Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Snapshot of the Jeddah Souq
Last night we visited old Jeddah and walked around the souq. The Al-Balad neighborhood was vibrant - filled with men and women busily shopping and many children playing (45% of the Saudi population is under 15 years old). Both among the vendors and buyers, we noticed many immigrants from all over the African continent. We learned that most came to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and then chose to stay. There were vendors selling carts of fresh fruit and vegetables (where does this produce come from?!?), and stalls of spices, textiles, clothing, incense, dried dates and nuts. We also saw a few specialized shops selling their own pipes for shisha, and some stalls selling steaming “pancakes” and tea.
This was a very different Saudi Arabia from the sleek, contemporary facilities we saw springing from the desert in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and the planned “economic cities.” Physically, in old Jeddah, there is a striking contrast between ancient and modern. The historic buildings, with their beautiful latticed balconies, show the weight of centuries – there is no straight line in sight. At the same time, they are wrapped in a tangle of phone lines, air conditioning units, and even a loudspeaker or two to broadcast the call to prayer. Perhaps even more incongruous, in the bottom storey of many historic buildings, fluorescent lights showcase goods imported from India and China. One of the buildings even housed a gaming center featuring TVs broadcasting a soccer game and kids playing Playstation. This is all in the city that claims the Tomb of Eve!
This was a very different Saudi Arabia from the sleek, contemporary facilities we saw springing from the desert in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and the planned “economic cities.” Physically, in old Jeddah, there is a striking contrast between ancient and modern. The historic buildings, with their beautiful latticed balconies, show the weight of centuries – there is no straight line in sight. At the same time, they are wrapped in a tangle of phone lines, air conditioning units, and even a loudspeaker or two to broadcast the call to prayer. Perhaps even more incongruous, in the bottom storey of many historic buildings, fluorescent lights showcase goods imported from India and China. One of the buildings even housed a gaming center featuring TVs broadcasting a soccer game and kids playing Playstation. This is all in the city that claims the Tomb of Eve!
Saudi Women...Yes We Can! Inshallah...
Our trip to Saudi Arabia has been a good opportunity to challenge misperceptions about this country and its people: particularly the subject of women and women’s rights. Among our group this has been a reoccurring subject of discussion and debate. Having had the opportunity to speak with many women here, I think Saudi women have approached this subject from an interesting perspective.
Obviously there are major and significant challenges ahead for Saudi women but many of them seem hopeful for the future and have focused their priorities on some key issues they hope to see changes in.
While women’s inability to drive is always brought up by foreigners, Saudi students we talked to made it clear—this was not a priority for women in the country. Rather the key issue was focused largely on having even greater access to education, gaining more employment opportunities, and equal pay.
The desire to get an education and have more access to employment in ALL sectors is critical for women here. Women have actively sought to further their education and even go into sectors such as medicine and banking that are very male dominated. A trip to the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital gave a good illustration of that: six out of the ten medical students we met were women and they were all in their residency programs about to enter their specializations. They were very vocal about their views, particularly as it pertained to their role in the country and were determined to forge a path for themselves within Saudi society.
I felt that this determination and ambition was echoed by all the women students at each university we went to. I think many of the women we spoke to recognize that change will not happen over night or all at once. Their focus on education and employment is their way of bringing about change little by little.
Throughout this trip, we may not have gained a holistic view of all Saudi women and the challenges they face, however this perspective was one that students we met with clearly wanted us to share with our peers.
Obviously there are major and significant challenges ahead for Saudi women but many of them seem hopeful for the future and have focused their priorities on some key issues they hope to see changes in.
While women’s inability to drive is always brought up by foreigners, Saudi students we talked to made it clear—this was not a priority for women in the country. Rather the key issue was focused largely on having even greater access to education, gaining more employment opportunities, and equal pay.
The desire to get an education and have more access to employment in ALL sectors is critical for women here. Women have actively sought to further their education and even go into sectors such as medicine and banking that are very male dominated. A trip to the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital gave a good illustration of that: six out of the ten medical students we met were women and they were all in their residency programs about to enter their specializations. They were very vocal about their views, particularly as it pertained to their role in the country and were determined to forge a path for themselves within Saudi society.
