Photoblog: My Trip To Riyadh

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
― Augustine of Hippo

I’m not a passionate traveler at heart. You know, the whole trend with wanderlust that’s been going around for a while now. I’m a creature of comfort, so the discomfort that comes with travel is definitely not something natural to me. However, but I do enjoy trips every now and then. Especially those which don’t require me stepping out of my comfort zone too much but still provide a level of adventure and newness of sorts which is a welcome change to daily routine. So to speak 🙂

I was recently in Riyadh city of Saudi Arabia, the capital of the kingdom. Main purpose of the trip was to attend not one- but two weddings from my sisters’ in-laws’ side. So, packed we did and away we went!

In a nutshell, the trip was a relaxing venture. I was there for about a week, from January 21st until the 27th. Although we didn’t get a chance to properly ‘tour’ the city, (you know- Saudi weddings can be quite eventful in and of itself lol!) we did stay in what my brother called the “heart of Riyadh”. Our hotel- the Millenia was located a comfortable walking distance from the famous Kingdom Center.

Definite highlight of the trip was getting to meet my lovely nieces! My sister and her family reside in Dubai and were over at Riyadh for the wedding. Nothing like a lovely family meetup!

Pictured above is breakfast from Day 1 at Millenia Hotel, which is the same place we stayed. The set up was so beautiful, I couldn’t help but photograph it for Instagram!

The buffet consisted of traditional breakfast offerings you find at typical 3-4 star hotels. Nothing too over the top, but satisfying nonetheless!

The omelet was hot and delicious.

Followed by some much needed caffeine fix at the cafe. Here are some more coffee pictures for your viewing pleasure! 😀

Above is niece’s loom organization. I found it so cute! MashaAllah ❤ She is 7 years old. I admire her patience and interest with rainbow looms for someone her age in a time of craze with gadgets.

My sister and I made our way to the Kingdom Center mall on the first day of the wedding as she wanted to finish some last minute shopping for her outfit. Most of these pictures are on our way to the mall, some were taken later on during the trip but I can’t exactly remember when!

We got to make multiple trips to the mall during our trip, however we didn’t get a chance to go all the way up the Sky Bridge of the Kingdom Center. Bummer- I know! I believe that’s what it’s called? Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong!

The first wedding!

There was a pool inside the wedding hall. #OnlyinSaudi hahah. It was so beautiful and added to the occasion perfectly. The hall was one of the most unique ones I’ve seen, with the decor, seating arrangements and all!

This picture is from the first mall trip with my sister that I mentioned earlier. Got to taste Samurai, which I don’t think is in Jeddah. It was- good! Juuust good enough quality for when you want to fix your Japanese craving with fast food.

I’m not sure when exactly this was, but in the earlier part of the trip my brother and I walked our way to Tony Roma’s restaurant. It’s here in Jeddah as well, but I’d never tried it before. So I was excited and eager to taste the food and see where this place ranks in my book!

I ordered a kind of a banana strawberry smoothie (pictured above) and ended up ordering a meal consisting of short ribs. It was simple, good food. Nothing extravagant, but satiating. I’m glad we ate there 🙂 It was also the first time I had green beans this way- and it was yum. I love greens.

Above: the interior from my view.

The two photos above are from wedding #2. I’ve got to say- both the weddings were some of the best and most fun-filled weddings I’ve attended. The music was halal for the most part, food and drinks galore, they were served very well, and just a really fun ambiance overall really. Shall I add, they were extremely well organized. As I spotted the event planners’ biz cards, I grabbed them immediately. Apparently, they cover weddings all over KSA which is great news for us Jeddawis (or anywhere else in KSA really!).

At this point, you should see me smiling ear to ear like a creepy.

Starbucks Coffee. At walking distance from my hotel. Yes, I did go there multiple times a day. This was pretty much a case of my Dua being answered. Thank you Allah! ❤ #Alhamdullilah

Above: my sister’s Strawberry White Choc Frap (if I remember correctly!)

Pictured: Turkey Sub, Fruit Salad, and Cappucino.

Pictured above: my sister’s Blueberry White Choc cheesecake.

From one of the visits, pictured: cheese croissant, White Chocolate Mocha, and water.

Love the design inspiration in this one above! Colors, fonts, shapes. Love eeet. Captured at Kingdom Center, Riyadh.

One of my favourite discoveries was the Del Monte kiosk in the Kingdom Center food court. Fresh, delicious food when you need it. This was my sole source of fruit/fresh food fix during this trip. There needs to be a Del Monte location in every mall in Jeddah!

Aaand, I got to have Sugar Sprinkles! After hearing about it for the longest time, I finally got to eat it and shall I say- it is the best red velvet + frosting combo I’ve ever tasted in my life so far. No kidding. It was, love at first bite. 😀

Also, thanks to Sugar Sprinkles, I also experienced my first cake jar item. Hitting two birds with one stone here!

