while most of makkah was in neighbouring mina for hajj, the cover of the holy kaaba was changed. there's a special factory in makkah that makes it and it costs a few million pounds. it's made with the finest materials, hand-stitched and the lettering is threaded with real gold. it's changed once every year. to my knowledge, the old cover gets cut and sold off.
the crowds in makkah are gently subsiding (although it doesn't seem like it in the picture, taken at approx 2am last night) as people leave to return home or go on to medinah.
