Abaya Finder: Dirah Souk 1/2

The first time I set foot in Dirah five years ago to buy my second abaya (the first was bought for me by my father before I arrived Riyadh for the first time), I told myself that it's the first and last I would venture into the place. I held that promise… until two weeks ago when I, together with Shoegarfreeruby and Eyecandy, visited Dirah to buy -- what else? -- abayas. 

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Dirah. (There is something wrong with me for being too lazy to venture out that same way again.) As a matter of fact, it's one of the places I would suggest a traveler to visit first in Riyadh because I believe in the saying that in order to get to know the country you're visiting, you have to immerse yourself in its bustling bazaars. Next to Batha and Haraj, this is the bazaar you have to see in Riyadh. The thing is, I'm not just visiting Riyadh five years ago, I am staying… so Dirah is one place that is just there; popping up once in a while in conversations with friends and in questions of readers where to buy this and that, waiting to be revisited but saying "take your time in discovering new places and wandering somewhere else first."

A souk in the heart of the old district

Dirah Souk (also spelled as Deera, Deirah, or whatever pleases you as long as it's pronounced as Di-ra) is also known as Soul Al-Thumairi. It is located in the center of the old district of Riyadh. The simplest way would be to take King Fahd Road and head to South (direction of Ministry of Interior and Batha) and exit just before you reach Salam Park. Turn left and go straight and you'll see the souq to your right. Or, if you're cruising along Olaya Road, just head straight to Murabba via the King Faisal Road and when you reach the Al-Deerah Cemetery, turn right. You'll see it in your left. (I know that it's kind of hard to visualize that but here's the map. Utilize the "Get Directions" feature of Google Map.

Anyway, we chose to go on a Thursday afternoon, around 4pm, which is, if I may say so, just the right time. This is after the asr prayer, when most stores open and Dirah is not yet packed to the brim. Come night time, you'll be elbowing your way among the throng of people in the area. Parking can be difficult and the religious police swarm the place because their building is just a stone's throw away. Dirah also gets crowded and noisy and dirty as the day wears on so afternoon is your best bet.

Vendors getting ready for a day's worth of work

I find it easier to navigate Dirah during daytime. Among The Pink Tarha ladies, I'm the one in-charge of directions thus preventing us from being lost because believe me, if you get too fascinated with what you see and enter a lot of stores, you'll lose your way into the alleys and nooks that would seem like deja vu every time you turn a corner. We visited the Swaigah Trade Center where most abaya stores are.

Where most of the shopping happens.

Abayas stores are everywhere in Swaigah. Some of the stores have a black fabric hiding a a third of its door making the inside dark. We couldn't see the designs clearly and every time I go out of the store I had to blink to get my sight bearing back. Not sure why they had to do that (maybe because of their female customers? Or maybe sneaking on what designs are available and what kind of selling tactics work is a no-no?).

It's like some kind of secret shopping.

Abaya prices range from SR 120 to SR 200. Haggling is a must so don't be shy.

Welcome to abaya land.

The way they display the abayas are kind of scary, hehe.

It's all about the designs.

So many choices aaaaagh!

There are abayas on the rack outside the stores and here you can find really cheap ones. Just less than SR 100. Most of them are just SR 60.

Cheaper abayas are displayed outside. From SR60-SR80.

You will definitely get carried away with the abayas here. There are so many designs to choose from. Do you want embellished? Laced? Embroidered? Studded? 

Here are some designs that caught our eyes (warning: there will be a lot of black in these photos :P):

Like I told you... a lot of blackness over here. :P

Abayas with Chinese collar and glimmery designs

Colored fabric + lace (around SR 150)

Gold design on the lining (around SR130)

Rosettes on the sleeves (around SR 120)

Like a Tudor royalty: lace overload on the shoulder (around SR 150)

With a cinch on the waist, like a robe (SR 130)

We have this kind of abaya but we got it from Al-Akaria Shopping Center. This design in Dirah is all-black while the ones we have have a colored fabric underneath.

