Residents of the city of Jeddah often greet the beginning of summer with ambivalence. For it is in these times that the population of the city swells with the arrival of hordes of people from different corners of this country. And these visitors bring along their idiosyncrasies.
Having witnessed such a pilgrimage for the past three summers, I have begun to fathom some of the strange traits of our visitors. Jeddah, at most times of the year, is a tolerant and relaxed city without the harshness and land-locked setting of the towns and cities of the interior such as Riyadh.
Jeddah has been a gateway for the past 1,400 years and more to devout Muslims who have come here on their way to Makkah to perform Haj. It has benefited as a port city, with transportation and trade etched deep in its history. And it has gradually become home to a multiracial assortment of people, with diversity and color.
The differences within the people here have added richness to this city. From Africans to Asians, from Europeans to those from the Americas, this region has given rise to a new brand of Saudis. So when visitors from parts of the interior descend upon Jeddah, they often look upon it as an alien society and an alien culture.
So used to the confines of their land-locked environment have they become that these visitors find it difficult to comprehend or sometimes appreciate the differences of customs and habits of this particular city. It is at such times when annoyance often arises. There is a natural albeit peculiar way of doing things, according to the residents of this city.
But the arrival of tourists from the various regions during the summer months often creates a kind of bedlam that conflicts with the established chaos here and is thankfully missing during the rest of the year.
From traffic jams to traffic violations; from overcrowded sea fronts and restaurants to intrusive and often rude stares, the residents of this city often find it is best to avoid this altogether.
Some choose to escape for the whole summer, flying to distant lands and leaving it all behind. Others find comfort and solace within the confines of their dwellings, venturing out early in the morning when our visitors are in deep slumber and only when it is absolutely essential.
For those who choose to stay, the experience can be painfully enlightening.
For how else could one gain an impression of the Kingdom at a glance without going anywhere? You just have to observe these visitors and their peculiarities to understand that there is a far greater assortment of traits and culture in the Kingdom than one may have imagined.
