We also visited many of the Hajj sights, including the city of Mina. At the time there was much construction and building going on to accomodate the coming year's Hajj pilgrims. The amount of tents was mind-boggling. They were all labeled with some kind of system which included the zone, section and tent number! It was easy to see how one could get lost among all of that. I wondered how they got all the lost children back to the rightful parents.

We drove to visit the plains of Arafat next. This is where the pilgrims congregate on the Day of Arafat, the day of Mercy. Masjid Nimura where the prophet saw prayed is visible on the horizon in the distance. Some say that we will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement on the plains of Arafat. It was kind of scary to look around these desert plains and imagine it filled with millions and billions of people. I felt a longing to actually be here during the Hajj time and not just for a visit.

In Arafat we climbed Jabl ar-Rahma, the Mount of Mercy, where the prophet saw made his Farewell Khutbah.

The only sad thing about visiting these Holy places was the amount of "tourism" there. Camel rides, vendors, merchandise hawkers abounded. The atmosphere was almost like a carnival! It seemed kind of bizarre, the worldly and the spiritual in the same dimension. I guess there is always a need for someone to sell drinks in the desert?