Big fire in Old Jeddah

Red Sea architecture in Old Jeddah, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

I was very sorry to hear that there was a large fire in Old Jeddah yesterday, which destroyed seven buildings. Looking through google, it seems that fires occur quite often. There is a lot of wood and the buildings are not always very well looked after. There is also a suggestion that some people are even pleased to see part of the protected Old City be destroyed so they can sell the land for redevelopment.

With so much money in Saudi Arabia and the suggestion that Saudi Arabia may start opening itself up to the outside world, it has to be hoped that money can come in to save and restore at least a major part of the area.

It is very pleasant as it now is, with all the Somalis and Yemenis living there but it is hardly sustainable. Just very glad that I saw it just two weeks ago.