All photos courtesy of Susie Khalil There was a great turn-out for the organized group tour of Al-Balad, the oldest part of Jeddah, which was arranged by the International Muslims in Jeddah. It was a lovely day in mid-February when we all met outside the historic Naseef House at 5pm. I would guess 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 Sami Nawwar, a lively knowledgeable fellow, who himself grew up in Al Balad and provides first hand 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 aqueduct which was excavated a few years ago and supplied fresh water to the fishing village of Jeddah.
One of the most beautiful and interesting features of Al Balad is the architectural feature of the wooden 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 building 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, 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.
Our group returned back to Naseef House and climbed several flig
hts 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 and the pinks and blues of the sky deepened with every passing minute.
It was a magical experience. I felt fortunate to have been with this group because every time I have been down to Al Balad, the Nassef 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.
Thank you, Alicia, Ishrat, Selma, Antoinette, Umm Suaad of IMIJ for all your efforts in making this wonderful outing possible for us all! It's much appreciated.