Silver embroidery with studs (around SR 200)

Old rose lace on the sleeves (this is what R bought)

Other colors of the lace (around SR150)

The Ms. Universe abaya (around SR200)

I named this "Ms. Universe" abaya because it has  sash-like feature in a different color. And the huge gem that gathers it, acting like a brooch. The fabric is a bit clingy. It's a bit heavy and follows the shape of the body making the wearer lean and model-like. It pretty much negates the concept of an abaya but this would be perfect for special events.

The "million dollar" abaya.

This abaya is not exactly priced at a million dollars. Actually it's just SR 350. But it's the most expensive one we've seen in our trip to Deira. And we quite like it. If the price is just SR 200, I might have gotten this. The embroidery is delicate and fine and the fabric is amazing; the kind that is easy to clean and doesn't wrinkle. 

Sometimes, it's all about the design in the sleeves:

What pattern would you like on your sleeves madam?

Ornaments in an abaya?

Tribal and colorful

The usual silver and gold

Lace, jewels, different fabrics

Studded!!! Hello, fierceness! This is E's choice.

It's better to invest in one abaya priced over SR 100 than fill your closet with a few cheap ones. The problem with the cheap abayas is the fabric. I bought one with interesting sleeves: black floral lace over a hot pink lining. While the design is nice, the fabric is not. It's a bit thin, sags rather than flows, and attracts dirt easily.

I have to cut this entry right here because it's getting too long, especially with the number of photos I have to cram in here. Other stuff that you can find in Deira and places you can see around the Swaigah Trade Center on the next entry! By the way, forgive me if some of the photos are blurred. You probably know by now that I'm just doing commando shooting with my iphone. As usual. ;) ~ Sundrenched

Abaya Finder: Al Akariyah Shopping Mall

Here are the top four questions we receive about the abaya...

1. How does wearing an abaya feel? 

Truth be told, the first few times that I wore an abaya in public when I was new in Saudi Arabia reminded me how much of a klutz I can be. I kept on tripping on my abaya because I insisted on an abaya that is a few inches longer than me. And I kept on forgetting to tuck it inside the car; the hem gets caught in the car's door every time. Thankfully, months and years of wearing it has produced a better abaya-clad me. It's actually pretty comfortable. Yes, it gets warm especially when we're under the sun but it actually protects us from sunburn and sandstorm. It gets in the way of some activities like carrying stuff while climbing the stairs but nothing we, ladies, can't manage. Being able to go out the house without thinking of what to wear can be very liberating sometimes.

2. What do you wear inside the abaya? 

This is one funny question because apparently, there are some guys who think we don't wear anything under the abaya apart from ermn, our underwear. Hahaha! C'mon guys! Imagination much?! While there might be a few (very few) who do this, most women wear clothes under their abayas that range from from pajamas, jeans, blouses, skirts, office attire... to the more elaborate gowns for special events.  

3. How many abayas should a lady have? 

A minimum of three: one for errands (grocery/market day, shopping, etc.), one for going to work (simple, easy to remove), and one for formal occasions (embellished, laced, etc.). You can have more, of course. I have 6 as of the moment which I alternate depending on where I'm going. 

4. Where do I buy affordable abayas? 

And here comes one of the many answers: in Al Akariyah Mall along Olaya Road.

Al Akariyah Mall is once the go-to mall in Riyadh being the first mall in the Middle East built in the 1970s. It was once very popular with expats but the presence of the religious police (muttawas) discouraged more and more people to go. Its popularity waned over the years and now, it's just one of those malls that houses a few brands that are not familiar with most Riyadhizens and a few liquidation stores. But, abaya seekers, this is one place you shouldn't ignore.

(In true Saudi Arabia fashion of spelling names in various ways it's quite confusing but as long as you pronounce it the same way, it's a-okay... Al Akariyah [the way they spell it in the mall 1 signage] can also pertain to Al-Akaria [the way they spell it in their website], Alakaria, Al-Akariah, etc.)

