Colors of Saudia

Wadi Al-Baida, also called Wadi Al-Jinn, is a mysterious valley where cars move without drivers touching them. The valley is situated some 30 km northwest of Madinah. It draws the attention of thousands of locals and visitors from around the Kingdom and abroad. Many city dwellers travel to this natural park and erect tents for a few days, especially during the weekend.

Traditionalists believe the power of jinn is present in Wadi Al-Jinn. Among the many peculiar stories about this valley are those about vehicles moving upward in the mountainous roads, without any need to push the accelerator. Even when the driver would switch off the engine, the car would move. Many people related this to the power of jinns in the valley but it is also claimed that the mountains in this region have some special type of magnetic powers. My curiosity made me go and explore the valley, after hearing the unusual stories. It is a beautiful place, with trees surrounded by mountains, no houses or signs of any city or village.

We parked the car in neutral gear and to our amazement the car was moving slowly, even though the engine was switched off. First we thought the road must be sloped, but it wasn’t. In fact the car was moving upward on its own. After a while, the speed of the car increased. We learned later that the mountains in the surrounding area have magnetic qualities, which attract cars. Any iron object with wheels will move on its own.

Geological experts point out that this phenomenon, known as reverse gravity, is also evident in other regions in the Kingdom, including the southern regions of Asir and Najran. It is regarded as a natural phenomenon taking place usually in some rocky mountainous regions. Locals who have stayed in the valley at night said they had heard voices asking them to leave. “You don’t belong here. This is our place,” they claimed the voices had told them. Courtesy : Arab News

Water flows from the dam through the valley all year round, with farms, palm and perennial trees spread along its sides. The site is a popular tourist destination, especially during winter, and the valley is characterized not only by its running water and natural beauty, but also unique rock formations and archaeological inscriptions, plus bankside Habasha market. A road runs along the sides of the dam allowing visitors the chance to view the breathtaking scenery.

The Abraj Al-Bait is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. These towers are a part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project that aims to modernize the city in catering to its pilgrims. The central hotel tower, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower, has the world's largest clock face and is the third-tallest building and fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The clock tower contains the Clock Tower Museum that occupies the top four floors of the tower. The building complex is metres away from the world's largest mosque and Islam's most sacred site, the Great Mosque of Mecca The developer and contractor of the complex is the Saudi Binladin Group, the Kingdom's largest construction company. It is the world's second most expensive building, with the total cost of construction totalling US$15 billion.

The tallest tower in the complex is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia, with a height of 601 metres (1,972 feet). Currently it is the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world, surpassing the Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China but shorter than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE, the Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo, Japan, the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China, and the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China.The site of the complex is located across the piazza to the south from the main entrance (King Abdul-Aziz Gate) to the Masjid al Haram mosque, which houses the Kaaba. To accommodate worshippers visiting the Kaaba, the Abraj Al-Bait Towers has two large prayer rooms (one for men, one for women) capable of holding more than 10,000 people. The tallest tower in the complex also contains a five-star hotel, operated by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, to help provide lodging for the millions of pilgrims that travel to Mecca annually to participate in the Hajj.

In addition, the Abraj Al-Bait Towers has a five-story shopping mall (the Abraj Al Bait Mall) and a parking garage capable of holding over a thousand vehicles. The building was planned to be 734 m (2,408 ft) tall in 2006. In 2009, it was published that the final height would be 601 m (1,972 ft). The complex was built by the Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Arabia's largest construction company. The tallest building in the complex (from a height of 450 m (1,480 ft) up until the tip) was designed by the German architect Mahmoud Bodo Rasch and his firm SL Rasch GmbH.[9] The façade was constructed by Premiere Composite Technologies, the clock by German tower clock manufacturer PERROT GmbH & Co. KG Turmuhren und Läuteanlagen. According to the Saudi Ministry of Religious Endowments, the project cost US$15 billion. 

Historical Jeddah is situated on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. From the 7th century AD, it was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channeling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. These twin roles saw the city develop into a thriving multicultural center, characterized by a distinctive architectural tradition, including tower houses built in the late 19th century by the city's mercantile elites, and combining Red Sea coastal coral building traditions with influences and crafts from along the trade routes. Within a defensive wall that was built during Ottoman rule, the old city of Jeddah, Al-Balad, was divided into districts, or Haras, where business and trade centered around traditional souks, or market places, and khans, covered markets that were generally connected to shops. 

