Khobar, Dhahran and Dammam are often known as "The Triplet Cities" It is home of Aramco The worlds largest oil company and the 16-mile (26 km) King Fahd Causeway that connects Khobar to the island nation of Bahrain, previously reachable only by air or sea. This is our view from the Le Meridian Hotel the beautiful pool only for the male guests.

Friday we got in the car to see an island a bit north of Damam that we found out later is a muslim extremist strong hold and we shouldn't have gone there. To bad it was a pretty island with friendly people and great views.

Azzam enjoying some "TEA" from the balcony over looking the Arabian Gulf.

I took the train back to Ruyadh because the flights were all full it was that or the bus. I should have picked the bus. We were three hours late and the sand storm was crazy bad. My breakfast in the first class lounge at the train station.

Looks like a snow storm only its sand.

Al Qassim

Al Qassim along with tourism, agriculture is still the cornerstone of the region's economy. Although the region has been famous for its agricultural assets for a long time, it wasn't until recently that wheat production has been introduced to the local agricultural industry, making Saudi Arabia a net exporter of cereal. The region also produces dates, grapes, lemons, grapefruits, mandarin oranges,oranges, pomegranates, and a large group of vegetables. Below is one of many large farming operations found in the region, high tech green houses produce most of Riyadh's produce.

Workers housing

Date ice cream a treat found in the Qassim region.

Al Khayat Resort, farm and motel.

A park in Al Onaizah where the communal date trees are found.

Al Buraydah is the capital of this region and home to the cities museum established and payed for by the local people.

The end of the season Date Festival in Al Buraydah in a huge tent with a camera crew that drive everyone crazy trying to interview us in arabic.

Some very naughty people in the back of the bus, I know he's not her sister.

Azzam and his parents making Umrah in Mecca with the kabah in the background.

Azzam's parents, his cousin Gina along with some other cousin that live in Riyadh.

The new and improved devil stoning grounds a multi-level stoning super highway so pilgrims don't get trampled anymore.

An old aqueduct between Al Mina and Al Arafat.

                                                                        Mount  Arafat

Top of Mt Arafat

View of the tent city for haj.

Mosque in Al Medina

Mens section of Al Medina mosque