slip-sliding away…..

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A crowded street in Makkah

Changes

The contrast between Madinah and Makkah is instantly noticeable: whereas Madinah is calm, peaceful, and a place for solitude – even despite large crowds, Makkah is quite the opposite. It’s very urban – very much a big city: fast-paced, always busy, dirty, taxis hooting, and some really crazy driving (I didn’t see any traffic lights, but did see people relying heavily on their brakes 😉

The days are busy, but so are the nights. In such tremendous daytime heat, people seem to rest in in the day and then come out at night when they have more energy. It’s incredible to see so many people out late at night. Even babies and toddlers are out beyond midnight. Given the crime we have in South Africa, such a practice can never be normal back home. But…