Brainscrubber

It’s been around 114-F for the past couple of weeks. 

Unless you live in Phoenix, Tucson, or Vegas, that’s hot.  Really hot.  When I’d go visit my kid living in Las Vegas, I’d wonder how she, and the half-million or so others living there, did it.  I think I know, now.

Humans are excellent at adaptation.

I got here in August 2006, August and the first couple of weeks of September being the hottest time period for temperatures in KSA (as far as I know).  I ran the air-conditioner in the bedroom and in the living room constantly.  When I left a building, I either went straight to my car and its air-conditioning, or I went to another building and its air-conditioning.  I knew I needed exercise, but the idea of walking outside in the summer heat – even at night – was anathema. 

I’ve realized over the last month the heat doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it used to bother me.  I run the a/c in the bedroom when I am in the living room, but not the living room a/c very often.  If it starts to get hot, I’ll turn on a fan, which sucks the cooler air from the bedroom and blows it into the living room.  If I am cleaning house or something, I’ll turn on the a/c in both rooms.  I prefer not to run the a/c at night, relying on the fan instead (cools and drowns out the muezzin calls in the middle of the night).  The bedroom a/c gets the most action because that is the room (on the end of the building) that absorbs the direct sunlight and, therefore, retains the most heat.

At night, now, I go out and walk.  The temperatures are still usually around 100-F when I go out, and by the time I get back to the apartment, it really feels to me as if it has cooled down a lot.  Probably, it has dropped about 5 degrees Farenheit; but, it is still firmly in the mid- to upper-90s.  Doesn’t even bother me at all.  Of course, when I get in the apartment, and I settle down, it gets really hot to me; so, I do run all the a/c I can find at that point.

Acclimatized or not, I miss the micro-climate of our shack on the mountainside.  I’ll trade any day.

Continuing a discussion of things it is good to know if you’re coming to visit, live in, or work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

1. Don’t come to KSA during Ramadan and expect to get something done.  As I’ve blogged previously, Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims.  Fasting from sunrise to sundown.  Late nights with family and friends.  All night prayer.  Night and day exchange places.  During the first two weeks of Ramadan, you might be able to get something done on an existing, important matter; but, don’t expect to initiate a new project.  During the third and fourth weeks…forget it.  Most Saudis take off work and spend the time with family, friends, and contemplation, if particularly pious.  It is during this period of time – the night is not very specific – when Muslims believe Allah gave the Q’uran to Mohammed.  On that night, they generally stay up all night and pray.  Of course, at the conclusion of Ramadan comes Eid, a three-day holiday…a whole week in KSA.  So, during Ramadan, ain’t nothin’ gets done.
2. You’ll get change back……….maybe.  In the West, if you provide two dollars for an item that costs $1.60, you’d expect to get 40-cents back.  So, when you come to KSA, and you pay two riyals for an item that costs SR1.60, you’d expect to get 40-halala back as change.  Except, that may not be what happens.  Sure, you may receive coinage, but just as often you may get a pack of chewing gum in return.  Or, you might not even get anything.  Folks here don’t sweat the small stuff.  It can work in the customer’s favor, too.  Don’t quite have the right amount.  “Tomorrow.”  “Next time.”  It’s not a big deal, but it can be disconcerting at first.
3. Let’s take the kids to the amusement park!  Except, you and the wife/husband CANNOT go to the amusement park together.  Nope.  There are no family days.  Usually, they alternate – one day the dad can take the kids, the next mom can take the kids.  Ne’er the twain shall meet.  This is not an exception either.  For example, at the Jenadriyah Festival there are often years where they do not have a day for families.  Sometimes they don’t even have a day for women.  On the other hand, most restaurants are quite family friendly, as are malls.  In fact, many malls will not allow single guys (even if you’re approaching 50) to wander around the mall on Friday.  So strange.  Sometimes this place is so strange.

marhaba al-jum’ah!  Nam, al-yawm al-jum’ah.

(Welcome to Friday!  Yes, today is Friday.)

Muslims are supposed to pray in public once a week, and Friday is the day they all go to the mosque and pray as a group.  Men and sons gather in part of the mosque, while women and girls (and small children) gather in another part of the mosque at zuhr (noon) each Friday.  As a group, they say the midday prayer; afterward, they hear a sermon from the imam who presides over that particular mosque.

Some mosques are small structures, while some are phenomenally huge.  Most are somewhere in the middle.  All retain the signature minaret – some just one – many two.  I have never seen more than two minarets associated with any one mosque.  There are a huge variety of minaret styles, too.  Some are simple and square mud towers, reflecting the desert.  Others are ornate, hollow columns.  Some the color of the sand; others flecked with beautiful shades one would normally associate with the desert.  In the old days, a muezzin would climb to the top of the minaret and offer a call to the surrounding community of folks.  As such, it became normal to have a mosque every 1/8-of-a-mile or so.  I once counted seven mosques within eye distance as I stood on the steps of my bank waiting for it to open.  Today, loudspeakers are mounted atop the minarets, and the muezzin’s call is a pre-recorded audio playback.  I am sure there is some place where the muezzin still makes the call himself, perhaps, even, without the aid of a loudspeaker.  Not in Riyadh, it appears.

