Living in -- or even visiting -- Riyadh requires patience, adaptability, and tolerance in roughly equal measure. If you don't possess them, don't even think about going even if for just a little while. The first thing you'll notice when you go out…Read More

Living in -- or even visiting -- Riyadh requires patience, adaptability, and tolerance in roughly equal measure. If you don't possess them, don't even think about going even if for just a little while.

The first thing you'll notice when you go out for the first time is the lack of women alone in public places, whether on the streets, in hospitals, in banks, in shops, supermarkets, or in the suqs. You see almost none. The reason for this is that according to the Qor'an, women must be "protected" at all times; in other words they must be accompanied by someone. Aside from going out with friends, the only males they can legally be seen with are brothers, sons, husbands, and fathers. They must also cover themselves. The Qor'an dictates that only their hands and faces may show, but this is the liberal interpretation. The conservative Wahhabi sect of Saudi Arabia does not even allow their women that freedom: they must cover their faces as well. Some will choose a mask-like face covering, so that the eyes will show. Most do not, however. So how does all this affect the foreign visitor?

Women
First, women, if they want to feel half-way secure on the streets and do not wish to be stared at, really should wear an abaya, a light-weight, black, floor length cape of sorts that covers the body and the arms. A head scarf -- at the very least -- is wise as well. Under no circumstances should a woman go out in public wearing, let's say, a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt. If you are seen by a mutawa -- a religious policeman -- you will most likely be caned on the spot and very possibly arrested. It goes without saying that a bikini is totally out of the question around a pool or on the beach. (The only exception to this is on a company compound that is strictly off-limits to Saudis.) If a woman rides in a taxi or in a limousine alone, she must always ride in the back seat. If she doesn't, the car is involved in an accident, and she is determined not to be the wife/sister/daughter of the driver, she will be subject to arrest and deportation -- along with her husband or family. If she rides a city bus, she must always ride in the rear women's compartment. There is a buzzer in the back to signal a stop, but it may or may not work...

Prayer Times It's hard for Westerners to understand the extent to which Islam dictates daily life in the Muslim world until one goes to Saudi Arabia. Very soon after arrival, the reality sets in: when the muezzin's call to prayer issues from the loudspeakers of every mosque, all business stops. If you are shopping, you will be asked to leave the premises. If you're in a restaurant, the doors will be locked and the blinds closed. If you are driving in a car, you may see someone pull over, stop, get out, and begin his prayers. This happens five times a day: once at sunrise, again at noon, a third time around 4:00, again at sunset, and the final time is around 8:30 or so. I say "around" because prayer times are very precisely timed for each city and are published in the media each day. TV and radio programs are interrupted by the call to prayer as well.

Holiday timings
Except for National Day, which is a very low-key affair in the Kingdom, all holidays are religious. The two 'Eids are the most important. The first comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan; the second during the Hajj the month of the pilgrimage when pilgrims from across the world converge on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Since the Hegiric calendar operates on a lunar schedule, a year is but 355 days. Therefore, all holidays "move" by about 11 days backward around the Gregorian calendar. And since the month begins when the new moon is physically seen, the precise day of a holiday can never be predicted. Indeed, it will often be different from one country to another. All this causes immense confusion, especially when you're trying to plan a vacation!

Restaurants
Restaurants are divided into two sections: a general eating area for men and a separate and usually smaller section for "families". This is either on another floor or is completely screened off from the view of anyone in the male section. Depending on the diligence of the mutawas, single women may or may not be allowed to eat alone in the family sections. And at fast-food, take-out restaurants there may or may not be a special window for women. If there isn't and there is no family section, either, then single women can't order anything at all.

Banks, Hospitals, and Government Offices
These all have separate entrances for men and women. Hospitals and government offices will have separate waiting areas as well. The same holds for any kind of clinic ordental office.

Censorship
The Ministry of Information keeps a tight rein on the media and all publications entering the Kingdom. Any reference to Christianity or Judaism is strictly expunged: if a photograph appears in a newspaper or magazine that shows a cross or a star of David, it is obliterated with an opaque magic marker. The same thing goes for any exposed flesh above the ankles or below the neck. Bare shoulders will even be blacked out. Any article appearing in a news magazine that is critical of Saudi Arabia, for example, will be similarly obliterated. This kind of thing can be carried to ridiculous extremes: while transiting Riyadh on a flight between Islamabad and New York, security nearly confiscated a coffee table book about Pakistan because the inside cover showed Islamic (!) geometric designs that were similar to stars of David -- except they didn't have the cross pieces that turn the star into a pentagon and five triangles.