The Al Akariyah area in the corner of Olaya Road and Musa ibn Nussair Street is divided into two Al Akariyah Malls... the first one built is the one along Musa ibn Nussair Street near the Al Akaria Compound while the second one is the one facing the Olaya Road. (see map below for visualization, hehe.)

This is the Al Akariyah Mall 2...

The lobby of Al Akariyah Mall 2

The abaya stores on the  second floor

The abayas in most shops range from SR100-SR250. If you're lucky, they're even on sale. And even if they're above SR100, we know you Filipinas out there have polished your haggling skills so put them to good use. Most of the abaya stores are located in the center of the newer area of the mall (entrance is along Olaya Road). You will see this fountain in the middle and on the second floor, you'll see a few abaya shops. There are some who sell expensive abayas embellished with swarovski crystals and made of premium fabrics.

If you're on the lookout for affordable abayas with adequate designs, go to the stores that have these signs outside:

Affordable abaya stores

If you want to buy wholesale...

Expensive but really nice abayas

Here are some designs:

Different styles and designs

Sometimes, it's just all about the sleeves

SR 90-100 abayas with cutout, colorful sleeves

Quirky abaya on the right

Prioritize the kind of cloth in an abaya. Choose the one that doesn't wrinkle immediately and is soft to the touch (not silky). The clasps of most abayas are flimsy so I suggest you sew them on again after you get home.

Look at the design of our new abayas! We've always wanted the style which has a clincher making it an empire cut. They look like monk robes, hehe. We bought it for SR140 each at an abaya store in the old Al Akariyah Mall 1.

Sundrenched and Shoegarfreeruby in our new abayas! Yey!

And as an added bonus, we found a store selling high heels beside the store where we bought our abaya! Fashionista love!

Strut your stuff!

To those who are new to Riyadh and the Al Akariyah Mall, here's the map:

Click for a larger version.

The smaller circle in the map is Al Akariyah Mall 2, the newer one, which is where the place on this first photo in this entry is located. The abaya stores are gathered in their lobby. The larger circle indicates the old Al Akariyah Mall (the first to be built) and houses a few abaya stores as well. The two malls are connected by an easy-to-locate pathway. Don't confuse it with the Al Akaria Plaza which is the newest mall in this area housing Bulgari and other high-end, luxury brands. ;)

Happy shopping! ~ Sundrenched

The Jeddah Weekend (2 of 3)

The first thing I did when we woke up on a glorious Thursday morning in Jeddah is to look in our window to see the lagoon. I've been itching to do this the moment we arrived in our room at the Red Sea Palace Hotel but of course, I couldn't see anything at 9 in the evening, or all of the evening for that matter. The view is not that breathtaking but it's enough to make me happy. We don't have this in Riyadh. We may have wadis (rivers) but they're dry for the most part of the year and they're far from the city center. I took photos of our view immediately.

A panoramic shot via iPhone

A peaceful lagoon

8:00AM Starting The Day Right

After preparing for a full day ahead, we went down to the hotel brassierie (Al Bouhaira Restaurant) for a quick breakfast. We chose a spot near the glass walls overlooking a pocket garden. There were lots of bread in the buffet but few viands. I enjoyed the freshly cooked omelet.

Breakfast is ready!

Where's the fried rice?! Diet ateh?

Freshly-fried omelet

Our first agenda for the day is to buy abayas. We know, you might be wondering... "Bakit sa Jeddah pa? Ang dami naman sa Riyadh!" (Why buy in Jeddah? There are many in Riyadh!) It piqued my curiosity too when I first heard Filipinas going to Jeddah whose main purpose in going there is to buy abayas. They said that Jeddah's abayas are cheaper and their designs and styles are different from the other parts of Saudi Arabia. Since they're less conservative and more tolerant, their abaya designs and styles are quirky and fun: more embellishments, colors, and drapes. Of course, black is still the overall color.

