We drive by many businesses here in Jeddah and I was always attracted by the blue color of this sign and the blue and white checkerboard pattern of the building, It took me several drive-bys to even read what the sign said. One can always get a chuckle from some of the translations and spelling of words from Arabic to English. This fisherie’s sign advertises the name of business, “Abo Waile,” and then goes on to explain “For Fish – For Saudi See Food.” Fisheries are common all over Jeddah. You can bring in your own freshly caught or purchased fish, or even make a selection from the fisheries’ own fresh offerings. The fisherie will clean and gut the fish for you and cook it to your liking. The most popular request is for deep frying fish. You can drop off your order and then pick it up to take home in less than an hour. Now that’s what I call Saudi See Food!

Rain is a rarity here in Jeddah, so yesterday when it came down in buckets, areas of the city were immersed in rain water. I would estimate that in some places, the water had to be close to three feet high. Vehicles were disabled everywhere, curbs and barriers were underwater causing hazardous conditions for drivers since many of the streets appeared to be raging rivers. Not much thought or planning has gone into preparing for conditions like this in Jeddah and the city is ill-equipped to deal with flash flooding like this. It’s too bad the precious water couldn’t be diverted or harnessed to be useful instead of just wasting it and considering it a nuisance.

Every year Saudi Arabia welcomes millions of religious pilgrims from all over the world. Muslims are required to travel to Makkah for Hajj at least once in their lifetime, if they are able to physically and financially. The official Hajj dates this year are from about November 25-30. The dates change every year because they are based on the lunar calendar, which is almost two weeks shorter than the Gregorian calendar used in the West. Men Hajjis are required to wear two pieces of white seamless cloth. Women Hajjis are allowed more leeway, as long as they are dressed modestly. There are many rituals that pilgrims must perform while at Hajj, like circling the Kaaba Stone seven times, drinking Zam Zam water, throwing stones at a wall simulating destroying the devil, men shaving their heads, and sacrificing an animal. The Hajj is a big business here in Saudi Arabia, and it has thankfully become more organized and more equipped over the years to accommodate the large influx of pilgrims. In the past scores of people have been trampled to death, and I’ve heard and read about deplorable shelter and sanitation conditions during the Hajj.

When one travels to another country, it’s advisable to be aware of that country’s laws, culture, and customs. Before the plane lands in Saudi Arabia, flight attendants distribute a Landing/Entry Card for visitors to fill out and present to immigration officials. The stark warning towards the top in red letters is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine: WARNING – DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKER. Saudi Arabia has very strict laws and harsh punishments regarding anyone attempting to bring in or in the possession of illegal items such as drugs, alcohol, or pornography.
The US Department of State website explicitly states:
Persons violating Saudi Arabian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, imprisoned or even executed. Suspects may be detained without charges or legal counsel, and with limited consular access, for months during the investigative stage of criminal cases. Penalties for the import, manufacture, possession, and consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs in Saudi Arabia are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences, heavy fines, public floggings, and/or deportation. The penalty for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is death. Saudi officials make no exceptions. Customs inspections at ports of entry are thorough. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General have no standing in Saudi courts to obtain leniency for an American convicted of alcohol or drug offenses. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.
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There are many African men and women who travel to Saudi Arabia for the religious pilgrimmage, called the Hajj, and then end up staying on in the country in search of a better life than they had back in their native countries. For many, it is a meager existence. Many of the women are unable to find work so they resort to dumpster diving or begging. Others set up shop outside popular businesses where they sell handmade women’s prayer dresses or other products.

Many of the foreign workers in Jeddah hold menial labor jobs, such as cleaning up the streets of the city. The workers are dressed in colored uniforms which match the color of the large wheeled trash cans they escort along the streets. One of the pitfalls with having all these foreign workers doing work such as this is that the local residents seem to be more careless about being messy because they know that someone else will be cleaning up after them.

One of my favorite foods here in Saudi Arabia is similar to an eggroll – it’s called Sambusa. They are usually stuffed with a ground meat mixture with onion and other flavorful spices. The outside can be made out of different types of dough and most often they are fried to a golden brown. They are divine! Sambusa appears on the menus of many Middle Eastern restaurants, usually as an appetizer, is popular as a take-out item during Ramadan, and is a popular treat made at home too.

There’s no doubt about it – Saudis love neon. Many building are lit up dramatically at night in colorful neon lights. And it’s not just limited to businesses – many of the lit up buildings are residential.

Many American TV shows are shown via satellite in Saudi Arabia, and lots of the shows have Arabic sub-titles. Here you can see Bart Simpson with the Arabic sub-titles. Also, many American or British commericials are dubbed over with Arabic speaking voices.

Saudi Arabia has a large population of foreign workers that make up the hard labor force. Many workers are given Fridays off from work. The weekend in Saudi Arabia is on Thursday and Friday. Friday is the holy day when Muslim men are expected to go to attend prayers at the mosque, although many attend prayers every day of the week. After attending prayers, many of the workers gather together and just sit around talking and smoking. There is really not much in Saudi Arabia for these men to do in their spare time. There are not really public parks to speak of for them to enjoy, and most of the workers don’t play sports, much less watch sports on television.
These men are actually sitting in the middle of a barren traffic island which separates lanes of traffic. They gather by the dozens here and just pass the time together. I think it’s a shame that there are not activities for them to do and that the only place they can hang out is in the middle of a desolate rocky traffic island, breathing in all the exhaust fumes from the passing cars.