Al Makkab
Al Makkab is a very rural city located in the Makkab Desert to the southwest of the capital of Bellissimomare, Sayaffallah. Its population is 320,000 spread out across a desert with its distinctive low roofed houses resembling an urban sprawl of shanty houses.
History
Early years
Al Makkab started out as an outpost known as Al Edin which served as a forward base for the Al Makkab tribe which was Islamic by default religion. This tribe spread into the area of the outpost in the year 1522 which was mostly a desert wasteland at the time. The outpost was manned by a garrison of 16200 of the troops of the Al Makkab chieftain Hussein Jawal Bin Abudan and soon their families also migrated into the arid desert valley and they established a city with low earthen walls built up around the perimeter of the outpost and high outer walls around the perimeter of the encampment of the families so as to protect them from the elements. Many of these families were nomadic in nature with large flocks of sheep and cattle.
In the year 1620 during the Islamic Invasion this became the de facto capital of the Islamic Empire while the tribes moved further inland into Sayaffallah. Even as the capital was moved to Bellissimomare this outpost remained a provincial capital and an important gateway into the lands of the Al Makkab tribe including the palace of the Vizier of the Empire which was further inland by another 300 miles journey.
Advancements and improvements
1760 brought about significant changes as the first roads began to connect the outermost areas of the Islamic Empire to the capital and other key parts of Sayaffallah making the transport of goods and exchange a much easier process to facilitate. By 1770 the roads were completed and the population of Al Makkab outpost expanded and ballooned to a significantly larger size. Soon edicts were passed down regulating that Al Makkab would become the regional capital and would be the place from which all trade would originate in the region. And thus the city expanded even more as more caravans traveled to the city to trade their goods to other regions and provincial centers in a more efficient manner.
The year 1801 brought the first rail line and symbolized a new way by which trade could be intensified and increased throughout the region specifically as a method of increasing the distribution of wool and other materials harvested from the settlement of Al Makkab. In 1830 the first petroleum wells were built and excavated with the petroleum being used after refinement for heating large public spaces and providing the ability to accelerate production of raw materials in the interior territories.
Revolution of 1900
The Revolution of 1900 brought about significant and serious changes to the people of Al Makkab as the Islamic Empire was overthrown and a new kingdom was brought forward consisting of Orthodoxy and Islam. This brought about radical changes as the first orthodox missionaries arrived in Al Makkab in 1910 and the first converts joined the Orthodox Church in 1911 and the first Orthodox Church was constructed in 1912 and construction concluded in 1920 providing services to its congregants.
By 1922 Al-Makkab had a full fledged Orthodox and Jewish districts and the implementation of a joint council emphasizing the equality of both religions in alignment with the new Constitutional order of Sayaffallah. The Council of Al-Makkab changed from all Islamic appointed council to a joint council consisting of half Islamic and Half Orthodox with a Jewish person at the head of the council providing executive leadership.
Sandstorm of 1931
1931 brought a month long sandstorm blanketing the entire town and all directions for 60 miles in thick heavy sand. Each morning people would have to dig their vehicles out from under a blank of sand shaped in the mold of their vehicle and they would have to unbury the front door of their home just to make it out the door. Large sand dunes from the west began pressing towards the city growing closer and closer with each day until the dunes began to rise above the earthen walls and crash down onto the markets along the city walls themselves. Homes began to be threatened by the rising sand dunes and soon entire neighborhoods were being evacuated in order to clear the way for the advancing tide of sand dunes.
By the end of July 1931 the sand dunes had claimed 3 entire neighborhoods and large construction crews had to be brought in to excavate them out and to restore them to what they were before the sandstorms came through. These sand dunes created the need for stronger walls along the outer perimeters of the city to ensure that the sand could not simply rise up and over. Soon walls of concrete and steel were constructed with overhangs so as to allow the sand to accumulate and then filter through collection points into cisterns below that would allow the sand to distribute harmlessly underground and thus avoid them growing throughout the city itself.
Geographical Climate
Geography
Al Makkab being in a desert environment is characterized by a short and steep isolated outrcropping of mountain to its immediate south with large cliffs hanging from the rock outcropping which extends over 600ft in the sky (182 meters). The arid environment means very little vegetation exists around Al-Makkab and frequent sandstorms create hazards and challenges for drivers in the city.
Climate
The climate of Al-Makkab is accentuated by arid environment with high temperatures in the summer of 43C(110F) and in the winter temperatures regularly at -6C (20F) and occasional snow fall blanketing the ground with no more than a few inches of snow.
Economy
Petroleum
Al-Makkab is a major petroleum source for Sayaffallah ever since the first petroleum was excavated in 1830 and used for heating then. Now petroleum is excavated at over 300 wells within a 30 mile radius of the city providing over 65,000 jobs including work at the refinery within the town that provides refined petroleum product for petrol companies across Sayaffallah at negotiated prices.
Tourism
Due to its location Al-Makkab is a central place for desert trekking and sand dune riding as well as other desert activities including camel rides and cave exploration in the large caves that dot the landscape in the distance.
A unique phenomenon within Al-Makkab is the use of artifical grass by homeowners across the city and by many of the cities businesses making it appear as if there is extensive grass growing and that Al-Makkab by extension is some kind of desert oasis with abundant grass and trees. In reality what is in place is high quality artificial turf which has been biosoil engineered so as to be compatible with growing small plants and flowers that can support a very small and limited root system in the turf wells itself. To accomplish this the turf is raised off the ground unnoticeably by around 3-5 inches allowing for roots to develop in the artificial turf and the appearance of flowers to exist.
This phenomenon is also a tourist oddity that attracts visitors to the city, one particular area of interest is the stadium where the Al-Makkab Sandstorm soccer team plays which features extensive gardens around the stadium and a grassy field where the players themselves play. This area of gardens is totally open and accessible to the general public and is a popular area in the evenings when the air cools for families to come and picnic and spend time socializing until the sun is well past the horizon and the moon is out.
