In a kingdom with no movie theatre, IMAXs are the kings!

Yesterday we discovered an IMAX theatre at the Sci-Tech Museum of Al-Khobar. Since we had spent most of the afternoon chasing flamingos we decided to save the museum for a later visit and checked what was on at the IMAX. Needless to say, no Hollywood movie was on; instead, some Nat Geo documentaries. We decided to go to the next showing, which promised us a journey to Mecca. We’re only a thousand kilometres away now, yet a physical journey there is impossible for us non-Muslims, so we simply let ourselves embark on a virtual trip to Mecca…

A journey to Mecca – in the footsteps of Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta is the Arab counterpart of Marco Polo. They were almost contemporary: while Marco Polo took off in 1271, aged 17, Ibn Battuta left his Tangier home in 1325, aged 21. His first goal was to perform the Haj (Muslim peregrination to Mecca), which he did after 18 months of travel. He then decided to carry on travelling and discovering new cultures. Just like Marco Polo, he only returned home after 24 years of travel and then dictated his story to a scholar. But while “The travels of Marco Polo” was already a popular book in the 14^th century, Ibn Battuta’s “Rihla” (journey) was only re-discovered in the 19^th century and the traveller has grown in fame since then.

Travels of Marco Polo (red) and Ibn Battuta (green) 

Doesn't it give itchy feet?