As I’ve noted in previous posts, very little is open on Friday mornings – mostly just grocery stores and coffee shops.  Even the grocery stores and coffee shops start close down at least an hour prior to zuhr.  A family day, everyone piles into the car, the minivan, or walks to their chosen mosque.  Then, they split up and go to their appropriate areas of the mosque for the prayers and sermon.

The sermons are monitored here in Riyadh, at least.  Those in control don’t want the wrong message to go out to the people listening…particularly if that message might call for jihad or action against Westerners or infidels, in general…or the Royal Family, in particular.

After the prayers and sermon conclude, it is pretty common for families (or singles) to go out for lunch at a local restaurant.  Just as after church in the U.S, the midday meal – even if eaten at home – is often a bigger affair than during the rest of the week.   With the exception of grocery stores and coffee shops again, most stores don’t open up until 4pm.  So, every goes grocery shopping, socializes with friends over coffee, or kicks back with the folks throughout the hottest part of the day.  When it is really hot, it can be difficult to walk around inside the grocery stores (including Carrefour [think Wal-Mart]).  Air conditioning is popular.

Things open back up around 4pm, and life returns to mostly normal – a little more active than what one might see on Sunday night in the West – but, certainly not as busy as one would find on Thursday (Saturday) night.  Folks usually go to bed late most nights, doing activities they can’t do during the heat, and prepare for the start of the new week on Saturday morning.

al-yawm halas.
(The day is done.)

No one has gone to a commercial showing of a movie in Riyadh in over 30 years.

At least, not until last Saturday (6 June 2009), when the Saudi-made film Menahi showed at the King Fahd Cultural Centre.  But, it took the nephew of King Abdullah to accomplish this event.  Prince Alaweed bin Talal owns the Rotana Group, a Gulf-based entertainment company, which took the movie to Jeddah back in December and showed the film to a group including both men and women.  However, it took over five months to get permission to show Menahi, a country boy in the big city film, in the city of Riyadh.

Conservative Muslim leaders oppose the showing of films from fear non-Muslim values will be introduced to the population, as well as due to the a fear that there might be gender mixing.  While they failed to prevent the showing of the movie, they did succeed in blocking the attendance of women.  Guards stood at entry ways to ensure no woman got into the theater, and attendees only learned about the showing hours prior to the debut.  There were even protesters attempting to persuade men from attending.

Prince Alaweed is optimistic about the future of cinema in Saudi Arabia and is quoted as having said the public showing of movies in Saudi Arabia, on a regular basis, is inevitable.

What intrigues me is that, as a young minsterial student, I remember being told by a couple of very conservative preachers that movies were evil and introduced anti-Christian messages to the community; so, they should be avoided.  This echoed in my mind as I read the news articles about Menahi, along with the memories of protests and boycotts associated with some films in the United States.  I hope we never slip into a period where films are banned, and we have to wait 30 years in order to see another one.  What a sad world it would be without movies.

This blog entry was compiled from information found in an AFP article and an Associated Press article.

An ongoing list of things I’ve discovered, whether Saudi related or not, which I probably would not have ever known about had I not come to KSA…most of them good things, too!

