Thursday 11:
After a good breakfast in Al Andalus mall hotel, we went to Jeddah corniche, where Abel played in a playground for an hour. The wind from the sea, despite 33 degrees, made the area pleasant to stay under the shade of Coconut tree.
Around 12:00, we went to Mall of Arabia, one of the biggest mall in Jeddah after the Red Sea mall. At 12:00, all shops were still closed because of the 3 days off for Eid.
We had a coffee, small snack at the food court, and let Abel in Kidszania for 2 jours with Hamdiati, a big playground
We went to rest a bit in the hotel, and turned back to Red Sea Mall, looking for a Lacoste shop. Samantha wanted to buy a pant, she couldn't find in Rasheed mall of Abha. But there was not the right size available.
We.had an invitation from Mohammed Shobrak to join him for Eid in his house, but we declined the invitation. His house was nearly an hour drive in the north of Jeddah, meaning 2 hours drive in heavy traffic..
Friday 12 April
After breakfast in Al Andalus mall hotel, we went an hour at the outdoor swimming pool, where Abel wanted to play.
We checked out around 12:00 , and drove to the south towards our next destination in Al Qunfudah.
We tried to have a look at Al Lith lagoon, where I used to go and dive with my small boat 25 years ago. The area is now inaccessible. The whole lagoon, that was home for green turtles, dugong and sooty falcons, has been entirely converted in a huge shrimp farms...all is fenced.
Al Lith beach was a nice stop for a bit of birding, with 32 species recorded in 30 minutes, at the southern tip of the beach and along a channel.
We arrived in Al Qunfudah around 18:00. Impossible to locate the hotel I had booked on booking.com. in the area indicated on the map were only small shops, in a busy area of the old town.
A quick look on the map, and we tried another hotel on the corniche: beach Inn. Rather nice hotel...huge bedroom, with nice Seaview.
A nice surprise just before entering the hotel, with a Great White Pelican passing in flight over the corniche. A new Saudi lifer, and second Saudi lifer for this trip, after the Sinaj Rosefinch.
We ate at a seafood restaurant in the same building.
A quick tour along the corniche at nights to have a look at what Al Qunfudah looks like. The whole corniche is under development, and they are making it quite nice, with modern coffee shops, fast foods and small shops
Looks pleasant town unlike Al Lith that appeared ugly and unattractive, with huge old building blocks with small windows.
Quick tour in Extra to look for a phone for Sam's sister, but the model was not available.
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