Bureaucracy
Beyond the strictures about women, this is the single-most aggravating and infuiating aspect of life in Saudi Arabia. Whatever you do, from arranging the installation of a telephone to applying for a driving license you find yourself running around looking for obscure offices and personages from whom you must obtain a signature. This bureaucratic two-step is enough to drive you to drink -- or worse. It took me six weeks and 7 taxi trips to offices 20 kms away in order to get my driver's license, for example. Telephones are even worse. Foreigners not only have to jump through the government hoops but must have a Saudi national who will guarantee the application because too many have left the country leaving horrific telephone bills.

Passports & Exit/Re-entry Visas
Each time you leave the Kingdom, you must obtain a combination exit/re-entry visa, which costs around $30 each time. These are obtained through your Saudi sponsor, who also, by the way, keeps your passport for the period of time you are in the Kingdom. In lieu of one, you carry a small identity card -- brown for non-Muslims, white for Muslims -- called an iqama. This must, theoretically, be on your person at all times you are out and about. The iqama stipulates that you must remain within a radius of 60 kms of your place of residence; otherwise you need a letter from your sponsor that will allow you to go elsewhere. In practice, this proviso is generally ignored if you fly from one city to another.

Tourism
Recently, within the past six months or so, the Saudis have begun to issue tourist visas to small groups of foreign visitors. Not unlike the old Soviet Union, you MUST be on an escorted tour and all reservations must be made in advance. Most foreigners in the country are there to work.

The Holy Cities, Mecca and Medina
The two holy cities are off-limits to all non-Muslims. Each has a ring-road and a freeway bypass with check-points at the exits for the two cities where cars are always stopped to determine if each passenger is a Muslim. You will have to turn around if you can't produce the proper documentation.

Photography
Photographers must be exceedingly circumspect in where they aim their cameras. I never had any trouble, but I was always extremely careful. You're in the most danger if you try to shoot women. Not once did I even aim a camera in the direction of a Saudi woman. This has gotten lots of people in hot water. Otherwise, it's best to avoid photographing government buildings of any kind. This can get you in lots of trouble. The same goes for airports, too, of course, though I've certainly taken shots at KFIA airport and out of aircraft windows and had no difficulties. Close

It took me almost one month to get my Saudi Arabian visa in Egypt. I decided to visit all the Arabian Peninsula countries in a row (except Yemen, where I had already been in the past): Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Oman. I…Read More

It took me almost one month to get my Saudi Arabian visa in Egypt. I decided to visit all the Arabian Peninsula countries in a row (except Yemen, where I had already been in the past): Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Oman. I succeed!

In the Arabian Consulate in Cairo I was told that they only issue visas to enter their country under three conditions: if you are a Muslim pilgrim, if you are a businessman with invitation from a commercial company in Arabia, and if you are in transit. Immediately I requested a transit visa. First I had to go to my Embassy to request a letter stating that I had no pending trials in my country, and therefore was a bona fide citizen. Then I obtained my Kuwait visa (after one more week), and finally the Arabs gave me a three days transit visa. From Cairo I travelled to Nweiba, in the Sinai Peninsula, then by boat I reached Aqaba, in Jordan, and the next day I boarded a bus to Kuwait together with emigrants from Turkey, Sudan, Syria and Egypt. We crossed the town Tabuk, wholly militarized because of the proximity to Israel. Five times a day we stopped for the Muslim prayers (except me, being a Christian. I just waited for them sitting in a Buddha position under the shadow of a palm tree drinking a cup of tea). We ate in some small restaurants in several oasis and small villages, where the waiters were from India or Philippines, and the Arabs, almost all fat, dressed with immaculate cleaned white clothes, where sitting indolently, smoking in their nargils, and only raised slowly from their cushions when they had to cash the consumptions. We stopped for a full day in a restaurant open 24 hours a day, called Almuhaya, in the town of Hafar al Batin, which I visited during a few hours. Then some of my companions invited me to go with them to Ryad and afterwards to Mecca and Medina. But although I dreamed to visit these holy places, I knew that it was not possible because of the controls of the Religious Police along the way (these policemen watch that you observe the Sharia, with the Ramadan and all the Muslim rules, otherwise they can punish you or expel you from Arabia), where they ask for the Muslim documents to visit these places. The third day I arrived to Kuwait.


