We were able to pray Taraweeh prayers right in front of the Kaaba in the haram, an experience we will never forget. The third day we spent in Makkah was the day of Eid. We knew the masjid would be packed beyond belief since locals from all over the area would come to the haram to pray the eid prayer as well. We decided to come as early as possible to pray the eid prayer right in front of the Kaaba. We spent an uncomfortable few hours waiting for Fajr while the haram filled to capacity (beyond capacity). Unfortunately ppl could be seen pushing and shoving right in front of the kaaba trying to find a place. The haram guards tried to keep everything under control admirably under the circumstances. It was still a happy atmosphere with people throwing candy into the audience and around them, giving out tasbeeh's and chocolates. The athan for tahajjud was given and we prayed that slowly and then the fajr prayer afterwards. Then we waited.. and waited and waited. (I'm not sure for what.) Finally, when the sun was way up on the horizon we could hear someone grab ahold of the microphone and then we heard the call, "Salaaahtul Eidddd... Salaaahtul Eiddd". Spontaneous cheers and Takbirs went up all around us. We prayed the Eid prayer and then listened to the khutbah before heading back to our hotels. The streets of Makkah that day were so crowded from the streams and streams of people coming out of the Haram for at least a full hour after.

	Later that day we left for Jeddah to visit some sights and family members. One of the days we spent in Makkah we went on Ziyara -- visiting many historically important sights of Islam. Leaving Makkah we passed under this famous open Quran monument that symbolizes the entrance of Makkah.
We passed by the Cave of Thawr where the Prophet saw and Abu Bakr ra hid from their pursuers on the Hijrah. With so many huge rocky mountains around we could see why it would have made a good place to hide.
	Probably the most fascinating place of any Ziyara visit in Makkah is Jabl an-Nur the Mountain of Light where the prophet saw first received revelation from Angel Jibreel. The first thing you notice are all these huge rocky mountains, but at the base of this particular one there is a mini-oasis city complete with it's own traffic jam, shops, taxi's and tourist buses. A huge Saudi sign in multiple languages exhorts pilgrims not to climb the mountain thinking it is part of the pilgrimage or part of worship. Along the edge of the silhouette of the mountain if you look closely you can see little people climbing all the way to the top. It almost resembles an ant hill with little ants climbing up the sides. Looking at it we wondered how the prophet saw climbed all the way up there all the time.

A few members of our group took the arduous 2 hour trip up and 1 hour trip down a few days later. They said they encountered beggars all along the way, including some who asked for money to finish the stone stairs they were building to the top. After finally reaching the top they encountered a huge crowd of people more determined than those trying to touch the black stone trying to enter the tiny opening into the cave.