
Discovering Jeddah with a Pilot's Perspective
An airline pilot shares his experiences exploring Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during a layover, highlighting the historic Al Balad neighborhood, its rich history, and the city's growing tourism scene.
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An airline pilot shares his experiences exploring Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during a layover, highlighting the historic Al Balad neighborhood, its rich history, and the city's growing tourism scene.

Al-Balad, the historic heart of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has been immaculately preserved as a reminder of the country's history and its role as a key point of entry for religious pilgrims. The area features intricate wooden latticework known as rawasheen, which blocked the midday sun and allowed breezes to float through. Al-Balad is still an important meeting place for Saudis, and it was recently the site of a music festival called Balad Beast. The area was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014 as Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Mecca.