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	<title>Google Sightseeing &#187; Saudi Arabia</title>
	<atom:link href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://googlesightseeing.com</link>
	<description>Why bother seeing the world for real?</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:55:23 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Mystery Plane Outline</title>
		<link>http://googlesightseeing.com/2007/09/10/mystery-plane-outline/</link>
		<comments>http://googlesightseeing.com/2007/09/10/mystery-plane-outline/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:54:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Turnbull</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aircraft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Large Type]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weirdness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://googlesightseeing.com/2007/09/10/mystery-plane-outline/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here at the King Khaled Airport in Saudi Arabia, a little way away from the main terminal, there&#8217;s a mysterious and unexplained outline of a plane marked out on the desert sand.



The shape is similar in size and dimensions to the four-engine Boeing 747; perhaps one was used as a fire training aircraft and since [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here at the King Khaled Airport in Saudi Arabia, a little way away from the main terminal, there&#8217;s a mysterious and unexplained <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1555&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=24.950441,46.741955&amp;z=17">outline of a plane</a> marked out on the desert sand.</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1555&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=24.950441,46.741955&amp;z=17"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/planeoutlineinsaudi-atrb.jpg" width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>The shape is similar in size and dimensions to the four-engine Boeing 747; perhaps one was used as a <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/06/02/fat-planes/">fire training aircraft</a> and since removed? If so, then where did it go, and how did they remove it without disturbing the outline?</p>

<p>Looking closer, is it possible that the plane shape is actually marked by some sort of plant life? Perhaps the brown dots that litter the landscape are shrubs and for some reason they have sprouted up where a plane used to stand.</p>

<p>This was found by <a href="http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/994386/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1">diane9247</a> at the Keyhole forums &#8211; where despite extensive discussion and an actual email to King Khaled Airport &#8211; they&#8217;re still no closer to proving what this really is!</p>

<p>Anybody got any other suggestions?</p>
<p>    
    Locations: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/" title="View all posts in Saudi Arabia" rel="category tag">Saudi Arabia</a> / Categories: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/aircraft/" rel="tag">Aircraft</a>, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/large-type/" rel="tag">Large Type</a>, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/weirdness/" rel="tag">Weirdness</a></p>
<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/gearth/mystery-plane-outline.kml" class="">View in Google Earth</a></p>	
	
<br />


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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The World&#8217;s Largest Airport</title>
		<link>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/12/13/the-worlds-largest-airport/</link>
		<comments>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/12/13/the-worlds-largest-airport/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:01:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Turnbull</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aircraft]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/12/13/the-worlds-largest-airport/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Continuing this week&#8217;s semi-theme of very large things, we present the world&#8217;s largest airport near Dammam, Saudi Arabia!

Although it&#8217;s nowhere near what I&#8217;d expect from such a grand title. Compare its tiny, empty terminal to the bustling Heathrow airport and you&#8217;d be forgiven for thinking I was making it all up.

You see, King Fahd International [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Continuing this week&#8217;s semi-theme of very large things, we present the <strong>world&#8217;s largest airport</strong> near Dammam, Saudi Arabia!</p>

<p>Although it&#8217;s nowhere near what I&#8217;d expect from such a grand title. Compare its tiny, empty terminal to the bustling <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/index.php?s=heathrow">Heathrow airport</a> and you&#8217;d be forgiven for thinking I was making it all up.</p>

<p>You see, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1113&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=26.46627,49.797174&amp;z=17">King Fahd International</a> is the world&#8217;s largest airport by area, and at 780 km² it is bigger than the nearby <em>country</em> of Bahrain. There&#8217;s 698,585 people in <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1113&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=26.021925,50.546207&amp;z=13">Bahrain</a> <strong>and</strong> they&#8217;ve still got three airports!</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1113&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=26.46627,49.797174&amp;z=17"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/jggss2165-attr.jpg" width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Fahd_International_Airport">Wikipedia for King Fahd</a>.</p>
<p>    
    Locations: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/" title="View all posts in Saudi Arabia" rel="category tag">Saudi Arabia</a> / Categories: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/aircraft/" rel="tag">Aircraft</a></p>
<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/gearth/the-worlds-largest-airport.kml" class="">View in Google Earth</a></p>	
	
<br />


<hr />

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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mecca</title>
		<link>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/08/09/mecca/</link>
		<comments>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/08/09/mecca/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:16:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Turnbull</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crowds]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/08/09/mecca/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The mosque of Al-Masjid al-HÌ£arÄm in Mecca surrounds the Kaaba, the place where all Muslims are expected to visit once in their lives (the Hajj) and where they turn towards when praying.