I felt that this determination and ambition was echoed by all the women students at each university we went to. I think many of the women we spoke to recognize that change will not happen over night or all at once. Their focus on education and employment is their way of bringing about change little by little.
Throughout this trip, we may not have gained a holistic view of all Saudi women and the challenges they face, however this perspective was one that students we met with clearly wanted us to share with our peers.
My back hurts
I lost my bathing suit in Riyadh, and our friendly guide Ziad just showed up at my door with a bright green replacement that does a terribly inadequate job of concealing my thunder. The past few days have been quite gastronomically intense, replete with breakfast buffets, traditional Saudi dinners, and multiple servings of camel, ostrich and beef sausage.
I'm not a very flexible person (my sit and reach score in high school was a negative number), and everyone had a good laugh watching me try to sit cross-legged around the 6'' high traditional serving table (I failed). I managed to make it through the meal assuming a similar pose to Michael Jackson on the cover of the thriller album (http://aftm.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/michael_jackson-thriller-cover.jpg). Once I had all my limbs in their proper alignment, I found I really enjoyed the cozy intimacy of the arrangement and getting to know more about our hosts Ziad and Saad. However, the added poundage from all these dinners coupled with the unfamiliar seating positions have placed and unanticipated burden on my spine. Oh well, the food is awesome.
Tonight we kept the epicurean train rolling at a Brazilian steakhouse, followed by an evening smoking apple-flavored sheesha tobacco, which is healthy because apple is fruit and fruit has vitamins. Good night Jeddah, you're alright in my book.
I'm not a very flexible person (my sit and reach score in high school was a negative number), and everyone had a good laugh watching me try to sit cross-legged around the 6'' high traditional serving table (I failed). I managed to make it through the meal assuming a similar pose to Michael Jackson on the cover of the thriller album (http://aftm.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/michael_jackson-thriller-cover.jpg). Once I had all my limbs in their proper alignment, I found I really enjoyed the cozy intimacy of the arrangement and getting to know more about our hosts Ziad and Saad. However, the added poundage from all these dinners coupled with the unfamiliar seating positions have placed and unanticipated burden on my spine. Oh well, the food is awesome.
Tonight we kept the epicurean train rolling at a Brazilian steakhouse, followed by an evening smoking apple-flavored sheesha tobacco, which is healthy because apple is fruit and fruit has vitamins. Good night Jeddah, you're alright in my book.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Energy, up close and personal
The time we spent in Dammam and Jubail was fascinating, especially for those of us with an interest in energy. It is amazing what has risen up from the desert and essentially created the lifeblood of the petroleum industry. For those of you who might not be as familiar with this region the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is home to some of the world's largest oil reserves as well as Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and numerous other foreign energy companies including Chevron, Exxon, Shell, and Total.
We were fortunate enough to see not only the energy industry, but some of the other fascinating features of the region. Although there are many foreigners employed by the various oil companies, there is a large push to employ Saudis in this field. Our trip to the King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals afforded us a small glimpse into the first class preparation Saudi men can receive in order to excel in the energy field.
On day two in the Eastern Province we were lucky enough to visit the Royal Commission, the entity that has built from the ground up (literally) Jubail Industrial City. This city is a planned city designed by the Kingdom to bring industry beyond petroleum to the region. The city is larger than the country of Bahrain and is home to steel, aluminum, plastic, and fertilizer plants. In addition, they have special residential areas with the finest amenities and both lower and higher education opportunities to draw people to the city. It is interesting to examine the construction of Saudi Industrial Cities compared to the planned Economic Cities. (More on this in Jeddah when we get to see King Abdullah Economic City first hand.)
Seeing this vast land of energy and industry was an experience unmatched; however the Royal Commission surprised us with a caravan into the desert to meet with some of Saudi Arabia’s most endearing creatures…CAMELS. What a treat!
