Ibrahim Palace

Ibrahim Palace is in Hofuf.  It is still in the process of being restored and is now open to the public as part of Saudi's tourism push.  It was very pretty. We only had about five minutes to spend here.  I will have come back to properly see it.  

Ibrahim Palace 

Dareen & Winery

Dareen on Tarut Island is right along the coast.   There are many Dhow fishing boats there.  There is also another ruin of a palace although all that remains is a giant pile of rubble which the fisherman use to make and store their nets.  There is also a winery from many moon ago there.  Someone building a house discovered it.

 

 

 

 

 The Palace

The Winery

Dareen - 

Tarut Island

Tarut is its own city by Qatif.  It is on an island connected by a causeway and sits on the gulf.  It has Tarut Castle which is the oldest in the Persian Gulf.  The castle looks more like an old fort but its towers can still be seen.  It is fenced in and it looks like they may be renovating.  As usual there is a ton of trash everywhere and it is sad to see it taken care of so poorly.  You can also still see the old well that use to feed the castle although it is very overgrown.  The neighborhood behind the fort is made up of old houses which are beautiful!  In the mortar used to make them you can see old see shells.  Tarut is working on preserving their history and has put up signs telling what things are.  This is the only place in Saudi Arabia I have seen these.  

 

 

 

Tarut -