Now that Laurie and Timmie are here I get to see more of the city--at night. When I was here alone I went out anytime I wanted--which was normally after work and I was usually back before dark. However, Timmie has school and Laurie is at work until around 4. Most stores don't open until 4--after the noon prayer they close--but Laurie needs a chance to wind down and we have to eat (unless we eat out--which we've been doing but we're starting to get tired of it--only one more trip to Subway and our card will be filled). We don't usually leave the house until 6ish--and even then we may get caught during prayer time (some stores kick you out others let you stay but you're locked in and can't leave until after the prayer is over).
It's not that the malls or stores are that far away but the traffic--unreal. Riyadh is tearing up roads, there are detours and it seems that traffic is more congested. It seems to take forever to shop and we don't usually get back until 8 or 830--and then it's time for Timmie to go to bed. While we're out the bright lights come on.
To me Riyadh is pretty at night with all the different colored lights. There's an energy to the place at night--during the day I don't "feel" that energy. There are so many cars on the roads and so many families shopping (if you get to the malls in the morning around 0900 you'll see other expats but very few Saudi's--though some of the Mamas do come out that early).
The Saudi's I know don't go out during the day--they go out at night--they're amused when i tell them I went shopping during the day. The air is cooler, the men are home from work, it's family time. This is a different concept for me since I'm used to being home at night--all the shopping was done during the day by Laurie or me on my home from work. I didn't go out at night in San Angelo unless I had to and even going to HEB at night annoyed me (and that was 2 miles from the house). But here I've embraced the night shopping.
I'm curious to see what it will be like next month during Ramadan. Then everything is closed during the day and only open at night. I've been told that if I think driving is crazy now--well Ramadan is crazier (maybe it's because they can't wait to eat). We're waiting to see what our work hours will be for Ramadan. Last year it was 1000-3pm--5 hours--and we got two weeks off (paid!). But no matter if it's Ramadan or just a normal night--the bright lights are beautiful in this big city.
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3 comments:
Jay says: When I was on the base in Saudi, it wasn't Ramadan, but it was one of the other feasts ('Eid). All trees lining the roads were decorated much like Christmas in the U.S., with "Happy Holiday"-type greeting signs and everything. The only weird part to me was that all the trees were palm trees. Had I not seen that on the Italian Riviera, it would have just had to laugh every day. I tried to imagine what Ramadan must look like when the place looked so nice for one of the lesser feasts. I'll be glad to hear the update.
Missy--
They put up all sorts of lights for Ramadan. We went to a mall last night and the food court ceiling had lanterns hung up--100's of them. AND there are tents all over town set up so that the poor can get a meal. I read in the paper that at one of the very upscale hotels here in Riyadh you can have a catered evening meal--it costs $$$ but they promise only the freshest and best.
Today was the first day--no big deal. We work from 1000 to 245--can you believe it?! I told the guys at the office we need to get t-shirts that say “I survived Ramadan 2008” or maybe 1429-.
When is Jay retiring so he can get hired on over here and you all can enjoy all this awesome, crazy, fun madness?
Jay can't retire for another 7.6 years...but we're reading your blog, and Laurie's very carefully, to see if this is something we'd be up for.
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