We were fortunate enough to see not only the energy industry, but some of the other fascinating features of the region. Although there are many foreigners employed by the various oil companies, there is a large push to employ Saudis in this field. Our trip to the King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals afforded us a small glimpse into the first class preparation Saudi men can receive in order to excel in the energy field.
On day two in the Eastern Province we were lucky enough to visit the Royal Commission, the entity that has built from the ground up (literally) Jubail Industrial City. This city is a planned city designed by the Kingdom to bring industry beyond petroleum to the region. The city is larger than the country of Bahrain and is home to steel, aluminum, plastic, and fertilizer plants. In addition, they have special residential areas with the finest amenities and both lower and higher education opportunities to draw people to the city. It is interesting to examine the construction of Saudi Industrial Cities compared to the planned Economic Cities. (More on this in Jeddah when we get to see King Abdullah Economic City first hand.)
Seeing this vast land of energy and industry was an experience unmatched; however the Royal Commission surprised us with a caravan into the desert to meet with some of Saudi Arabia’s most endearing creatures…CAMELS. What a treat!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Merging Worlds at the Mall
Although our tours and meetings with various Saudi officials have been superb, a short jaunt to the mall (which was attached to our hotel in Riyadh) was a true slice of life in Saudi Arabia. A friend of mine had suggested I should check it out for the Cinnabon and Dunkin Donuts, should I get tired of the breakfast buffet at the Al-Faisaliah. (I don’t know how one could ever get tired of the delectable and never ending options at the buffet, but I digress.) There was so much to learn from this pedestrian place.
At the women’s section of King Saud University we determined that there are some things that are just universal—women like to shop! As the mall was connected to the hotel, the women of the group were permitted to wander there unaccompanied. With a short break in the schedule some of the ladies decided we would take a stroll to see what was “in store” at a Saudi mall.
Through the hotel lobby and a skywalk we emerged into a four-story mall—the cookie cutter type that can now be found in nearly any corner of the world. Saudi Arabia proved no different. The Al-Faisaliah Mall covered all the top stores from the US and Europe, from BCBG to Harvey Nichols to Mango. We started on the top floor with the food court that boasted every western food chain you could want. There were of course distinct lines at each for men and women, conveniently separated by large signs signaling the specials and deals. Clearly using any available space for advertising is a globalized concept!
We then wandered through many of the stores, the majority of which were staffed by non-Saudi men. The prices at many shops were exorbitant--a casual dress costing as much as $1000. In some ways you felt very much like you were in America. For instance, I was able to purchase a pair of sandals from Gap that had sold out last season—major score! In other ways there were of course differences. The majority of the women were wearing the full abaya with face covering, an interesting dichotomy as they perused the lingerie shop “Womens’ Secret”.
As we strolled back to the hotel we heard the call to prayer. The stores in the mall would close for that moment, but within minutes we could all be back to Big Macs and stilettos.
At the women’s section of King Saud University we determined that there are some things that are just universal—women like to shop! As the mall was connected to the hotel, the women of the group were permitted to wander there unaccompanied. With a short break in the schedule some of the ladies decided we would take a stroll to see what was “in store” at a Saudi mall.
Through the hotel lobby and a skywalk we emerged into a four-story mall—the cookie cutter type that can now be found in nearly any corner of the world. Saudi Arabia proved no different. The Al-Faisaliah Mall covered all the top stores from the US and Europe, from BCBG to Harvey Nichols to Mango. We started on the top floor with the food court that boasted every western food chain you could want. There were of course distinct lines at each for men and women, conveniently separated by large signs signaling the specials and deals. Clearly using any available space for advertising is a globalized concept!
We then wandered through many of the stores, the majority of which were staffed by non-Saudi men. The prices at many shops were exorbitant--a casual dress costing as much as $1000. In some ways you felt very much like you were in America. For instance, I was able to purchase a pair of sandals from Gap that had sold out last season—major score! In other ways there were of course differences. The majority of the women were wearing the full abaya with face covering, an interesting dichotomy as they perused the lingerie shop “Womens’ Secret”.
