A traveller's reflection: 1996 3rd Umrah: Jeddah

"Participate in life instead of just watching it pass you by..."

(Sara at the Floating Mosque, Jeddah)

After our tawaf wida', we boarded the bus and headed to Jeddah. Our flight to Istanbul was scheduled late in the evening so we had ample time to visit the Ar-Rahmah Mosque, the floating mosque by the red sea.

Jeddah is on the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia. It is the second largest city after Riyadh and a major commercial center in the country. Jeddah is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for pilgrims making the Hajj/Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two most sacred cities of Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.

It also hosts the Jeddah Corniche, the waterfront area, which is the largest in the Kingdom with a great bunch of hotels, beaches and resorts clustered around it. To the north of the city there is a private row of beach resorts only for the rich and famous.

The historic Jeddah has been inscribed to the World Heritage list since 2014.

(With Hubby in Jeddah)

(Sara and me by the sea)

(The three children by the Red Sea)

(Sara, Iwan and Ja)

The Red Sea contains some of the world's hottest and saltiest seawater. With its connection to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, it is one of the most heavily traveled waterways in the world, carrying maritime traffic between Europe and Asia.

It is mentioned in the Quran about Prophet Moses leading the bani Israel to escape from the pursuit of Firaun and his army. By God's destiny, the Red Sea suddenly split in two and Moses and his followers were able to save themselves.