Becoming Rich with Daily Scavenging APP-Chapter 404: Jeddah, the Port City of Saudi Arabia
Jeddah is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, and because of its location near the Red Sea, it has become the country’s largest port, similar in status to Shanghai in China.
After Chen Yiyang arrived in Jeddah, he first went to the hotel he had booked earlier to drop off his luggage, and then he went out shopping with the accountant.
Saudi cities have one characteristic: the city center is the most prosperous, comparable to any major city in other countries.
Outside of those bustling neighborhoods, the rest of the place instantly feels like a small town.
Due to Jeddah’s history as a commercial port, it is much more open than other Saudi cities, and even local women do not need to cover their faces.
"What kind of entertainment venues or activities are available here?" Chen Yiyang tilted his head and asked the guide beside him.
In his original plan, he was supposed to arrive in Saudi Arabia with a visiting team from China.
However, the drone team informed them that due to climate and wind conditions, they needed to arrive in Saudi Arabia early for adjustments.
So, Chen Yiyang decided to go early with the accountant and take the opportunity to travel around Saudi Arabia.
"You can rent a yacht over by the port for some sea fishing activities," the guide said.
"What else?"
"There’s a beach with resorts specifically for foreigners, where you can wear cooler clothing and play by the beach, even swim in the sea."
The guide paused and then quietly added, "You can also buy smuggled alcohol there, but it’s a bit pricey."
"Is there anything else besides these options?" Chen Yiyang felt that both sea fishing and sunbathing on the beach were more like leisure activities rather than entertainment.
"No, that’s about it." The guide decisively shook his head.
Chen Yiyang and the accountant circled around the most bustling streets of Saudi Arabia twice.
They discovered that, indeed, as the guide had said, entertainment activities were pitifully scarce here.
There wasn’t even a cinema, let alone a karaoke bar!
And Jeddah is considered one of the more open cities in Saudi Arabia. The capital is likely to be even more boring than here.
Chen Yiyang kind of regretted coming to Saudi Arabia early.
However, while strolling in Saudi Arabia, he found Huaxia City in Saudi Arabia.
With the idea of trying some local-style Chinese food, Chen Yiyang and the accountant walked in.
Well, how should I put this...
The chefs for Chinese food here were definitely not from China because the dishes had an unmistakable taste of Southeast Asia.
It might be due to the hot weather here and the difficulty in preserving ingredients, so the dishes ended up being like those mushy Southeast Asian ones.
"Ahhh, it’s so boring, and not tasty at all."
The Southeast Asian-flavored Chinese meal left the accountant barely able to eat more than a few bites.
She complained outright, "I should have done my homework before coming to Saudi Arabia and learned more about this place; it’s just too boring."
Chen Yiyang also found himself puzzled. What do the locals rely on for entertainment, he wondered.
So he curiously asked the guide about the local forms of entertainment.
"For locals," the guide suddenly pointed to a shop at the corner of the mall street, "the biggest entertainment exists over there."
Intrigued, Chen Yiyang went to check it out.
He discovered that this shop sold adult products, with various exotic and revealing outfits openly on display, even more diverse than what Chen Yiyang had seen in China.
Alright, now Chen Yiyang knew what the biggest form of entertainment for people here was.
"Just kidding, but in Saudi Arabia, adult products are indeed quite popular," the guide hurriedly corrected himself, "Actually, sports are quite popular here, and many kids enjoy playing soccer. Those from well-off families usually buy gaming consoles to enjoy at home."
"If you can’t get used to the food here, I do have a nice place I can recommend to you."
The guide then took Chen Yiyang and the accountant to a rather unique place in Jeddah—the fish market.
Being a port city by the sea, it’s not surprising for Jeddah to have fish markets.
But the fish market in Jeddah has a distinctive feature: you can buy fresh fish and have them cooked on the spot.
See a live fish you like? Buy it and send it directly to a nearby restaurant to have it cooked right there—it’s incredibly fresh.
The previously unsatisfied accountant excitingly went to the fish market, bought a sea fish, and had it prepared by a restaurant.
The freshly cooked fish indeed tasted great, and after a few bites, Chen Yiyang finally shook off the day’s gloom.
The next morning, Chen Yiyang opened his phone and found today’s "bargain hunt" tip.
Today’s tip, items from the Silk Road: A souvenir store in Jeddah is selling two artifacts from the Han Dynasty. Head over to snag a bargain.
The location and pictures of the items are attached on the second page.
Could it be that Saudi Arabia actually has artifacts from the Han Dynasty?
Chen Yiyang’s first thought was that they might have been smuggled here by someone.
But he quickly realized.
During the Han Dynasty, Saudi Arabia was also an important trade hub on the Silk Road.
Historically, the Middle East acted as a crucial link for cultural exchanges between the East and the West, allowing ancient Middle Eastern countries to absorb cultural and technological elements from both sides.
This is why the ancient Middle East could overpower the entire Western world.
So, finding Han Dynasty artifacts in Saudi cities is not entirely inexplicable.
Moreover, the dry climate of Saudi Arabia theoretically better preserves artifacts.
After breakfast, Chen Yiyang went to the souvenir shop mentioned in the bargain hunt tip.
"This really is a souvenir shop."
Once he arrived at the place, Chen Yiyang was surprised by the small shop’s narrow space and the haphazardly piled items.
He originally thought the souvenir shop mentioned in the tip must be those exquisite, high-end stores selling modern crafts and well-preserved ancient antiques with relatively large inventory.
But he never expected that when the guide brought him to the tip’s location, he would see such a small shop.
"The owner of this store says that their souvenirs are the most comprehensive in Saudi Arabia. They ask which country you’re from so they can give you a discount."
The guide translated Chen Yiyang’s words from the side.
Chen Yiyang truthfully told them his nationality.
"Oh, oh." Hearing what Chen Yiyang said, the store’s owner, in his forties, promptly and happily said, "I know your country. My ancestors have always been doing business here and have traded with your country in ancient times."
The enthusiastic owner came over to shake hands with Chen Yiyang and then pointed to the items in the store and said, "What do you want to buy? I can give you a discount."