As we strolled back to the hotel we heard the call to prayer. The stores in the mall would close for that moment, but within minutes we could all be back to Big Macs and stilettos.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
It’s gettin haute in here: fashion and food in the Kingdom…
You’ve heard a bit about the abaya, but the men in Saudi Arabia also wear a type of dress known as a thoub. We learned from our stylish guide, Saad, that he can mix it up with different colors of thoub (white, black, beige, brown) and it’s sort of like wearing a business suit. The way of wearing the male headscarf, the shumag (or khata), differs by region. When we landed in Dammam today, trendy Saad quickly modified the wearing of his shumag to reflect the local style. Before we leave the Kingdom, we must get our Georgetown boys to wear the traditional male dress….and will fully document with photos!
For all you foodies out there, the Kingdom cuisine has been, um, divine. In addition to the potent Arabica coffee that Michael blogged about, we’ve found dates (madjoul), pistachios, and assorted fruit juices to be a highlight. Admittedly, we are big fans of the hotel buffet. In this respect, Riyadh’s buffets make it the Vegas of the Middle East – it had everything from Levant cuisine to sushi, dim sum, Indian, Mexican, etc. The breakfast buffet is overwhelming, with at least four different types of honey, mango pancakes, eggs Florentine, ricotta stuffed tomatoes, and eggs made-to-order. Local highlights are hommos, baba ghanoush, wara anab, tabbouleh, kibbeh, fatayre, fettoush, and a yummy dessert called molhaiba (better than any donut Sarah could imagine)! In addition to regional food, we enjoyed Brazilian barbecue on our second night in Riyadh, which included buffalo, chicken, lamb, beef, and prawns. We enjoyed the festive evening outdoors, wearing “furwa” coats to keep us warm and hide the fat rolls forming from the buffet meals.
MSFS View
Two days ago the ladies also visited King Saud University, but unlike us they were unable to take pictures. So we asked them to share some of their thoughts of the experience. We frequently mention how lucky we are to travel with such a smart, lovely, and eloquent group, and I think you'll see why with the following excerpt from their larger discussion. From left to right: Karen, Vanessa, Sarah, Leslie, and Julia. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Reflections on Riyadh
It's about 1am here in Riyadh, and instead of trying to use the "Deep Sleep 101" DVD in my hotel room to fall asleep, I thought I'd write down some thoughts while they were still relatively fresh in my mind... this is our last night in Riyadh.
Three observations on Riyadh and Saudi Arabia so far...
1. Arab hospitality is alive and well here in Saudi Arabia: I have to say that I've been pretty blown away by how much our hosts have gone out of their way to give us a good time. Though clearly evident in our 5 star accommodations and incredible buffet lunches, the hospitality we've seen is best experienced in the interactions with our hosts. For example, all of us went to visit King Saud University earlier today, the 2nd largest university in Saudi Arabia. The men and women of our team split up by our respective genders, and visited the gender-appropriate sections of the university. The guys in our team were treated like celebrities... stopped constantly to take pictures as if we were visiting dignitaries on a high-profile diplomatic mission. My favorite part of the day was an opportunity for us to sit down with some of the students of the Communications School and ask questions of each other. I left with a feeling of true connection and got the impression that, despite differences in dress, religious belief and culture, students in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia had a lot more similarities (like idealism and passion for the truth) than differences... we only wished we had more hours in the day to keep the dialogue going.
2. Non-alcoholic beer/wine and mocktails are hit-or-miss: Given that alcohol is not allowed in Saudi Arabia, we've had the pleasure (in most cases, at least) to try out the local potables. "Holsten," a German brewery, makes a nice non-alcoholic beer. I've always frowned at an O'Douls, but a non-alcoholic Holsten isn't half bad as a substitute for its less-Islamic friendly counterpart. The fruit mocktails are also almost uniformally amazing... however, I'd recommend staying away from a non-alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn't have the guts to try it, but judging by Ale's and Vanessa's face as they did (and Julia's mostly full glass at the end of the meal), I'd just say stay away.
