Jeddah: Why I Love It!

Hi friends,

I am so dying to go back to Jeddah. I just am. I am envious of my friends who are in Jeddah now! I love Jeddah because I grew up there. Often times, when I am coming back to Jeddah, I tell people "I am going back home." They think I am either going back to Pakistan or that I am Saudi.

I was three years old probably when I came to Jeddah, and so I have been there since 1980. Counting 2005, thats like 25 years!! Oh my Lord...25 long years. Well, I left Jeddah in 1996 after completing my O'Levels. I wish there were universities there, so I wouldn't have to leave. But, I still kept my iqama (residence permit), and I still have it, which is why I have to return to Jeddah every six months!

A lot of people ask me: isn't Jeddah boring? What do you do there? Don't you get bored? I tell them one thing: No! There are loads of things you can do: lots of good clean fun! You don't need alcohol and nightclubs to have fun. If you want that kind of fun, go to Dubai!

So, what do I do for fun in Jeddah! Here is my fun things to do. There are loads of other things to do, but these are my favorite things!

1. JARIR bookstore:
---This is my favorite bookstore; yes, even more so than Borders, Barnes and Noble, WHSmith. Although Jarir doesn't allow for all kinds of books, I still love it. It has books, magazines, games, computer, stationery stuff....everything! I have to go there anytime I am in Jeddah. Sometimes, my weekend plan is to visit Jarir! My trip to Jeddah is not complete if I don't go to Jarir!

2. RESTAURANTS:
---Chilis, Fuddruckers, Cafe Aroma, Lost City, Paninos, Marhaba, Papa John's Pizza: these places I have to go when I am in Jeddah. These are amazing places to eat; places which even Dubai cannot beat! Sure, Dubai has its own restaurants, but there is something special about these restaurants in Jeddah. There are loads more restaraunts, cafes, coffee shops that are amazing to visit! Don't forget SANDS, probably the best shawerma in town!

3. OBHUR beach:
---You want water sports, go to Obhur. I went there several times, and Jeddah has one of the world's BEST diving areas. It is second to Australia's Great Barrier reef. I loved my snorkelling experience so much. I also did sailing and canoeing as well.

4. MALLS/ SHOPPING:
---You guys have to believe me when I tell you that shopping is so much cheaper in Jeddah than a city like Dubai. I was fooled by the promise of Dubai's discount when I got a phone for 600 Dirhams. I was led to believe that I got a phone for a good price, since it was shopping festival. I come to Jeddah, and I see the same phone, with the same package, for 400Dirhams. I wanted to rip my hair out! Now, I do my shopping from Jeddah!

5. TAHLIYAH street:
--- This road is like the Oxford Street of London. I have to go on it no matter what, especially that new Patchi chocolate shop! Although I go on it on weekdays, since on weekends, the whole of Jeddah is there!

6. CORNICHE:
---Aaaah! What can I say about the corniche! It's amazing. Its a great place to just go sit, and relax. In the winter months, I would go there with my parents, and we would park the car, get out, walk along, witness the water crashing high with the rocks, and experience the splashes of water on us! Plus you can see the world's TALLEST fountain in the world! Oh yes, there is also that amazing Green Island restaurant, where you can get to have a nice posh meal above the waters!

7. HOME:
--- A big reason why I love Jeddah is because of my home. I miss my room there! :) I live in a compound where my family and another family are the only Pakistanis in a Saudi filled compound. There are no other nationalities there. So, because it is fully Saudis, except for us two, there is no security at the gate, which makes it a very easy place to enter! Plus, my compound has Havana cafe, the first cafe which allowed for loud music! Gosh, I miss their lasagna already! *sigh*

8. DRIVING:
--- Despite the traffic being haphazard, driving in Jeddah is so great. The roads are big and well developed (at least in the new city!) unlike Dubai, where it can take you an hour to go from Dubai to Sharjah, sometimes upto three hours, when on a clear road its only 10mins away!

9. BALAD, Downtown:
--- The Real Jeddah: Balad. I remember hating Balad when I was little, but overtime I have come to appreciate the character of this place. The shops, and the streets, and some of the buildings are all old Jeddah. As an architect, it's one of my favorite places to visit. I imagine what life would be like for people living here!

10. JEDDAH as an ARTISTIC CITY:
--- Probably the number one reason why I like Jeddah so much. It is such an artisitic city. Almost every roundabout has some monument, structure or scuplture. Jeddah has the world's largest bicycle and largest geometry set. These peices of art always create some kind of debate amongst the people. They either like it, hate it, are confused by it. The purpose of these art pieces are served when people talk about it. I have yet to come across another city, where there are such kinds of pieces almost all over the city.

I do hope that new visitors, and old dwellers like me, come to appreciate Jeddah for what it is. I know I write a lot of critical stuff about the people and the bad policies there, but that doesn't mean I don't like it. It's unfortunate that expatriates are slowly leaving the country because of Saudization, which means, my dad will have to leave one day as well. I don't know what that day would be like for me. I don't know if I will be able to settle back in Pakistan! It will be that day when I leave Jeddah that I will miss it! Ok, ok, I know some of you out there are asking what is it with me and my love for Jeddah. You only have to live here like I did to appreciate it fully guys!

Mansur