Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

In Medina writing this. Went to the train station of the Hejaz railway which is now a museum. Typically it was shut. Can see the minarets of the Grand Mosque from in front though, so that was something at least.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...c721a17085.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...af43944fce.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...32d4593cf1.jpg

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

The "Grand Mosque" is in Mecca. This one in Medina is "The Prophet's Mosque"

I am a Christian but have been to both Medina (The Airport) and to Mecca (Only outside the Exclusion Zone)

I took this from Lonely Planet - , "non-Muslims are allowed in the outlying areas of Medina, outside of a well-marked area called Al Haram "

and from Wikipedia -

Al-Masjid an-Nabawī (Arabic: المسجد النبوي‎, romanized: al-Masjid an-Nabawi, lit. 'The Prophetic Mosque'), known in English as The Prophet's Mosque, Al Haram by the people of Madinah and Al Haram Al Madani by Saudi authorities, is a mosque built by the last Islamic prophetMuhammad in the city of Madinah in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Madinah, after Masjid Quba'a, and is now one of the largest mosques in the world. It is the second-holiest site in Islam, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.[2] It is always open, regardless of date or time, and was only closed to visitors in modern times, once, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

I'm not familiar with the exact term , but I just meant the big one.

And it is big.

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

I take it you are not one of The Faithful !

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

Medina is almost exactly halfway between Jeddah and Buraydah, so it makes for a handy place to stop for the night . Met a Saudi colleague for coffee in the evening and that's about it. Pleasant enough city , just needs a few pubs and gogo bars to improve it.

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

Then it would be FUNKY and COLD

Re: KSA - The Holy Cities
 

:lol: Bravo