3. Saudi Arabia is more progressive than you might think: Sure, Riyadh is a very conservative city. But Saudi knows that it needs to create jobs, diversify its economy and prepare the country for an inevitable post-oil world. After visiting King Saud University, we all went to SAGIA, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority. They showed us some pretty impressive plans... believe it or not, Saudi Arabia ranks #13 in the world (ahead of Japan, Germany and Korea!) in the World Bank's "Ease of Doing Business" rank:
http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings/
On top of that, Saudi Arabia plans on hitting the top ten by the end of the year. SAGIA is also helping to oversee the development of new economic cities, the scales of which are both impressive and daunting. I'll let SAGIA's website do the talking for me, so here's the link that discusses the economic cities:
http://www.sagia.gov.sa/en/Why-Saudi-Arabia/Economic-cities/
These are just the tip of the iceberg of progressive reforms going on all around the country. Riyadh may still be very different from DC, London and Hong Kong, but not taking notice of these reforms would not do justice to the progress this country has been and is making.
Three observations on Riyadh and Saudi Arabia so far...
1. Arab hospitality is alive and well here in Saudi Arabia: I have to say that I've been pretty blown away by how much our hosts have gone out of their way to give us a good time. Though clearly evident in our 5 star accommodations and incredible buffet lunches, the hospitality we've seen is best experienced in the interactions with our hosts. For example, all of us went to visit King Saud University earlier today, the 2nd largest university in Saudi Arabia. The men and women of our team split up by our respective genders, and visited the gender-appropriate sections of the university. The guys in our team were treated like celebrities... stopped constantly to take pictures as if we were visiting dignitaries on a high-profile diplomatic mission. My favorite part of the day was an opportunity for us to sit down with some of the students of the Communications School and ask questions of each other. I left with a feeling of true connection and got the impression that, despite differences in dress, religious belief and culture, students in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia had a lot more similarities (like idealism and passion for the truth) than differences... we only wished we had more hours in the day to keep the dialogue going.
2. Non-alcoholic beer/wine and mocktails are hit-or-miss: Given that alcohol is not allowed in Saudi Arabia, we've had the pleasure (in most cases, at least) to try out the local potables. "Holsten," a German brewery, makes a nice non-alcoholic beer. I've always frowned at an O'Douls, but a non-alcoholic Holsten isn't half bad as a substitute for its less-Islamic friendly counterpart. The fruit mocktails are also almost uniformally amazing... however, I'd recommend staying away from a non-alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn't have the guts to try it, but judging by Ale's and Vanessa's face as they did (and Julia's mostly full glass at the end of the meal), I'd just say stay away.
3. Saudi Arabia is more progressive than you might think: Sure, Riyadh is a very conservative city. But Saudi knows that it needs to create jobs, diversify its economy and prepare the country for an inevitable post-oil world. After visiting King Saud University, we all went to SAGIA, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority. They showed us some pretty impressive plans... believe it or not, Saudi Arabia ranks #13 in the world (ahead of Japan, Germany and Korea!) in the World Bank's "Ease of Doing Business" rank:
http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings/
On top of that, Saudi Arabia plans on hitting the top ten by the end of the year. SAGIA is also helping to oversee the development of new economic cities, the scales of which are both impressive and daunting. I'll let SAGIA's website do the talking for me, so here's the link that discusses the economic cities:
http://www.sagia.gov.sa/en/Why-Saudi-Arabia/Economic-cities/
These are just the tip of the iceberg of progressive reforms going on all around the country. Riyadh may still be very different from DC, London and Hong Kong, but not taking notice of these reforms would not do justice to the progress this country has been and is making.
Arabian Coffee > Jetlag
Yours truly is now operating on about 45 minutes of sleep after a night of tossing, turning, and a failed attempt to lull myself to sleep watching Al-Jazeera cricket highlights and 1/3 of a movie starring Jesse Metcalfe dubbed in Arabic. When I finally drifted off around 4:15am, I was roused for good a short time later by the morning call to prayer.
Lucky for me the coffee here is extremely awesome. It's a lot like fellow traveler Luke - amiable and obliging, yet strong as an ox with charisma to spare. I'm planning on at least 3 generous pours of that life-giving auburn-colored elixir before we head out.
