My first stop after Kuwait - where I had worked at
KISR since 1976 - was Jeddah,
the port of entry for the HAJJ to Mekka.
Originally, most pilgrims came by ship, including thousands from
as far away as
Indonesia, the World's largest Muslim nation.
Now the city is greatly expanding its
airport facilities.
In general, construction appeared to run amock, witness the photograph
below.
The pious atmosphere of the graceful mosque is direly disturbed by
the ugly new
buildings overwhelming the scene.
Also, the classical dhow
in the foreground is left high and dry ..
I was most hospitably received by the cousins of my best friend,
(Dr. Atta Hassan of Lancaster, PA a n d Kuwait City, Kuwait),
who were actively engaged in importing by truck foods and fruits
from "Palestine".
I also met some dour Saudi professors of geology at the local
University,
and left after a few days for
Port Sudan, just across the Red Sea...