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  In the mountains above Mecca, the summer capital of Tiaf is open to all. People come here for the weather, it's elevation gives it a climate far cooler than either Jeddah or Makkah and without the uncomfortable humidity of the former. Many families from both Jeddah and Riyadh maintain houses in Tiaf as an escape from the uncomfortable summers in those two cities.  www.du.edu/~malasahib/view.html

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Tiaf stands 1,800 meters above sea-level and became a part of modern Saudi Arabia in 1924 when the soldiers of King AbdulAziz took the city. Most recently, Tiaf was the seat of Kuwait's government-in-exile during the Iraqi occupation of that country in 1990-1991.

www.mideasttravelnet.com/mideastsite/saudiarabia/cs.htm

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April 29, 2005: Snow fell in Tiaf, I'm not sure that it was the first time though. To read the newspaper article along with the picture click on it. My daughters in-laws live in Tiaf and I asked if they enjoyed the snow, NO! they had come to Jeddah and just missed it and were happy about it!!

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  The boom city of Yanbu: Twenty years ago, all that could be seen at Yanbu was an insignificant Red Sea fishing port, surrounded by an arid coastal plain. Today, Yanbu Industrial City together with its port ranks as one of the exporting giants of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Industrial colleges at Jubail (the East coast industrial city twin) and Yanbu provide high-quality job-oriented education to future employees at the two industrial cities. Amenities for residents, including extensive recreation facilities and parks.   www.saudiembassy.net/publications/magazine/05_models.html

Services: Yanbu Commercial Port is the nearest major Saudi seaport to Europe and North America and is the focal point of the most rapidly growing area on the Red Sea.  www.ports.gov.sa/yanbu_commercial_port.htm

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Al-Ola lies at the end of the Wadi al-Qura, 240 miles (380 km) north of the Holy City of Madinah to which it is administratively affiliated. An avenue in Al-Ola

Al-Ola is a small city with relatively few citizens but it is a location of special interest to archaeologists and historians because it contains many antiquities, some of which date back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and some to even earlier periods. The area contains much evidence of earlier civilizations,  including Minean, Lihyanite and Dedanite inscriptions. At Al-Khuraybah, carved in to the mountain rocks, are tombs dating back to pre-Islamic civilizations.

http://www.saudia-online.com/travel/Major%20Cities%20of%20the%20Kingdom_files/alola.htm

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