The Jeddah Corniche, also known as the Jeddah Waterfront (JW), is a 30 km coastal resort area of the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Located along the Red Sea, the corniche features a coastal road, recreation areas, pavilions and large-scale civic sculptures as well as King Fahd's Fountain, the highest fountain in the world. Also located here is the Al-Rahmah Mosque (formerly known as the Fatimah Mosque), which is a popular attraction to visitors. The Jeddah Corniche derives its name from the original French and Italian term for a coastal road, especially a road along the face of a cliff. In November 2017, the waterfront was inaugurated for visitors with the goal of being a tourist attraction in the city. It was launched as a response to a royal decree with the aim of improving the public facilities of the city of Jeddah. The established area is equipped with many facilities including restaurants, retail outlets, hotels, aquarium, cultural centre, water dancing fountain, blossoming gardens and fountains.

Jeddah Waterfront project was inaugurated by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal on 30 November 2017. It was also attended by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majid and Deputy Gov. Prince Abdullah bin Bandar. The waterfront occupies an area of 730,000 square metres over 4.2 kilometres of Jeddah's Red Sea coastline. The waterfront's logo is designed as a group of seagulls. Moreover, the project runs through the allocated area in a graceful way that resembles the way seagulls fly and swim. The budget allocated for the project is US$212.3 million. 

The area that can accommodate 120,000 people and has a parking lot for 3,000 cars is also equipped with many facilities including 100 bathrooms, restaurants, retail outlets, hotels, aquarium, cultural centre, water dancing fountain, blossoming gardens, fountains, kiosks, phone charging stations, children’s play parks, beaches and facilities for people with disabilities. Jeddah Waterfront is organized in a way that makes it suitable and enjoyable for people of different ages and interests. It is divided into a number of areas some of them are allocated for children to play safely and others are designed for athletes and those who want to exercise outdoors. Moreover, Jeddah Waterfront has three sandy beaches where people can swim and enjoy the warm sun of Jeddah. There are also many spots that are planted with grass where families and friends can meet. People can also use the 25 huts scattered in different spots. The three sandy beaches designed for swimmers are fronted with man-made islands that are given the shape of a crescent moon and planted with palms trees. A man-made island formed in the shape of a crescent moon has been planted with dozens of palm trees. Jeddah Waterfront is also equipped with a hundred surveillance cameras as well as Wi-Fi service. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which hosted the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 5th December 2021, is located here. There are plans to move the race to Qiddiya by 2023. The Formula 2 will also be held here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Saudi capital on his first visit since 2007, and was welcomed to Al-Yamamah Palace by King Salman as well as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Photos: Saudi Press Agency). A multimillion-dollar tranche of deals signed in Riyadh set the seal on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first official visit to Saudi Arabia since 2012. The 20 agreements covered oil and other energy industries, space and satellite navigation, justice, health services, tax administration, mineral wealth, tourism and aviation, along with cultural cooperation and the enhancement of trade relations.

Al-Bahah is a city in the west of Saudi Arabia in the Hejaz area. It is the capital of Al Bahah Region, and is one of the Kingdom's prime tourist attractions. It enjoys a pleasant climate and is surrounded by more than forty forests, including Raghdan, al Zaraeb and Baidan. Al Baha is the headquarters of the Governor, local councils and branches of governmental departments. Receiving the state's special attention, the city of Al Baha abounds in educational, tourist and health institutions. It is considered the capital of the Ghamdi and Zahrani tribes in Saudi Arabia, and most of its inhabitants are from the native tribes. The name "Pearl of Resorts" is the name given to Al-Baha by those acquainted with the city. The name "Garden of the Hejaz" was the name given to it by the Sharif of Mecca.

Al-Baha City (BC) lies in the west of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Hejaz region, between Mecca, which borders it from the north, west, and south west, and Aseer which borders it from the south east. It is the smallest of the kingdom's provinces (11,000 square kilometres (1,100,000 ha)). It is surrounded by a number of cities, including Taif on the north, Beesha on the east, and the Red Sea coast city of Al Qunfuda on the west. This tourist city is situated in an area characterized by natural tree cover and agricultural plateaus. It consists of six towns, the most important of which are Beljarshy, Almandaq, and Almekhwah, in addition to the Baha city in the center of the province. The province comprises 31 administrative centers and has a population of 533,001. The province is known for its beauty and has forests, wildlife areas, valleys and mountains that attract visitors from all parts of the kingdom and the Persian Gulf area. Some of these areas are the forests of Raghdan, Ghomsan, Fayk, and Aljabal, and many other historical and archeological sites. It contains more than 53 forests.

Al-Baha is the homeland of the Ghamid and Zahran tribes and is divided geographically into three distinct parts: Sarah, which contains the high Hejaz mountains characterized by temperate weather and rich plant cover due to relatively high annual rainfall, Tihama which is the lowland coastal area to the west of the Hejaz characterized by very hot and humid weather and very little rainfall average, and the eastern hills characterized by an altitude of 1,550 to 1,900 metres (5,090 to 6,230 feet) above sea level with cool winters, hot summers and sparse plant cover. The largest city in the province, both in population and area, is Baljurashi, the second one is Al-Mandaq. In Tehama, there are two major cities: Qilwah and Al-Mikhwah. The number of tribes are 18, branching from the main ones, Ghamid and Zahran. The province has 13 settled tribes (working in trades and agriculture) and 5 nomadic tribes.