Everybody that conversed with me in Kuwait was surprised to see me, being an individual traveller, no a businessman or an Asiatic worker (in Kuwait, most of the population are immigrants from Philippines, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc). I was invited several times to drink tea or to have dinner by the astounded rich Kuwaitis. They even offered me a ride around their country in their Mercedes. They were bored and for them talking with a European was something unusual. There is practically nothing to see or to do in Kuwait apart from admiring the futurist forms of the skyscrapers with exotic and original designs. I used to eat in the Filipinos restaurants (chicken prepared in the style of Cebu city is delicious!), or in the cheap Indian restaurants smelling at curry from the street. I slept in a hostel for Filipinos in the Catholic Mission, besides the Cathedral, because in the communal dormitories for Indians I was refused. After Kuwait I flew to Bahrain.

Bahrain is one of the most authentic Arabian countries. It is a small archipelago with a population of about 700.000 people. There are three main islands united by bridges with Saudi Arabia, which are claimed by Qatar. Be careful! If your next destination is Qatar, get the visa beforehand. There is no Qatari consulate in Bahrain because of the lack of diplomatic relation between the two countries owing to the islands claims. I did not know this, and suffered a lot with immigration while arriving in Qatar. In Manama, the capital of Bahrain, I saw people playing n'tchuva, a game very popular in Africa. Almost everybody dress like in ancient times, and there are many chaikhanas to drink tea in the streets, and I even saw beggars, very hard to find in Arabia or Kuwait or in the Emirates. After Bahrain I flew to Qatar, not so interesting country for a traveller, half deserted, but people are friendly and it is very easy to get rides hitch hiking. After two days I flew to Dubai.

UAE visa is given to you in the same airport upon arrival, although I had already mine from Cairo when I flew in.
The seven United Arab Emirates are: Abu Dhabi (UAE capital), Dubai, Ajman, al-Fujayrah, Ras al-Jaymah, ash-Shariqah and Umm al-Qaywayn.
In Dubai and in Abu Dhabi the buildings were still more fantastic than in Kuwait. Some looked like boats, or like calculating machines, others like crabs, or like abstract and cubic paintings. I was told that the highest hotel in the world (over 300 metres) was the Burj al-Arab, in Dubai.
The place that I loved more in UAE was Al ‘Ayn, where I stopped for a day to visit its castles and landscapes on my way to Oman. The Omani authorities did not even ask my passport, and the same happened when I left Oman from another border in the Arabian Sea to return to UAE.
Ra’s Musandam is a part of Oman in the north of UAE, and there is also another small fragment not far from Al Fujayrah, where I went to visit it.

Since the hotels are expensive in UAE, I used to sleep in the mosques, where friendly people arranged me a convenient place with carpets and cushions to lay comfortably, and waked me up early in the morning, before the first prayer, and they even sometimes prepared me tea.
A traveller is accepted everywhere if he observes and respects the traditions of the country that he visits.
Like in Yemen, in Oman many people showed their “jambiyas” (enormous knives) in their waist, and were dressed with turbans and “chilabas”, or a kind of long shirt covering most of their body.
The most interesting landmarks in Oman were the fortresses, which are UNESCO Patrimony of Humankind. The Palace of the Sultan, in Muscat, was worthy of the Scheherazade tales.
But the place that attracted me more and where I spent two days was Suhar, not far from the border with UAE. From that port, and according to many historians, Sindbad the Sailor (well, the Arabian sailors who inspired this personage) after leaving his home in Baghdad sailed from Suhar to experiment his incredibly adventures in seven travels.
The brave Arabian sailors of the past discovered many archipelagos in the Indian Ocean and in the Far East, like Comoros, Lakshadweep, Sulu Islands in the Philippines, etc.
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Enchanting Rendezvous with a local Arab As I was giving some work to my newly acquired camera, shooting the old buildings, with the highly carved and turquoise exterior walls, some awaiting reconstruction and others crumbling down unable to with stand the test of the time, an…Read More

Enchanting Rendezvous with a local Arab

As I was giving some work to my newly acquired camera, shooting the old buildings, with the highly carved and turquoise exterior walls, some awaiting reconstruction and others crumbling down unable to with stand the test of the time, an elderly Arab called me and said some thing in Arabic, which was beyond my comprehension. Aware of the fact that Arabs do not like visitors to take photos in public places, I packed my gears and started to leave the place. He followed me and caught my hand and tugged me -- now the worst fear of any foreigner in Arabia, offending the local culture, which could potentially land you in jail, even on a verbal complaint by the locals was beginning to come true. I was perplexed and becoming nervous, tried to free my hand from his grip. Sensing my anxiety, he said " Taal, Sadiq, Taal", which, based on my vocabulary of a handful of Arabic words acquired in my past seven months of stay in Saudi Arabia, translates into "Come, Friend, Come." On hearing the word "friend", I felt a little ease as I was led to his house.

