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Mecca and Medina in a week.

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Mecca and Medina in a week.

It’s unimaginable that in such a rugged, imposing and gregarious environment there could be anything living. Mecca has this very in-your-face-personality. A relentless sun bears over mountains, dust and sand. Barren is a generous word.  But there are birds. Always. They flutter over the Ka’aba endlessly throughout the day and the night. Perched sometimes on its edges, they stand forth and move about. Small, insignificant amongst the throngs of worshippers and pilgrims whose faces are weary and anxious, desperate to catch a glimpse of the Ka’aba and to embrace it’s black façade.  

Laguna Shoot | Sea Candy Jewelry

As we set down our beach blanket and stretched out our legs onto the warm sands, we noticed a couple of girls all decked out in long flowy maxi dresses photographing their bracelets using their phones.  Being a sucker for all things shiny and at the cost of looking like a bit of a stalker, I approached them and asked if I might help.  I quickly found out that Olivia and Emily had established a small business designing and hand making unique jewelry using sea glass washed up along the Pacific shores of Laguna Beach.

International Muslim Fashion and Design Festival 2014: Behind the Scenes Highlights

From the extravagantly decorated haut couture evening wear to the simple Ts supporting important social causes, the vision and talent of Muslim women designers, entrepreneurs and social activists was a powerhouse of innovation at the first annual International Muslim Fashion and Design Festival 2014 held in downtown Toronto on the August 23-24 weekend.  

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My Year Abroad: Development in Egypt

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“Say: travel through the land and observe how He began creation.” [29:20]

Sailing down the Nile River on my way to work in Aswan City, I stopped to reflect before the breathtaking scene unfolding before me: the empowering sun overbearing above, an uncompromising terrain spanning rugged mountains and winding sand dunes with quaint homes dotting in between. These banks were once home to the mighty Pharaohs and Kings of antiquity. I spent a moment to take in the majesty of one of the most spectacular cities I’ve ever visited…for the last time.

The bigger picture

We thought we were seeing oasis villages not too far off into the distance.  Imagining tiny villagers scurrying about their busy day, preparing a delicious hot dinner for our arrival.  Snapping out of our daydreams, Ayman, our Western Desert guide who is from an actual oasis called Bahariya, insisted that there were no other souls in the desert.