Wearing the veil. and other Jiddah, Saudi Arabia Local Custom Tips

If you are a woman and travelling to Saudi Arabia be prepared to wear a conservative clothing when arriving to the Kingdom(i.e.long pants and jacket or long sleeved shirt).
Buy an Abayah in Saudi Arabia after you arrive.(it`s something like a cloack )

Although it is considered "OK" not to have your hair covered as long as your not a Saudi,but you`ll find yourself more comfortable wearing it.
No one should forse you to cover your face,I never do ;-)

Here is a picture of my own Abayah,year 2004 collection had is the chinese symbols theme(kinda exotic to us)You will find an Abaya that matches your taste and budget

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Almost all restaurants have either single`s section (meaning only males are allowed in even if they are married and their wives are not with them at the time of visitng this place).
Or family section(meaning only males can accompany each family group,and the family has to have females members).
or the restaurants can offer both sections.
Here is a sign on the entrance of Starbucks.

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When the new moon appears in the sky, announcing the begining of the month of Ramadan,the whole nation gets on the run.
People rush into markets getting the needs of this holy month.
We break our fasting with dates and Laban(that`s a yogurt drink).Then the table is set with lots of dishes,two most important are the Samousa,which is usually stuffed with minced meat or cheese..and soup(usually whole grain soup).And not to forget the famous ,Fool bean,(weird name you're saying to yourself ;-)we eat it with Tameez bread,originally brought from Afghanistan.

(check the 2nd picture)of my own iftar table,iftar is the Arabic word for breakfast.
I always include the Fatoosh Lebanese salad which is something that I got a habbit of breaking my fast on.

In this photo I`m showing you Boxes of gifts that has been brought to us from my husband`s cousin (they were filled with the best dates!

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It`s a custom in Jiddah to break our fasting on certain food which are:
1-dates.
2-glass of yogurt drink.(or any juice).
3-soup.
4-Samosa(dough stuffed with either cheese or minced meat and deep fried).
5-Foul beans(pronounced fool).eaten with Tameez bread.

most house wives prepare the food,,but some might grab a thing or two from any take-away restuarants,here in this picture it shows the Q-line of people bying the Foul and Tameez.it was on a rare rainy day in Jiddah!

If you check the 2nd picture on this same tip,I have pictured a sweet dish that is called Basboosa.

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In Ramadan,streets,shops,restuarants all get ready by decorating the place with the spirit of Ramadan.
here is a picture of mall`s gate painted with symbols of the holy month!

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When the holy month of Ramadan ends,,all Muslims celebrate Eid.(Eid means celebrations held at the same time each year)like for example:
{Birth means Milad so birthday means Eid Milad}...that`s in Arabic ofcourse.
The street of Jeddah is lit by many colourful lights.....here is a picture of a square at the Corniche front,,but I was not lucky enough to picture it while the fountains are on.
It`s called Midan Al Tawheed.(which means The Monotheism square)Where there is a huge sculpture with (LA ILAHA ILLAH ALLAH MOHAMMAD RASOOL ALLAH)written on it which means "There is no God but Alllah And Mohammad is his messenger".

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I took my kids to the city center where they can experience and feel the spirit of Eid(it`s the celebrations that ends the Holy month of Ramadan).
There are many vendors all over the streets selling candies and sweets in preprations for the next day........
Everybody is happy specially the kids....and a candy lover "like me"!!!!!!

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I have never been to an Eid prayers before this year..........and this year I have decided,,I`m gonna stay up all night inorder to attend the (Mash-had),the word mash-had means "The scene"where the prayers are held,usually it should be in an open area to view the sunrise of the Eid day.....some
Mash-hads are held near mosques..not inside but NEAR.....the kids come wearing their new Eid clothes,the neighbours greet eachothers and many candies are given for the children.

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With the joys of having a new born babies,many families start to show it the minute he/she arrive.
The couples hire someone to decorate the mother`s room at the hospital with theme that matches the baby`s gender..if it`s a boy,the whole room is decorated in blue,,if it`s a girl,,yes you guessed it..it`s pink.

As a custom Arabic coffee as well as dates and choclates are served for those who come to visit the mother.

Here is a picture of what was served at my newly born nephew.

Our religion also requires us to slaughter 2 sheeps/goats in the baby`s honor and to feast on it by inviting friends and relatives in a ceremony called (Sabi`e) or (Rahmani).

If the baby is a girl then it`s only 1 sheep/goat in her honor....not beacuse she`s less important,but to tell you the truth,girls cost a lot more when they grow up ;-)

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Here is a picture of a decorated door in a hosptial,the baby is a boy as you can tell.

The baby gets his (Sabi`e)Done in after a week from his birth date,some couples like to delay it until the mother catches her breath ;-)
it`s like a shower party only done after birth.friends and relatives are invited,some like to combine 2 celebrations together,where also kids of the family are invited,then it`s called (Rahmani)by the Jiddawi accent.
The baby wears his best clothes(there are even some special custom wear for this occation)...candles are lit and handed to other kids to sing in joy around the new born..candies and gifts are handed to the children.
most songs involve prayers for the new born baby wishing him a good health and good future.
Then everybody feasts on meat and rice,yet some families like to add more of the international cuisine too.

The Rahmani song goes like"Ya rab ya Rahmani,barik lana fil ghlami"
which means:
Oh Lord,oh merciful one,bless our new born baby".

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