I was offered dates and traditional Arabian coffee, "Quawa", over which we had some sort of conversation, he in Arabic and I in English and more animated action spread in between. He was kind enough to permit me to visit the first floor of his house from where I had an insider’s view from the latticed and carved woodwork windows called "Rowasheen", that allows air and light through the balcony while blocking the direct sunlight, heat and prying eyes from outside. Bidding farewell to my new friend, the rough and tough image of the Arabs, which have been built by the international media and expatriates stories exploded inside me as it dawned on me that people all over are basically good, and we should not believe the images.

An Introductory Caveat Central Riyadh, what could be termed the "downtown business district", was pretty much totally reconstructed after the Gulf War, in large measure because of the destruction caused by Yemeni shopowners who torched their stores after receiving the news that they would all be deported after…Read More

An Introductory Caveat
Central Riyadh, what could be termed the "downtown business district", was pretty much totally reconstructed after the Gulf War, in large measure because of the destruction caused by Yemeni shopowners who torched their stores after receiving the news that they would all be deported after Yemen had sided with the Iraqis. The alternative was to stand by while all their wares were confiscated by the Saudi authorities. Therefore, my description of the city I knew will probably not bear a lot of resemblance to what one sees today. That said, the few old "monuments" depicted in the photos below do -- apparently -- still exist.

Batha -- Downtown Riyadh
The old district referred to as Batha, pronounced "BAHT-hah" was roughly described by two parallel streets, Al-Batha Street and Al-Wazir Street, which traced long, shallow, opposing S-shapes across the area. Between them lay the old Arab suqs or markets, a rabbit warren of small streets with (mostly) two storey shops on each side. Here you could find all the daily necessities: large areas sold incense, for example, or foodstuffs, or clothing... Like all Mid-Eastern and Asian markets, certain areas sold certain things. Most of the shops were run by ethnic Yemenis, who had come to Saudi Arabia after the late King Abdulaziz had consolidated the region into what is now the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many had come on the Hajj or Pilgrimage and never gone home. Others had family already there. In any event, it was they who dominated commerce in the old sections of the city.

The Bedu Suq
My favorite section of the suqs lay between Wazir Street and the large plaza known by expats as "Headchop Square". Here you could find all manner of antique Bedu (Bedu is the plural form of "beduin", which is more commonly seen in English.) handicrafts. In those days much silver jewelry was still available not to mention camel saddlebags made from pieces of carpet or crude kelims, a nap-less carpet meant for the poorer segments of society. There were also wonderful brass and copper pots, trays, lamps, and assorted other bric-a-brac available. Some was Saudi made, though most had probably come in from other sources. Be that as it may, it was a fascinating place to wander around.

Riyadh Park
Just off Wazir street and above Khazzan Street was Riyadh Park, a fairly large expanse of "gardens" that were more or less green most of the year. It was a very difficult thing to do considering Riyadh's heat. However badly it might have compared with Hyde Park or the Bois de Boulogne, it was nevertheless a bit of greenery appreciated by all. In the evenings it would be crowded with men, mostly foreign laborers from S. Asia, SE Asia, the Levant, and Africa. Very few women would be out and about, of course. Those whom one did see were always accompanied by a male of some kind. In one corner of the park was the Water Tower (see below), which was (is?) the "logo" for the city. As water towers go, it's fairly attractive, but it's not something one necessarily has to see, if you know what I mean. Nevertheless, because of its fame, every other Saudi city simply must have one; a sort of water tower race was in full progress in the Kingdom.

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One of my favorite pastimes in Riyadh was to wander down to the square in front of the main Friday mosque early on a Friday morning to chat with the Saudis who gathered there every week to show off their birds and exchange hunting stories.…Read More

One of my favorite pastimes in Riyadh was to wander down to the square in front of the main Friday mosque early on a Friday morning to chat with the Saudis who gathered there every week to show off their birds and exchange hunting stories. Whether this is still possible now that the entire downtown district of Riyadh has been torn down and rebuilt from scratch is doubtful.

Be that as it may, when I lived there in the early to late 80s it was a great experience. As many as a couple dozen men with three times as many birds would be there. They would stick their wooden perches in the ground, tether the birds to them, and proudly show them off to anyone who happened by. The atmosphere was quite extraordinary for Saudi Arabia. Here, strangers could talk and relax. And if the odd foreigner like myself popped up, all the better. One or two of them would usually know some English, and if you were lucky, they'd put a glove on you and perch a bird on your wrist.