Lucky for me the coffee here is extremely awesome. It's a lot like fellow traveler Luke - amiable and obliging, yet strong as an ox with charisma to spare. I'm planning on at least 3 generous pours of that life-giving auburn-colored elixir before we head out.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Dressed for Success
Even before arriving in Saudi Arabia, we were very careful to navigate the social norms and behaviors of Western women coming into an Islamic society. Our first day was definitely a trial run and as to be expected, we weren't perfect the first time around....
Thus began our first day robed in abayas and head scarves. . . .
Our overall experience has prompted much discussion within our group with each of the women having a very different perspective. Some of us were very self aware and uncomfortable while others felt more integrated. Overall our initial first impressions of the abaya include:
- They are super comfortable
- We don't need to wear sunscreen
- There is no need to think about what we are wearing!
- We can eat as much delicious Mediterranean food as we want!
Tomorrow we are visiting a women's university. It will be a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of the women behind the abaya.....
Thursday, January 7, 2010
It's 5 o'clock somewhere...
Yes folks, it is 5 o'clock in Riyadh...5am. Jet lag has gotten the best of us-- bright eyed and bushy tailed in the dark. Perhaps it was the call to prayer that woke us up, but in any case it is a beautiful day in Riyadh!
To recap in words what what was so aptly conveyed in the video post from last night, we are having a great time! After we all had a chance to freshen up upon arrival at the hotel, the group met for a tour of "The Globe", the giant sphere on the top of the hotel that boasts an incredible viewing deck where you can see the entire city. (Think Empire State Building) Once we took in the vista we were invited inside the giant sphere to tour the restaurant and cigar bar. Saad, one of our hosts from the Ministry of Higher Education, joined us in the cigar bar while we sampled "Saudi Cocktails", a delicious mixture of blueberry, pineapple, and orange juices. Some of the men partook in "cubanos", which provided an interesting moment for cultural exchange as we attempted to convey why we could not get Cuban cigars in the US. After relaxing with the incredible view we proceeded back downstairs for dinner where we enjoyed a sampling of both American and Mediterranean classics. We had everything from steak and potatoes to hummus, kibe, kofka. There was also tastings of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape juice!
As we finished dinner at 11pm there were some tired Hoyas, so we headed to bed well fed and in great anticipation of the day ahead. The women ended the evening with a little tutorial on the proper way to wear a hijab, so we will be ready to emerge from the hotel.
Now the sun has risen over Riyadh, the Today Show (from yesterday) is on TV, and we are about to embark on a new adventure. Seems that a little Arabic coffee might be the cure for jet lag!
To recap in words what what was so aptly conveyed in the video post from last night, we are having a great time! After we all had a chance to freshen up upon arrival at the hotel, the group met for a tour of "The Globe", the giant sphere on the top of the hotel that boasts an incredible viewing deck where you can see the entire city. (Think Empire State Building) Once we took in the vista we were invited inside the giant sphere to tour the restaurant and cigar bar. Saad, one of our hosts from the Ministry of Higher Education, joined us in the cigar bar while we sampled "Saudi Cocktails", a delicious mixture of blueberry, pineapple, and orange juices. Some of the men partook in "cubanos", which provided an interesting moment for cultural exchange as we attempted to convey why we could not get Cuban cigars in the US. After relaxing with the incredible view we proceeded back downstairs for dinner where we enjoyed a sampling of both American and Mediterranean classics. We had everything from steak and potatoes to hummus, kibe, kofka. There was also tastings of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape juice!
As we finished dinner at 11pm there were some tired Hoyas, so we headed to bed well fed and in great anticipation of the day ahead. The women ended the evening with a little tutorial on the proper way to wear a hijab, so we will be ready to emerge from the hotel.
Now the sun has risen over Riyadh, the Today Show (from yesterday) is on TV, and we are about to embark on a new adventure. Seems that a little Arabic coffee might be the cure for jet lag!
