Sites Sounds & Smells

Smells can be difficult to describe, yet nothing else much captures the uniqueness of a place like a smell...  reinforcing memories.  Touring Jeddah started with the smell of homemade banana muffins, a breakfast blessing from our fearless leader, Miss Cheryl.  Yummers.  Then we swung by Starbucks to get fortified with some morning jo, much needed on an yearly morning jaunt.  Our happy group woke up together, inhaling the wafting aroma's.  We drove through empty roads.  Avoiding the heat, people tend to come out only when necessary, or at night.  The city is alive into the wee hours.  Driving around the harbor, we finally disembarked  at a quant little inlet filled with worn out fishing boats.  I took a picture of a blue herring, but then was chased down and yelled at by the guards.  'La La!'  (no no) But as you can see, it turned out okay.  To explain the fish market from a new-bee perspective is difficult.  It is a scene and smell I have experienced many times before, tile floors with a maze of drains to wash unwanted matter, smells that are better left behind and the cacophony of voices trying to outshout each other over the crowds of buyers bartering for the best price.  There were the ordinary catch of the day~ tuna, swordfish, prawn, lobster, various sizes of sharks; then beautiful aqua blue fish and coral red fish with black pepper spots I've never seen before.  Unfortunately I was unable to take photo's.  We sloshed through the muck on the floor to watch the buyers take their purchase down to the fish gutters, who prepared them, bagged them and then put them in ice chests.  Buyers were able to keep an eye on their catch of the day.  Most of the crew headed back to the bus, but Bob and I stayed to witness a 'filet of shark'.  Looking at it's stomach, it was one hungry creature.  Makes me think twice about the scuba diving lessons.   After being 'baptized by a 'sloshing bucket', we'd had enough and headed off to the old part of Jeddah. Very few shops were open as it was only 10 in the morning, but we were able to get in a bit of wheeling and dealing.  I thought the markets would be more like the Turkish bazaars in Istanbul, but alas, no.  I snuck in a few shots through the bus windows.  Please note they were DIRTY windows. 

The Red Sea

Tonight we joined the masses for an evening stroll along the shores of the Red Sea.  The sun had disappeared by the time we arrived.  The sound of jingling bells met us as we alighted from our cab.  Small donkeys and horses decked out in ornate saddles, were being used like amusement rides for children.   As it is the end of our "week-middle", families were out in droves as were others taking in the sea air.  It was interesting to see children flying kites, riding horses and playing chase, all in the dark. Groups of men lounged on rugs they had thrown down to keep from getting dirty.  Some brought tables and chairs for their picnic, others rugs and cushions. Their version of a boardwalk was a bricked path along the shore.     Ice~cream vans were parked along the curb while venders walked up and down selling glow in the dark 'flying saucers'.  As a foreigner  one is constantly scrutinized.  For new comers it is unnerving.  For me, it's more the course of human nature.  We are a mere curiosity.  Approaching the beach, we happened on a few of the faithful on prayer rugs kneeling toward Mecca.  Just as in any religion, there are the few faithful and the few who do things for the motions, the traditions.  There is a rhythm to belief that is easy to move to without thought and effort.  Do I move in relationship to my God in the same way?  Is it an unconscious rhythm or am I truly, consciously, pouring myself into knowing Him.  Do I take that precious gift of intimacy with the Creator for granted?  Is it a mindless kneeling in a 'direction', or a true offering, sweet in it's painful surrender to Him?  I daren't look too closely.

Still waiting

Day 4 of teaching, and I'm still subbing in other classes.  They are still deciding what to do with me.  (Join the rest of the world...myself included!  ha ha)  The beauty of this is that I am getting to see the school from all angles.  The school is large and split into 3 different buildings.  I work in the 1st-4th building (4th boys are in a separate building. This afternoon school was released early as maintenance was required on the speakers.

Today I tried out the swimming pool.  Pool is HUGE.  I shared it with two little Dutch boys who ended up 'borrowing' my hand training webbed gloves.  They had never seen them.  I have a feeling I will be swimming from 'here to the moon' in that pool over the next few months.

Have viewed the setting of the sun across the Red Sea.  Stunning.  The name fits.  The sun shimmers in hues of reds, oranges and peaches as it slips into tomorrow, chased by the night sky.