A Snapshot of the Jeddah Souq

Last night we visited old Jeddah and walked around the souq. The Al-Balad neighborhood was vibrant - filled with men and women busily shopping and many children playing (45% of the Saudi population is under 15 years old). Both among the vendors and buyers, we noticed many immigrants from all over the African continent. We learned that most came to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and then chose to stay. There were vendors selling carts of fresh fruit and vegetables (where does this produce come from?!?), and stalls of spices, textiles, clothing, incense, dried dates and nuts. We also saw a few specialized shops selling their own pipes for shisha, and some stalls selling steaming “pancakes” and tea.

This was a very different Saudi Arabia from the sleek, contemporary facilities we saw springing from the desert in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and the planned “economic cities.” Physically, in old Jeddah, there is a striking contrast between ancient and modern. The historic buildings, with their beautiful latticed balconies, show the weight of centuries – there is no straight line in sight. At the same time, they are wrapped in a tangle of phone lines, air conditioning units, and even a loudspeaker or two to broadcast the call to prayer. Perhaps even more incongruous, in the bottom storey of many historic buildings, fluorescent lights showcase goods imported from India and China. One of the buildings even housed a gaming center featuring TVs broadcasting a soccer game and kids playing Playstation. This is all in the city that claims the Tomb of Eve!