I’ve already mentioned this on my Instagram, but this little shop pictured above was just around a corner nearby where we stayed. It was the cutest little shop ever with eateries of all sorts, drinks, baked goodies, and… COFFEE! One of the best cappuccinos I’ve tasted so far has been from here. The milk had the most peculiar almond-y taste and somewhat buttery. Weird, I know! But, it was so good! I love it.

One thing I also enjoyed thoroughly on this trip but have no photo to show for- is Auntie Anne’s. So far, there is no pretzel offering I know of here in Jeddah. Naturally, when I saw it in Kingdom Center- I made sure I ate it multiple times. It was SO good, you guys. That the two times I bought it, I didn’t take a picture because I was so eager to stuff it in, you know?

So, that is all about my trip to Riyadh. The highlights anyway! 😀

Jeddah is definitely a livelier city compared to Riyadh, and the sea was definitely missed. However, the capital has a unique taste of its own. It’s pretty cool. Try and make a visit to the city if you’re able to. I know there is so much more to discover and experience there than what I did, so do consider doing some searching around the web and find a partner you can enjoy your trip with!

Doing this photoblog post reminds me of this time, last year when I’d freshly returned from my trip to the UK. Would you like to see a photoblog of that trip as well? The memories won’t be as fresh, but at least I will have it documented somewhere properly for future reference, and it may spark some fun conversations. What do you think? Yay or nay? Hit ‘Like’ below this post if you’d like to see it and I’ll start working on the post asap!

Thanks for spending some time with me. Have an awesome day!

Book Talk: Accepted Whispers

Dua is such a beautiful experience. Yet I find myself not giving it it’s true due. Sometimes I’m at a loss for words, and sometimes I cease to reflect on it’s true essence and realize that it’s far more than just a few spoken words.

Sometime last year, I came across this tweet from Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan.

The tweet

I already had “Fortress of the Muslim” so, naturally my attention went on to search what “Accepted Whispers” was about and where I could get it.

Book Talk: Muhammad As If You Can See Him (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam)

The Prophet didn’t withhold his cheerfulness from anyone.

The humanness of the Prophet ﷺ was an elevating, radiant humanness.

Read Prophetic description (shama’il) before his biography (sira).

If we understand the Prophetic description (shamail), we can understand his life events (sira).

The Prophet: you don’t know him. If you knew him, you would love him–and your hearts would be full of this love.

The Prophet (peace be upon him): it is enough to realize that he is the Beloved of Allah.

Be beautiful people: live the Beauty of the Prophet ﷺ

– Habib Ali al-Jifri

Looking for a concise reading on the shamail of the Beloved of Allah, Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam? Then this book by Dr. Aid Al Qarni might be just what you are looking for.

In spirit of sister Naima Roberts’ following Facebook status, I have decided to re-post this piece of writing here at LP&G which was previously produced as a guest post for Dynamic Muslim Bloggers.

Book Talk: When Wings Expand

Among the books I read last year was When Wings Expand by Mehded Maryam Sinclair.

When Wings Expand is written in a ‘diary entry style’ (epistolary) which makes it very reader friendly. Here is the book blurb:

Winner of the Unpublished Muslim Writer’s Award 2011.

She wrapped her arms around me and said, “Nur! I know. I don’t want to go. But all I can do is keep trusting in Allah. Nur, I will always be with you! My love and advice will always be with you to guide you in the right direction.” She patted my heart. “They are forever sealed inside this little place.”

Writing on the pages of her journal, Nur, a teenage girl in Canada, charts the onset and advance of her mother’s cancer. Nur watches her mother’s body begin to shrink and her mood begin to darken. And when family and friends begin to encroach, Nur must face the prospect of her mother’s looming death.

Nur bears the crushing loss and finds her adolescent life more demanding and complex. But with the legacy of her mother’s love, her family’s support, and the guidance of her faith, she manages to overcome the searing pain and use her newfound strength to bring joy to the lives of others, showing them that after death wings can expand.

It is quite an amazing book. Definitely kept me hooked from the beginning and I would look forward to reading it everyday!

It is full of beautiful lessons- something that readers of all ages and people of all backgrounds can benefit from. It sort of brings you back home, on what it means to be a true Muslim. What being a servant of Allah Almighty is all about.

Photo Of The Day [POTD]

Jeddah Corniche (Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia). Early hours.

My Favourite Reading Apps

I love reading. Paperbacks are lovely, but so are eReaders. I know, I know! Most avid readers will be shocked to see me profess this but hey- just, hear me out.

To me, it doesn’t matter what medium you use- what matters is that you read. And if eReaders are an option for you to increase your daily reading, then why not! 😀

I, too, was a skeptic when it came to eReaders once upon a time. But now- I pretty much love them! I love how reading on my iPad has enabled me to read books which were otherwise hard to get locally. Also, the reasonable rates at which I can get some books is unbeatable. Especially when it comes to books I’m not sure I will end up loving.

I also love how I can read in the dark without worrying about a book lamp 😉

What’s more? Free books. You definitely can’t beat that.