Jesus' Indian look alike came to pray today.

I'm getting pins and needles sitting cross legged on the mosque floor. It's amazing how many people don't switch their mobiles off during prayers. During Zuhr prayers for example, somebody's phone went off with the ring tone Ride of the Valkeries. It made for a very epic prayer session.

It's amazing how things have changed since my last visit 7 years ago. There's a lot more ego and vanity on show amongst the Men and Women. I think it's partly to do with the lowering of the age group of the people coming. There are far less old people and many, many more young ones. On the Palestinian front, it seems to be cool to dress like the US youth of the 50's and 60's. The James Dean look in particular.

The Turkish contingent seem to be wearing football tops.

The Indians and this is surprising, mainly seem to be coming to prayers in what can only be described as pyjamas! A strange decision to be sure.

The Brits, what few there are, tend to try and dress as though they are in Pakistan. Mainly I guess because their families come from there.

The women tend to dress as though they're heading to Italy with their massive glasses. While the standard colour is black, the designs on the cuffs and bottom bits of their dresses are full of vibrant patterns.

As you can tell, my fashion vocab. is woefully poor. For that I am grateful.

There's nothing exactly wrong with any of that but it just seems to me that one of the nicer aspects of Umrah - not worrying about appearance, has been lost.

I haven't seen many white converts this year either. I remember seeing quite a few in 2002. I guess though that it's because we are currently in the off season. There'll be plenty in a month or so.

Lookalikes are back in town with Jeseus' and Wayne Roony's ones making a brief appearance. Steven Spielberg's one also came for prayers - that was probably my highlight. I wanted to ask him what on earth possessed him to green light the latest atrocious instalment of the Indiana Jones series of movies but I didn't.

There are kids running around all around me and some dude's trying to clean his ears without attracting any attention. Bad luck mate.

[Category saudi arabia][tags saudi arabia, umrah, pilgrim, photography, photo, al-haram, ka'aba, mecca, medina, people, fashion, children, ego, vanity, india, palestine, men, women, religion]