A Note about Falconry
Beneath Saudi Arabia's 21st century technological patina lies a deeply conservative, traditional society. This manifests itself in many ways, one of the more intriguing of which is the abiding love of falconry, a sport that dates back millenia. Enthusiasts -- almost exclusively members of the Al-Saud royal family -- spend huge sums on the birds, which must be captured in the wild if they are to be of any use for hunting. Since there are no indigenous birds left in the wild, they are "imported" (read: smuggled) into the country from places like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although the princes try to protect local endangered species, this does not necessarily hold true for the raptors they require to maintain this "sport of kings"
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You have to be careful at all times that you don`t tread on a sensitive cultural toe. Women should NEVER go out without a headcovering -- and they should wear an abaya as well. This is mandatory in Riyadh; the coastal towns are more liberal.…Read More

You have to be careful at all times that you don`t tread on a sensitive cultural toe. Women should NEVER go out without a headcovering -- and they should wear an abaya as well. This is mandatory in Riyadh; the coastal towns are more liberal. Do NOT wear crosses, do not talk about religion, do not criticize Islam. Don`t even THINK about wearing shorts in public unless you`re at the beach. And if you drive, make sure you keep one eye on the mirror at all times. The driving is horrific because it`s the only time a Saudi can feel he`s free. If you find yourself driving in Saudi, watch out! Drivers make turns in any direction from any lane with few signals. There is no apparent lane discipline, traffic lights mean little, and parking is a nightmare. Close

When visiting Saudi Arabia you absolutely must go shopping in the old suqs. Then visit the Nabataean ruins at Madain Salih between Medina and Tabuk. The Nabataens were the same people that built Petra in southern Jordan. When King Fahad returned to Riyadh for the…Read More

When visiting Saudi Arabia you absolutely must go shopping in the old suqs. Then visit the Nabataean ruins at Madain Salih between Medina and Tabuk. The Nabataens were the same people that built Petra in southern Jordan. When King Fahad returned to Riyadh for the first time in November 1982 after having ascended the throne the previous summer, Riyadh went all-out with lights to welcome him. It was a one-off event. The king was distressed and said that such `excesses` should never be repeated. It was a glorious spectacle while it lasted! I miss the cheap prices in the men`s shops. Close

History of Balad and Jeddah: As I walked through the silent lanes of Balad, my mind flew backward in time to think about the history of Jeddah. Present day Jeddah came into existence as a fishing village when the "Quadaa" fishermen tribe settled 2500 years ago…Read More

History of Balad and Jeddah:

As I walked through the silent lanes of Balad, my mind flew backward in time to think about the history of Jeddah. Present day Jeddah came into existence as a fishing village when the "Quadaa" fishermen tribe settled 2500 years ago as its natural harbor and reef offered good fishing. The city grew into an important trading outpost as it was situated on the trading routes between Yemen and Europe. The city was fortified with limestone coral walls as early as 1000 AD, which was recorded by noted traveler Nasir-I-Kusuro. The earlier fortification had two gates one facing the east towards Mecca and the other towards the sea. The fortification was strengthened in 16th century to protect the city from Portuguese attack with six watchtowers and gates. The gates Bab Makkah facing East, Bab Sharif facing South, Bab Al Bunt, Bab Sharaf and Bab Al Madinah facing North, Bab Al Magharibah facing west. The turbulent history of Jeddah saw it alternatively coming under the rule of Turkish Ottoman Empire, Egypt’s Mamalukes and Saudi’s of Central Arabia until the Saudi King Abdul Aziz took over the Western province of Hejaz, including the city of Jeddah. The King Abdul Aziz Historical Square, which is at the heart of the Balad, is where the people of Jeddah welcomed King Abdul Aziz and his army on the 23rd of September 1924. This day of annexing the Hejaz province is celebrated as National Day in Saudi Arabia.

The Shada Palace is one of the main attractions. Although it was turned into a museum in 1987. They restored the rooms and exhibits. It looks very beautiful and it's full of regional handicrafts and household goods. Most visitors to Saudi Arabia come solely to…Read More

The Shada Palace is one of the main attractions. Although it was turned into a museum in 1987. They restored the rooms and exhibits. It looks very beautiful and it's full of regional handicrafts and household goods. Most visitors to Saudi Arabia come solely to visit Mecca, just inland from Jeddah. Mecca is the Islam's holiest city, and all devouted to Muslims. They say that wherever they live in the world, They are supposed to make the pilgrimage (or hajj) here once in their life. Amazing! This is where Mohammed was born in the 6th century AD, where he began preaching and where he returned for his final pilgrimage. Mecca and the holy sites in its immediate vicinity are off limits to non-Muslims though. Apart from the obvious ideological arguments against breaking this rule, there are checkpoints along the roads to the city to stop non-Muslims from coming too close.Close