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Madinah (Hejaz) 2015

In early 2015, I was given the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage. It almost didn’t happen though. Firstly, thanks to a corrupt and deceitful travel agent my passport sat in a drawer for two weeks instead of being sent to the embassy. Then, secondly, I was stymied by the sheer incompetence of the staff at the Saudi embassy – who mis-typed my nationality into their system as “Paraguayan” (WTF??), then refused to admit they’d made a mistake, and instead questioned whether my British passport was genuine!! Anyway, thanks to the kindly intervention of another travel agent, I got my Saudi visa literally five hours before my flight to Madinah was due to leave.

Madina temperature
It’s getting hotter and less comfortable over the next few days! Welcome to Madinah!!

I’m lazy. Very, very lazy. So it was inevitable I’d find myself a hotel as close as possible to the main attraction – The Prophet’s Mosque – without breaking the budget. The Intercontinental seemed ideal as it was 3 minutes walk away from Al Masjid an Nabawi, and there was a good chance they’d upgrade me too. Of course, they did. 🙂

Intercontinental Hotel, Madina KSA
HUGE two bedroom suite at the Intercontinental Hotel, very close to Masjid Nabawi.
Intercontinental Hotel, Madina KSA
Relaxing at home after our first Fajr salah at Masjid Nabawi. We are all very very tired. Time to sleep until Zuhr. 🙂

Click here to read part two of the story.


Al Masjid an Nabawi

Al Masjid an Nabawi
My first view of Al Masjid an Nabawi…
Al Masjid an Nabawi
It’s only a short walk to Al Masjid an Nabawi.
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi… getting ready for Maghrib.
Al Masjid an Nabawi
#Besharam #Selfie at Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
The green dome of Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi
Al Masjid an Nabawi at ‘Isha time

Exploring Madinah

Dar al Rehab, Madina
The tried to make me go to Dar al Rehab. I said “no, no, no”.
Masjid Imam Bukhari
Masjid Imam Bukhari

The Masjid Imam Bukhari is just minutes walk from Masjid An Nabawi, and was built at the site Imam Bukhari is thought to have stayed when he visited Madinah.

Jabal Ouhud
Jabal Uhud
Jabal Ruma in Ouhud
Jabal Ruma in Uhud
Masjid Qiblatain
Masjid Qiblatain
Mihrab of Masjid Qiblatain
Mihrab of Masjid Qiblatain
Graveyard of Masjid Qiblatain
Masjid Quba
Masjid Quba
Masjid Quba
Jabal Ouhud
Jabal Uhud
Jabal Ouhud
The perilous journey up Jabal Uhud
Jabal Ouhud
Jabal Uhud
Jabal Ouhud
Climbing towards Ghaar-e-Uhud
Battle of Ouhud gravesite
Battle of Uhud gravesite, with 70 martyrs buried here.
View of Madinah from Ghaar-e-Ouhud
View of Madinah from Ghaar-e-Uhud
Al Baqia cemetery.
Grave site of many Sahabah, inside the Al Baqia cemetery.
Al Baqia cemetery.
Al Baqia cemetery.
Al Baqia cemetery
View of Al Masjid an Nabawi from Al Baqia cemetery
Al Baqia cemetery
Al Baqia cemetery
Al Baqia cemetery
View of Al Masjid an Nabawi from Al Baqia cemetery
Masjid Ejabah
Masjid Ejabah
Masjid Ejabah
Masjid Ejabah
Broken building in Madina
Just wandering around Madinah, I saw the weirdest sight… a multi-storey building that seems to have toppled onto its side.
Broken building in Madinah
Just wandering around Madinah, I saw the weirdest sight… a multi-storey building that seems to have toppled onto its side.

Back to the Prophet’s Mosque

Al Masjid an Nabawi at night.
Al Masjid an Nabawi at night.
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Inside Al Masjid an Nabawi
Published inArabiaAsiaMuslim WorldTravels

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