that I could have never imagined an experience like that.


On the highest part of the rooftop was an open air porch with Bedouin style cushions around the perimeter for seating and red carpets covering the floor. It was here that we were served tea and bottled water and given a chance to relax and visit with the other members of the group. We then made our way back down the wide stairways - built wide enough to accommodate a camel carrying supplies up to the top floors - exploring various rooms at the different levels, until we reached the main floor, where we all gathered for a delightful and informative lecture given by Sami, complete with a fascinating slide show. It was such a pleasure to be part of this warm and friendly group, and I look forward to our next outing.

Old Jeddah, Al-Balad: To see more photos of this area, please visit my slideshow of Al-Balad.