In this picture you can see masses of people around the Kaaba, as millions visit each year it&#8217;s usually very busy. Although we&#8217;ve featured [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The mosque of <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1021&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=21.42262,39.826126&amp;z=18">Al-Masjid al-HÌ£arÄm</a> in Mecca surrounds the Kaaba, the place where all Muslims are expected to visit once in their lives (the Hajj) and where they turn towards when praying.</p>

<p>In this picture you can see masses of people around the Kaaba, as millions visit each year it&#8217;s usually very busy. Although we&#8217;ve featured crowds before this image is different as it&#8217;s a Digitalglobe satellite photo, so I believe this is the only example so far where you can see real people on a <em>satellite</em> photograph (previous examples have been aerial photographs).</p>

<p>Also, if you&#8217;re not a Muslim then have a good browse around the city of Mecca &#8211; it is probably your only chance to as the city is strictly off-limits to people who don&#8217;t follow Islam.</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=1021&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=21.42262,39.826126&amp;z=18"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/jggss2122-attr.jpg" width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>Thanks: Stephen Train, Gyorgy Takacs, Babaganoosh, Markus &amp; Faine Greenwood</p>
<p>    
    Locations: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/" title="View all posts in Saudi Arabia" rel="category tag">Saudi Arabia</a> / Categories: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/buildings/" rel="tag">Buildings</a>, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/crowds/" rel="tag">Crowds</a></p>
<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/gearth/mecca.kml" class="">View in Google Earth</a></p>	
	
<br />


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		<slash:comments>33</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Square Circle, Saudi Arabia</title>
		<link>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/06/30/square-circle-saudi-arabia/</link>
		<comments>http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/06/30/square-circle-saudi-arabia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jun 2006 13:04:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Turnbull</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Structures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weirdness]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://googlesightseeing.com/?p=982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here in Saudi Arabia, there&#8217;s a large square with a smaller circle inside it. Um&#8230; yeah, I really don&#8217;t know what this place is!

It&#8217;s just outside of a small town, and the square is about 500 metres across, defined by walled(?) areas which sometimes contain small buildings. Some sort of compound? An empty and organised [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here in Saudi Arabia, there&#8217;s <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.590978,47.164178&amp;z=16">a large square</a> with a <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.590998,47.165015&amp;z=18">smaller circle inside it</a>. Um&#8230; yeah, I really don&#8217;t know what this place is!</p>

<p>It&#8217;s just outside of <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.571401,47.163363&amp;z=14">a small town</a>, and the square is about 500 metres across, defined by walled(?) areas which sometimes contain small buildings. Some sort of compound? An empty and organised shanty town? A very tidy dump?</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.590978,47.164178&amp;z=16"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/saudisquare-attr.jpg"  width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a>
<a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.590998,47.165015&amp;z=18"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/saudicircle-attr.jpg"  width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>But the weirdest thing is course, is the <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.593968,47.16531&amp;z=18">totally bizarre colour scheme</a>. Whaddup with that?</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=982&amp;c=&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=25.590998,47.165015&amp;z=18"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/alienciv2-attr.jpg"  width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>Thanks to Uri.</p>
<p>    
    Locations: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/" title="View all posts in Saudi Arabia" rel="category tag">Saudi Arabia</a> / Categories: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/buildings/" rel="tag">Buildings</a>, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/structures/" rel="tag">Structures</a>, <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/weirdness/" rel="tag">Weirdness</a></p>
<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/gearth/square-circle-saudi-arabia.kml" class="">View in Google Earth</a></p>	
	
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prophet Mosque</title>
		<link>http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/09/03/prophets-mosque-of-madinah/</link>
		<comments>http://googlesightseeing.com/2005/09/03/prophets-mosque-of-madinah/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:15:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>James Turnbull</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.googlesightseeing.com/?p=435</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The absolutely huge Prophet Mosque in Medina makes the city the second holiest city of Islam, after Mecca. The mosque has the Shrine of the Prophet Muhammad in the middle, also known as the Dome of the Prophet, and ten giant minarets around the edges.

Due to constant expansion over the years the mosque enclosure is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The absolutely huge <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=435&amp;c=&amp;q=madhina&amp;ll=24.468967,39.611142&amp;z=0&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en">Prophet Mosque</a> in Medina makes the city the second holiest city of Islam, after Mecca. The mosque has the Shrine of the Prophet Muhammad in the middle, also known as the Dome of the Prophet, and ten giant minarets around the edges.</p>

<p>Due to constant expansion over the years the mosque enclosure is one hundred times bigger than the first mosque built by the Prophet and can accommodate more than half a million worshippers. The thumbnail below is zoom level three!</p>

<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=435&amp;c=&amp;q=madhina&amp;ll=24.468967,39.611142&amp;z=0&amp;t=k&amp;hl=en"><img src="http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/jggss017-attr.jpg" width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Prophet_Mosque_in_Madinah.jpg"><img src='http://media.googlesightseeing.com/wp-content/images/prophet.jpg' width="160" height="120" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>Thanks: Frank Castle</p>
<p>    
    Locations: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/locality/continents/asia/saudi-arabia/" title="View all posts in Saudi Arabia" rel="category tag">Saudi Arabia</a> / Categories: <a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/category/buildings/" rel="tag">Buildings</a></p>
<p><a href="http://googlesightseeing.com/gearth/prophets-mosque-of-madinah.kml" class="">View in Google Earth</a></p>	
	
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