Top 10 Things to buy from Medina

                                     

Top 10 Things to buy from Medina:

Madina is indeed as its name as "Radiant" city, full of life, colors and tranquility !

Apart of the spiritual journey one takes in the Prophet's mosque and in its other mosques, one has to do some serious shopping there! From rugs, perfumes, scarves, beads, to dates and to Gold! 

1. Arabic Perfume: wide range of authentic perfume oils made from Oud, Misk, ...etc as well as Bakhoor (woodchips soaked in frangrant oil and burnt)

2. Home Decor Items, with religious designs for the wall or desk 

3. Dates: surely it is a city with Palms farms

Full post about the 1400 years old date market here

4. Prayer Beads: 




5. Beautiful Scarves:

From Kashmere to Cotton and Silk Scarves, whatever suits your budget!

6.  Rugs, for prayer or Walls

7. Beautiful Ornamental Arabic Styled Faux Bijoux (Accessories) and Beads

8. Gold! It is cheaper than outside...

9. Local Mint : known as نعنع المدينة

It has long leaves and powerful smell. Try it with your tea and the flavors will be infused within seconds

10. Last but not Least, AlBaik, local chain

Though originally from Jeddah city, this local Kentucky Like chain has been booming in the last 10 years with around 50 chains in the western region only.... It is cheap and well oily food. Yet, everyone wants to try it and eat there! Plus, you can barely find a really good (clean) place to eat , apart of the hotel. So you really dont wana miss it! Your friends will def. ask you if you tried it or not! ;)

Fried Chicken , Shrimps and Fries.

OTHER: Anything Random from the Street Market: 

Me wearing a moroccon kaftan abaya

Tea Gschwendner : Ritzy as Its Name!

"Make things happen, explore distant shores, and most of all, drink tea."

With this philosophy,  Albert Gschwendner and his wife Gwendalina turned their dreams of a teashop into a reality in 1978.

And it was this tea shop that I discovered in the middle of a very dull country. Because if there is anything that can bring me joy in Riyadh, is discovering a new cuisine or an exquisite food shop.

Gschwendner was one of them and it is now on my Top list to see and check every time I am in the Kingdom tower doing some shopping.

Gschwendner. Yep, it is German. And I admit that the name is a bit hard to pronounce and actually google later when I wanted to write this post. But this name turned out to be as lavish as the products inside!

The small shop in the kingdom is in the ground floor, and you can see a teapot boiling outside as if greeting you to come inside and explore a new world of Tea leaves. And this is exactly what happened. The teapot was enough to attract me inside and discover this Tea Haven!

Hundreds of Tin drawers with different types of dried  tea leaves from around the world!

And another thing that caught my attention, was a small stand with brochures. There it was the " Book of Tea". I grabbed it. And asked the salesman if I can take it with me. He welcomely acknowledged that and poured some tea for me and my family.