Yanbu Flower Festival

20 of 31 - SOLSC 2018

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The little town we live in is known for two things; oil and flowers.

Yanbu (the English transliteration of the Arabic word for 'spring of water') is the second largest Saudi Arabian city on the Red Sea. There are less than 200,000 people here - with a large percentage of that number being foreign workers (myself included).

The oil industry is the main economic force with three refineries, a plastics facility, and a variety of other petrochemical operations. Most of the rest of us are here to support the oil work.

We knew about the oil before we arrived. The majority of our students have dads who are engineers. What I had no idea was that flowers are also a draw.

The Yanbu Flower Festival expects to draw a million visitors this year, according to this Arab News article. They have two Guiness Book of World Records. This festival is no joke! Every year we go to take a look. And, it's free! 

This year you get a peek as well...

The festival runs for 3 weeks, or so. (They generally extend it.) We have always gone, as a family, on our way home from school one of the first days it is open. This gives us a chance to get in before the crowds start. And take pictures before the sun is directly in your eyes.

For a different light perspective this year, I had my husband drop me off one morning as he ran to the grocery store. There were even fewer people and it wasn't quite as warm. (Though I can't really complain. It isn't hot yet - only in the low 30s C / 90s F.)

Susie of Arabia posted these pictures from her visit. I'm thinking I will take my camera when I go to the hospital for my doctor appointment tonight, and take a quick trip through the festival on the way home. It looks like they light it well, and I'm hoping a Tuesday isn't a popular night.