www.theblisspages.com - travel: Saudi Arabia
www.theblisspages.com - travel: Saudi ArabiaMy experiences in Saudi Arabia were mixed. I found that I had committed an offence carrying a mandatory death sentence before I had even entered the country. On my immigration form, under religion, I had entered Atheist . This, it seems, is a real no-no. I should have said non-Muslim, which is acceptable. At the least, if it had been noticed, I would have been refused admission to the country, which would have been very embarrassing - though better than beheading.
We had been warned not to wander about the Riyadh city centre on Fridays, as Westerners were frequently forced to attend the public executions held there.
I was also warned that if I was involved in an accident in a taxi, to leg it if possible. Apparently, if there was an accident, it would have been my fault, as if I hadn't hailed the taxi, it would have been elsewhere, and wouldn't have been involved. I suppose it does make a sort of twisted logic.
I had difficulties with the attitudes to women. You could not walk down the street with a female colleague, without risking her being arrested and having her passport stamped with the word prostitute. You couldn't eat with them in restaurants either. Restaurants had separate eating areas for married couple and single men. I do remember eating a fantastic Lebanese meal.
Some of my friends and acquaintances had diplomatic status, and although alcohol is strictly banned, it is available if you are a diplomat. I remember one friend, in the confines of his own house, offered me some dark-yellow wine. I tasted it and immediately realised it was oxidised and barely drinkable. Upon enquiring what my host thought of it, he cheerfully admitted that it was off because it had been sitting around in an unmarked crate at the airport for months awaiting clearance, but said that at least it was alcohol. This summed up the expats' views on drinking. Nothing is more attractive than when it is forbidden.
It reminds me of a story, possibly apocryphal, about a grand piano imported though diplomatic channels. A customs official rang up and asked them to collect their piano, because it was leaking!
I wore contact lenses for quite a few years, but finally gave up after being caught in a sandstorm in Saudi. The dry air on my frequent flights didn't help either, but the gritty sands finally sealed their fate.
I enjoyed wandering around the souks, looking at the gold and spices, though I ended up buying neither.
Saudi was memorable for another reason - it is the only time when I've felt forced to walk out of a meeting. The local IT manager, now departed, wanted staff to be taught for twelve hours a day, in addition to doing their normal work, and when I told him that he was being unreasonable, he started shouting at me, telling me not to give him that "bloody trade-union bullshit". He soon calmed down and apologised. Regrettably, he got his comeuppance later, when he was rude to a security official and was badly beaten.
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: © Mike Bliss 2008