Free wifi at the lobby while deciding where to go next

9:30AM Abaya Hunting in Bawadi Souk

We were supposed to be driven around by a Filipino taxi driver that was suggested to us but he claimed over the phone that we can just go to the nearby Balad Commercial Center and be done with it. I had to disagree because I know Eyecandy, who was in Jeddah two weeks before we did, said that the popular abaya souk was quite a drive from the center. R and I decided to hail a cab outside the hotel and asked the driver to take us to "Badawi souk", as E mentioned. He eyed us curiously and asked, "Badu souk?!" "No, Badawi souk!," we chimed in. Our driver is a Yemeni who has a friendly face and mild demeanor. He proceeded in telling us, in his halting English, that the abayas in the nearby Badu souk is not worth it. If we want, he'll take us to Bawadi souk a few kilometers away from Balad. And that's when it hit us that it was indeed "Bawadi" instead of "Badawi." Haha.

Hey, we have this mini bus in Riyadh too! 

On the way to Bawadi, our driver (Maher) got to talking. He asked where we came from and when he heard "Riyadh," he immediately tsk tsked and said "Riyadh mushkila, Riyadh mushkila!" over and over. Without even an explanation, we already understood his thoughts and sentiments. Anyway, he was nice enough to slow down at roundabouts so we can see and take photos of Jeddah's famous street installations.

Larger than life bicycle

Is this science-related? Hehe.

These sculptures make Jeddah one of the biggest open-air art galleries in the world. Their roundabout pieces are bigger than those in Al-Khobar.

Morning is not the best time to visit Bawadi. The street sellers who sell their abayas at cheaper prices were not yet around. Only the air-conditioned stores were open and their abayas are priced like the ones in Riyadh. But since we're already there and there were few people around (which makes shopping easier), we can't back away now can't we? 

An area of the Bawadi center

Lots of abaya on window displays

We chose to pick abayas with unique designs instead. We're very particular with the fabric. We want the thick kind that doesn't need to be ironed. Interestingly, I went for the still conservative almost all-black type knowing that I (and my friends whom I'm buying these for) will be wearing them in Riyadh. The quirk I mostly got was from the stones and beads and the newest style that hugs the waist slightly. I got a onesie (like a dress that doesn't need to be buttoned or zipped) that has a glittery design on the chest and I got my mom an abaya embellished with little rosettes. R bought a few more than I did.

Oh what to choose?!

Embroidery galore!

For The PINK Tarha! :P

12:00NN Eating The Famous Chicken

Maher waited for us and took us back to the center after an hour or so. He egged us to go and try Al-Baik, the infamous broasted chicken of Jeddah. R and I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to eat the chicken hot off the broiler in the comfort of our hotel room. He took us to the Balad branch.

Finally!

After getting our lunch of crispy, hot Al-Baik chicken, we went back to the hotel for lunch. After packing the black robes away, we took our seats near the window and ate!

What a perfect location to have lunch!

Yuuuuum!

The aroma coming off our order of Al-Baik was heavenly; it covered the entire room in minutes. Al-Baik has a distinct taste that is coming from the red orange tint in the chicken meat. The skin is crispy and it went well with the fries and bun. I love it piping hot! Okay, I know I'll probably be heckled (please don't throw stones at me) if I say that I didn't find Al-Baik outrageously delicious. It is delicious, yes, but I can live in Riyadh without it (come to think of it, we're living in Riyadh without it). There are many broasted chicken in Riyadh that are quite good too. But anyway, we enjoyed our Al-Baik meal and saved some for dinner. R and I were contemplating if we ought to bring back Al-Baik for our families and friends in Riyadh.

2:00PM Mall of Arabia

After a bit of rest, we called Maher again and asked him to take us to Mall of Arabia for the only store we came here for: Forever 21. Hahaha. The design of the mall is beautiful and the interior is spacious and airy. We immediately went to Forever 21 and got lost in all the cute, affordable clothes. Excuse us for a while...

Mall of Arabia!!!

Love the wide, airy space great for events

Levels of stores

An indecisive me among accessories in Forever 21.