Al Bahah has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). The climate is greatly affected by its varying geographic features. Generally speaking, the climate in Al-Baha is mild with temperatures ranging between 12 to 23 °C (53.6 to 73.4 °F). Due to its location at 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level, Al Baha's climate is moderate in summer and cold in winter. The area attracts visitors looking for a moderate climate and pristine, scenic views. In the Tehama area of the province, which is down on the coast, the climate is hot in the summer and warm in the winter. Humidity ranges from 52%–67%. While in the mountainous region, which is known as As-Sarah, the weather is cooler in summer and winter. Rainfall in the mountainous region lies in the range of 229 to 581 millimetres (9 to 23 in). The average throughout the whole region is 100 to 250 millimetres (3.9 to 9.8 in) annually.

Al-Balad is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia. Balad can literally be translated as "The Town." Balad is the historic center of the City of Jeddah. Al-Balad was founded in the 7th century and historically served as the centre of Jeddah. Al-Balad's defensive walls were torn down in the 1940s. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Jeddah began to become wealthier due to the oil boom, many Jeddawis moved north, away from Al-Balad, as it reminded them of less prosperous times. Al-Balad had insufficient parking space for large cars. Its stores did not sell expensive designer clothing. Poor immigrants moved in place of the Saudi population. The municipality of Jeddah began historical preservation efforts in the 1970s. In 1991 the Municipality of Jeddah founded the Jeddah Historical Preservation Society to preserve the historical architecture and culture of Al-Balad. In 2002 $4 million United States dollars were earmarked for the preservation society. In 2009 Al-Balad was nominated by Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities to be listed in UNESCO's World Heritage site and it was accepted on 2014.

 In order to preserve the old structures within the Balad, the Historical Area Preservation Department was established in 1990, hoping also to help promoting cultural tourism in the country. The Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, pledged an amount of $13.33 million to restore the old city in Jeddah as there are 450 buildings that need to be repaired. Many Jeddawis have moved away from Al-Balad by 2007; the streets of Balad were still packed with people during the month of Ramadan. Around that year the Jeddah Urban Development Company was formed to restore Al-Balad.

 Historical neighborhoods

Al-Mazloum neighborhood: This neighborhood was named after Abdulkarim al-Barzanji, who was killed by the Ottoman government and located in the north-eastern part of area north of Al-Alawi Street, with Dar Al-Qabal, Al-Shafi'i Mosque and Souk Al-Jamaa. Al-Sham neighborhood: Located in the northern part of Al-Balad which includes this neighborhood Dar al-Sarti and Dar al-Zahid. Al-Yemen neighborhood: Located in the southern part of Al-Balad south of Al-Alawi Street and gained its name towards the country of Yemen , it includes Dar Al-Nassif, Dar Al-Jumjum, Dar Al-Shaarawi and Dar Al-Abdul-Samad. Al-Bahr neighborhood: Located in the south-western part of Jeddah, overlooking the sea and the Dar Al-Radwan House, known at the time as the Radwan of Sea.

 Historical houses

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched a vision for Al-Ula that includes a resort designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and a nature reserve, both called Sharaan. Jean Nouvel, the architect behind Louvre Abu Dhabi, will design the resort in Al-Ula, the home of ancient rock tombs. Al-ʿUla is a governorate of Medina Region, and a city in north-western Saudi Arabia. Al-‘Ula was historically located on the Incense route. The city lies within the Governorate of 'Ula, one of seven in the Medina Region. The city is 110 km southwest of Tayma and 300 km north of Medina. The Governorate of 'Ula covers 29,261 square kilometres (11,298 sq mi). The city (municipality) covers 2,391 square kilometres (923 sq mi). The population of the city is 5,426. Al-ʿUla was the capital of the ancient Lihyanites (Dedanites). The governorate contains the first UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Saudi Kingdom, called Madain Saleh (Hegra), 22 km north of the city. Madain Saleh was built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans. Al-‘Ula, the walled city, is packed with mud-brick and stone houses.

Courtesy : Arab News

Leaders gathered at the Arab summit stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and their support for the Palestinian people in their struggle to have an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The leaders also stressed the importance of uniting Arab efforts in the fight against terrorism and to confront Iran’s expansionist ambitions in the Arab region.

King Salman will oversee the conclusion of the Joint Gulf Shield-1 military drill in the presence of a number of leaders of friendly countries participating in the exercise, which lasted for a month. He will also witness military parades of the various participating forces. This patronage comes as a realization of the importance of military cooperation and coordination with friendly countries to protect the security of the region and to raise the level of readiness to ensure regional and global peace.