Historical Village Trip

My friend and I joined the hospital social club and went on a trip to Ushaiger Historical Village.

It is a small village 200km NW of Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Ushaiger is one of the oldest towns in Saudi's Nej'd Province and it was a major stopping point for pilgrims coming to perform Hajj.

The village belongs to the Tamim Tribe although other tribes live there as well. It is the home land to many of Saudi scholars and in particular religious ones.

The people of Ushaiger have decided to renovate the old village with their own money and have also opened a museum that displays old relics and pieces from the village.

The last people moved out of here in the 1980's but the village was home to many as far back as 1500 years ago. Now people come here to relax for the weekend.

The museum

Collection of many old items

Old kitchen ware of which they are using in the village

Stuffed animals

Collection of teapots

Old soda bottles

Saudi banknotes old and new

This is where they keep milk from animals and depending on how long it is in here for depends on the final product - like yoghurt or laban (yoghurt drink)

This document is 500 years old - it is the will of one of the residents of the village he was very wealthy and this states how he wants his possessions and money to go to the poor.

This is where they heat the tea and coffee

Old housing made from clay and grass

These are the type of doors that are all around the village

One of the ceilings

This very small cubicle you can see on the outside of the house is the toilet- all houses in the village are like this.

Very small kitchen in the house

My friend Annina and I - relaxing in one of the houses

We we all invited to eat a traditional Saudi lunch in one of the locals houses - and we were free to roam the house and spend a few hours after lunch just relaxing - the saudi way.

Kabsa rice, some other mushy rice, vegetables and wheat and of course Camel!!!

Two of the men tucking into their lunch with their hands - most Saudis eat with their hands

Ushaiger Historical Village from the hill top.

These were some the men from the family that invited us for the day.

Ladies posing for a family picture

This is friends Debbie, me and Annina after we successfully climbed the biggest sand dune .

You can tell how high we are by how small the bus and the people are

Me sliding down the dunes on a plastic board - it was sooo much fun.

Most of these people did not make it to the top. It was a really hard walk to the top.

My Favourite Little Man

This is Amar - he is just gorgeous - he is so cute I want to take him home with me. His smile just lights up the room.

Amar is one of our regular patients.

Amar comes in every two months for five days at a time for calcium infusions due to Rickets Disease which affects how the bones grow and develop and causes them to become soft and weak, and as they grow they can become bowed.

A side effect of Rickets is low very calcium levels - which is what Amar has.

We have many many patients like this. They will come to us for the rest of their lives.

My friend Amar - hes sooooo cute xx

So Funny

Annual Pilgrimage

A friend of mine who is a Muslim took these photos on his annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world make the journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage (Hajj) Dressed in the same simple white clothing to represent human equality, the pilgrims gather together to perform the rites dating back to the time of Abraham.

Hajj is considered one of the five "pillars" of Islam. Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage once in a lifetime, if they are physically and financially able to make the journey to Mecca.

This is Mount Arafat.

The Day of Arafat falls on the 2nd day of the pilgrimage rituals. At dawn nearly 2 million Muslim pilgrims will make their way from Mecca to this hillside. It was the site that Prophet Muhammed gave his famous farewell sermon.

During the entire day from dawn to sunset Muslim Pilgrims stand in earnest supplication and devotion praying for Gods forgiveness. Tears are shed readily as those who gather make repentance and seek Gods mercy, recite words of prayer and remembrance and gather together as equals.

The plain of Arafat

Al Rahama

The Holy City of Mecca - Grand Mosque

On the first day of the pilgrimage the pilgrims must enter the Grand Mosque and walk around the Ka'aba (the black stone in the middle) seven times counter clockwise, kissing the black stone on each circuit. If kissing the stone is not possible because of the crowds they must point to it with their right hand on each circuit. After each complete circuit each pilgrim must say " In the name of God, God is great, God is great, God is great and praise be to God"

Jamarat

"Stoning of the Devil" or stoning of the jamarat is part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Muslims must fling pebbles at three walls called jamarat in the city of Mina. It is one of a series of ritual acts that must be perfomed in the Hajj.

Until 2004 the three jamarat were tall pillars but have since been replaced by 26m long walls for safety, many people were accidently throwing pebbles at people on the other side.

On the 10th day of Hajj pilgrims must hit the large jamrah only with seven pebbles. On each of the following days they must hit each of the three wall with seven pebbles going from east to west. At least 49 pebbles are needed for the ritual, more if some throws are missed.

Read more here

My Work Place

These are just a few photos of around the hospital that I took. You need permission to take photos around the hospital - so I took these on a Friday when there is usually no one around.

I don't yet have a pass to take photos!!!

Outside one of the entrances to the hospital

This is down one end of the main hospital corridor

Looking down towards the other end (you can just see the light at the other end) The corridor is 800 metres long

Water feature inside the hospital

The 800m long hospital corridor - there is no one around as its Friday

(our Friday is your Sunday)

Outside the front of the hospital - the bridge you can see connects one hospital building to another on the other side of the road. It is 1km long.

A picture of the King - there is little diamonds in his eyes.

Looking down on the appointment desk in the North Tower Building - this is the newest part of the hospital. I work in this tower.

North Tower

The glassed off area where the females can wait if they choose while they are waiting to be called into our unit.

The Faisalyia Building in the distance

North Tower

North Tower - I work on the 2nd floor

Friday Lunch

My friend Annina and I decided to go to a restaurant just down the road from work for our lunch break on Friday - anyone would have thought we had not eaten for a week by the amount of food that we ordered. But we did end up taking the left overs back to work for others to enjoy.

We had Hommous (chick peas) Baba Ganoush (eggplant, tahini paste, onions/tomatoes) Metaboul (smokey eggplant dip), potatoes with garlic and mint and Foul (usually made with Fava Beans)

Bread, Olives, Tabouleh Salad and wine ....not - Saudi Champagne!!!

Saudi Champagne - apple juice, perrier water with an apple, orange, mint and lemon.

Breath of Fresh Air!!!!!

Just a small sand storm today - temperature has dropped right down to 26c from about 35c yesterday. I can feel the dust settling in the base of my lungs with every breath that I take!!!

This picture I took out my bedroom window.