Flight / Arrival in Riyadh
The plane ride was full of the usual transatlantic tedium - cramped seats, crossword puzzles, and mediocre sleep. Some of us met an American expat with some helpful etiquette and fashion advice for the female group members, and one flight attendant remarked that she had never seen so large a group of American students on a flight to the country.
Our hosts greeted us at the jetway door, and we made our way to the arrival lounge while hearing the booming resonance of one of the Muslim daily prayers read aloud over the PA system. After some awkward moments in the immigration line when we were allowed to cut in front of hundreds of people standing in complete silence, we grabbed our bags, headed outside and caught our first rays of Arab sunshine, which were as powerful as their reputation even in 'winter'. The weather right now is dry and dusty, but surprisingly pleasant given that it's only in the 70s.
The cab ride from the airport afforded us our first glimpses of the Arab landscape and the city of Riyadh. I've heard some horror stories about the driving here, but so far I've seen nothing worse than some other places I've visited with similar reputations. Our driver certainly felt at home, as he saw no need to fasten his seatbelt for safety, or even to silence the incessant beeping of the "no seat belt" indicator, which remained on the entire ride.
On the main highway - King Abdullah Road, Luke pointed out a tall, modern-looking building with a giant sphere near the top. (http://www.toursaudiarabia.com/images/riyadh-1-large.jpg). We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the building is attached to our hotel.
I think I speak for everyone when I say that I was absolutely floored by our luxuriant accommodations (here at the Al Faisal Hotel (http://www.alfaisaliahhotel.com/). My room is as nice as any I have ever stayed in, and our hosts have been nothing but extraordinarily courteous and gracious. A few minutes ago, a porter showed up at my door with a smart-looking leather briefcase, which I thought at first was mistakenly delivered to the wrong room. It turned out to be a gift from our hosts filled with books and DVDs about Saudi Arabia.
Our hosts greeted us at the jetway door, and we made our way to the arrival lounge while hearing the booming resonance of one of the Muslim daily prayers read aloud over the PA system. After some awkward moments in the immigration line when we were allowed to cut in front of hundreds of people standing in complete silence, we grabbed our bags, headed outside and caught our first rays of Arab sunshine, which were as powerful as their reputation even in 'winter'. The weather right now is dry and dusty, but surprisingly pleasant given that it's only in the 70s.
The cab ride from the airport afforded us our first glimpses of the Arab landscape and the city of Riyadh. I've heard some horror stories about the driving here, but so far I've seen nothing worse than some other places I've visited with similar reputations. Our driver certainly felt at home, as he saw no need to fasten his seatbelt for safety, or even to silence the incessant beeping of the "no seat belt" indicator, which remained on the entire ride.
On the main highway - King Abdullah Road, Luke pointed out a tall, modern-looking building with a giant sphere near the top. (http://www.toursaudiarabia.com/images/riyadh-1-large.jpg). We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the building is attached to our hotel.
I think I speak for everyone when I say that I was absolutely floored by our luxuriant accommodations (here at the Al Faisal Hotel (http://www.alfaisaliahhotel.com/). My room is as nice as any I have ever stayed in, and our hosts have been nothing but extraordinarily courteous and gracious. A few minutes ago, a porter showed up at my door with a smart-looking leather briefcase, which I thought at first was mistakenly delivered to the wrong room. It turned out to be a gift from our hosts filled with books and DVDs about Saudi Arabia.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Ready, Set, Go!
We are sitting in our partly-filled Saudi Airlines flight to Riyadh. The excitement for what lies ahead is palpable! Some are frantically calling their banks to get credit card authorization for Saudi -- one of the customer service reps had never heard of Saudi and so we had to spell it for her. Mini scare: the plane shut down to pith dark for five minutes; our team pilot (aka, Karen) calmed concerns. Its a twelve hour flight to Saudi -- next posting will be from Riyadh!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Marhabbah - Hello
Between January 6th and 15th, ten Georgetown University students will be traveling to The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The trip is being sponsored and organized by the Government of Saudi Arabia, and our trip includes travel to Riyadh and Jeddah and visits to Saudi Universities, businesses, and government offices. We depart at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 6th from Dulles Airport, arriving the following afternoon to Riyadh.
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