A short stint in Saudi (and QR Doha Stopover)

[Pushka]

That mosque is breathtaking.

 

[VPS]

Great photos of the mosque.

Do you know the significance of the yellow burqas - at least I think that's what they are

 

[OZDUCK]

Your trip to the mosque was fascinating. The videos & photos brought out the atmosphere extremely well.

 

[RooFlyer]

Great photos of the mosque.

Do you know the significance of the yellow burqas - at least I think that's what they are

Not burqas - I thing the term is khimar. Thanks for asking - made me look it up. African Muslim women tend to dress in more vibrant colours, so I'd guess they were from a particular community somewhere in Africa.

Many of the groups of pilgrims had distinctive coloured jackets, khimars, sashes or vests, usually with a travel group name on it and phone numbers - like the Uzbeks and the Kyrgies photographed before. Phone numbers aside, given the crush of people at the mosques, and the similarity of many, a group colour would help each keep track of the group. Here, yellows (not the same as the others), blues and whites.



A few greens and blues here

 

[RooFlyer]

Later, got a Careem to the airport to return to Jeddah Airport. Took a while, as usual, and the route out of the city centre was very circuitous. We were in the final, long stretch of highway out to the airport when I had a sudden realisation. I want the Hiram High Speed Rail station back to Jeddah, not the airport!! Car hire had confused me. . VERY fortunately, the rail station was just ahead, right on the highway, so I made my apologies to the driver and we turned off there. I tipped him well.

The station is huge, well signed and nicely designed.





I went to the Business Lounge, but it was cough. In the lounge proper very crowded and unappealing food (mainly pastries). Adjacent, there was this area.



I decamped to Starbucks, got a coffee and then it was time to board. Business again; 1-2 seating, USB A and C power, 'movies' (Islamic religious focussed), slow wifi. 1H 45m to JED. Although the booking process and the A4 ticket prominently says that economy and business are only allowed ONE suitcase and a purse-like item, I think you would get away with a carry-on bag too, especially if you were an obvious westerner. I didn't actually see anyone with one, but there was virtually no supervision that I could see. On board, there is room for cases by the doors and the usual overhead shelf in the carriages - tons of room.



Train goes every hour at least and this one wasn't very full. My seat had this lovely window decoration, so I moved.



Countryside still monotonous.





Lunch was an OK chicken briyani.



At JED, easy to find the rideshare area, which was small and congested. Not made any easier by stuff like this. The train of carts was too long to do the turn into the doors.

 

[RooFlyer]

A Careem to my hotel - this time the Movenpick Jeddah Thalia. Thalia is a bit of a shopping area, but spread out - you can't easily walk between everything - there is one major road, with no crossings for miles and I had to scoot quickly in gaps in traffic.

But the Movenpick was terrific. Small (only 3 levels), quiet, comfortable modern design. I was upgraded to a junior suite by a very affable Saudi check-in agent. One thing I haven't mentioned before, contrasting from my last visit. I've mentioned how women are now in the workforce, but so are Saudi men (as in wearing the white thawb and red-and-white checked head covering, a Shemagh). Before, you never saw Saudi men 'working' - now its common, especially younger guys.



Lobby



Junior suite, 3rd floor.









Welcome bowl of fruit.



The terrace was a zero - I guess for privacy. Ash tray, but no evidence of smoking in the room.

 

[RooFlyer]

Because the high-speed train only allows one case plus a small item, I had used my gym bad for my airline carry one, and stuffed everything into the case for the train. Toting the gym bag and computer case across airports was a PITA so I went out to buy a carry-on case. Couple of shops, got one for A$80 - a bargain. Its probably better than my current carry-on but may not last long. Doesn't matter.

Task for the rest of the day was to see the King Fahd Fountain in the evening.

Wikipedia:

The fountain was donated to the city of Jeddah by King Fahd, hence its name. It was constructed between 1980 and 1983 and was launched in 1985.

Located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, the fountain jets water to a maximum height of 260 metres. The second-tallest is the World Cup Fountain in Seoul, South Korea, with a water height of 202 m (663 ft).

King Fahd's Fountain is listed in Guinness World Records as the highest water fountain in the world.

The fountain is visible throughout the vicinity of Jeddah. The water ejected can reach a speed of 375 km/h (233 mph) and its airborne mass can exceed 16 tonnes. The fountain uses saltwater taken from the Red Sea instead of freshwater. Over 500 LED spotlights illuminate the fountain at night.

Along the Corniche are these nifty roll-up prayer mats.