The only sale sign we saw is from H&M

With our plastic bags of clothes from Forever 21, we roamed Mall of Arabia and found this gem of a bakery cafe on the upper floor. It's called Chapter. The display of cakes and large macaroons is beguiling. We settled for slices of red velvet cake and rainbow cake.

Macaroons from Chapter Bakeshop

Huuge macaroons

Love our colorful slices

Then we saw the entertainment center from above and it was so much fun watching the kids ride the rides that R and I were afraid of trying. Haha.

A water ride inside the mall? Amazing!

We settled for a quick snack at the Tonino Lamborghini Cafe. There is a branch of this cafe in Panorama Mall in Riyadh and we haven't tried it. We were just enticed with the location of this cafe. It's perfect for an afternoon coffee. We can see the roads outside and the soft afternoon sun rays flooded the clean floors. I went for a dark chocolate frappe while R ordered a latte. We added a plate of pasta with white sauce and took bites of our cakes after.

Great location!

Wonder if the service here is fast. :)

The view from where we're sitting.

Perfect for sipping on a hot afternoon

Cheesy and creamy merienda

6:00PM Corniche Road In A Flash

Maher came back for us around 6 in the evening. On our way back to the hotel, he chose to pass at the corniche road so we can see that area. We passed by a few known Jeddah spots like the floating mosque and the dazzling hotel lane by the Red Sea but we didn't stop and took photos. We just enjoyed the scenery and it was really fun seeing families gathered at the shore having picnics. So laidback!

We stopped on the side of the road to take photos of the King's Fountain. It was too far from where we were at but that's okay. This fountain is best admired from afar anyways. It's the biggest seawater fountain in the world.

Jeddah's pride

8:00PM Too Early for Curfew

Deep inside I know that we're too early to be back at the hotel. I mean, we shop until the wee hours of the morning during Ramadan for goodness' sake! So what are we doing holed in our hotel room at 8pm?! Haha. Well, good thing, our blogging friend Mr. Kenji of Thoughtskoto saved us. He and his wife, Sheila, called to say that Mr. NJ of DesertAquaForce, another friend from the blogging world, will come to pick us up for dinner. And thank goodness, he did!

10:00PM Crossing The Border

He and his friend, Mr. Jun, drove us to On The Border, a Mexican-themed restaurant that is not found in Riyadh. Kenji, his beautiful wfe Sheila and their adorable kids Hevyn and Galei, followed after a few minutes. The Solis family gave us a lovely bag with some cosmetic products and perfume (thank you very, very much!). I ordered salmon; the first time in years that I picked fish over meat in a steakhouse. R went for the tacos. 

Hand me some watermelon margaritas!

Salmon+mashed potatoes+beans

I first personally met them in the Philippine Expat Blog Awards 2009 ceremony in Manila where The Pink Tarha won our first award (ahhh memories...). They were friendly and kind people. It's a pleasure to be seeing them in their turf this time. I admire these men's passion for their family, career, and advocacies. We talked about PEBA, OFW issues, and the differences among Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh. The Thoughtskoto family, as they're fondly called, lived in Al-Khobar for a few years before settling in Jeddah. NJ is based in Al-Laith and he told us he's a little bit scared every time he had to go to Riyadh for some business matters. We're not surprised that they have reservations about Riyadh (heck, all expats do, haha!) but we promise that when they'll be in the city, we'll show them what makes Riyadh nice on its own (wow, ambassadresses to Riyadh lang ang peg ng Pink Tarha ladies?! Lol.)

Photo from Kenji

We decided to go home around 12 midnight... but not without Mr. NJ's nice surprise. He gave us a huge white styro box that weighs a ton (ah, kilos pala, hehe). We had an idea what's inside because we know the nature of his work but I was still surprised when I opened it at home (more on this on the third entry). Thank you very much to the Solis family and Mr. NJ Abad for the lovely evening in Jeddah.

Our third and last day in Jeddah is up next! :)


Sundrenched