1. AccuRadio.com – Streaming radio…I know lots of folks do it, and they have their favorites.  My favorite is Accuradio.com, which offers an amazing selection of musical libraries for listeners to enjoy.  At this moment, I am listening to their Blues channel.  Last night I was listening to the Classical channel.  Over the time I’ve been here, I’ve listened to the Celtic, Pop, Folk, Rock, Country, and Jazz channels…just to name a few (and I’ve listened to a lot more).  They’ve got Broadway showtunes, New Age compositions, Native American chants, Electronica…if you can imagine it, they probably have it, including seasonal offerings like Christmas music.  The main channels also have subchannels.  For example, in the Classical channel, you can listen to Opera, Instrumental Soloists, Symphonies, and Classical Crossover (and those are not all of them!).  And, to prove the point of many streaming radio industry spokespeople, I have actually gone to iTunes, bought and downloaded music I’ve heard on AccuRadio.  You can get a really amazing education in a particular musical genre and not spend a penny.  Highly recommended.
2. Baleela – Baleela is a poor man’s food sold by street vendors at fairs, special events, and places like the beach.  Thin and sour, baleela is really nothing more than boiled chickpeas (garbanzo beans)  mixed with vinegar-marinated cucumbers to create a vinegar soup – usually including chopped vegetable relish of some sort.  Often, chopped hot peppers are added.  You can usually find it for 4 or 5 riyals for about a cup of it…cheaper if there is competition.  The stuff is awesome!  I have a recipe for it (I am guessing there are a lot of variations to the basic ingredients – it has that sort of feel and taste), and I bought the stuff to make a batch this past week.  I plan to make some this weekend.  Once I am happy with my recipe, I’ll post it so you can try it yourself.   Mmmm…baleela…it’s what’s for dinner!
3. Walking – Unless there is some physical impairment, most people can walk.  That is good news because walking is a simple, non-impact, exercise that will have real impact – in a positive way – on your health.  Thirty minutes, three to four times a week is recommended by doctors and health gurus.  The even better news is that you can even break up those timeframes to fit your particular schedule…maybe taking three ten-minute walks in a day because that is all your day allows.  The point is to get yourself up out of the chair or off the sofa and get moving.  No special equipment to buy (though good shoes are recommended), no gym fee to pay, no need to be in good shape to start.  No excuse, really.  Listen to music or a lecture or a podcast as you walk.  Meditate quietly.  Enjoy the beauty around you.  I love walking.  I especially love that it has helped me to shed 56 pounds (so far).  And, you can always brag that you got in your exercise for the day.
4. Nasal Lavage – All right.  I know I lost some of you right there.  The idea of forcing saline through your nostrils, into your sinuses, and out the other side is pretty gross.  But, if you suffer from sinus problems or allergies, a properly performed nasal lavage (here is how you do it – pictures included) is very likely to provide you with sinus health you only dreamed was possible.  There are a lot of ways to do it wrong, and you can end up with too much water and a lot of sinus pressure the first couple of times you try it.  But, if you read the instructions, use a limited amount of water, and properly drain your sinuses afterward, you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly – as well as the benefits.  While a neti pot is the traditional way to do it, all you really need is a water bottle with a sports top on it.  In the dusty environs of Riyadh, nasal lavage has really made a difference for me, a chronic sinus-migraine sufferer.  Don’t say I didn’t tell you!
5. PhysicsDiet.com – A free site, PhysicsDiet provides a utility where you can record your weight on a daily basis (or at your preferred frequency), have it stored, have your series of weigh-ins mathematically regressed – and come out the other side with a nice chart of your weight-loss/weight-gain trend.  The trend line is very educational as you can contrast it directly with your individual entries.  I weigh daily and enter my data daily (go to the “Charts” section and search on “misterhub” – my profile is public), and I have learned a couple of things.  1) My weight can vary wildly from day to day, and 2) I have a real pattern through the week of gains, steady holding, culminating in a loss.  I’ve also been able to see the effects of particular meals and particular events on an individual weigh-in.  Some people get really worked up over their day to day scale readings, but the access to this information has allowed me to see that it’s just normal – especially when I compare it to my downward tilting trend line.  And, the trend line is very responsive to changes in weight…giving you a clear idea of where you’re going and if you’re heading in the right direction.  The most important thing I’ve learned is not to give any one, single weigh-in too much gravity.  It’s the trend that counts!

As reported last week, President Barack Obama will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tomorrow.  There will be no public showings or exhibitions; so, the voyeurs will just have to fantasize.

Apparently, he is coming in this evening because the flags are all up (I’ll try to get a photo), and there are cops at every on-ramp and off-ramp.  His plane will probably land at the Old Airport, which is now a military facility.  At least, that is where most foreign dignitaries land.  The Royal Terminal, and the newer, King Khalid International Airport (lovingly known as KKIA – not an exciting place to spend several hours), are much farther northwest, closer to his horse ranch.  Since most foreign visits are limited to the city proper, it makes more sense for them to land at the Old Airport.

When the motorcade is on the road, there will be cops on each of the overpasses enroute.   I believe the King will take President Obama out to his Jenadriyah horse ranch because the flags head in that direction, which means he’ll pass within about 200 yards of my apartment…but, about 30 feet lower than my elevation.  He took President Bush to the horse ranch, which is located across the road from the racetrack.

Of course, they could be fooling with me and showing one route when they intend to take another route.  The security is pretty tight, as it was when President Bush came to town in January 2007.

There was a big tadoo over the fact the White House press corps has been quarantined to the Marriott (across the street from where I work) under penalty of arrest and confinement.  Not sure what that is all about,  but it was reported in The Atlantic as being fact.  Maybe I’ll go for lunch over their tomorrow and mingle with them.  I’m sure they would want to interview me.   No?  Oh, okay.

Oh, and the Egyptians are ticked off that he’s stopping here before he goes there.  They thought they were his first.  That never seems to be the story, though, now does it?

Continuing a discussion of things it is good to know if you’re coming to visit, live in, or work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

1. Prayer time governs EVERYTHING. I’d be hard pressed to emphasize how important this fact is in getting through the day.  I’ve written about it before, but it bears repeating.  In Saudi Arabia, nearly everything stops five times each day: 1) Fajr (Dawn); 2) Shorook (Sunrise); 3) Zuhr (Noon); 4) Asr (Afternoon); 5) Maghrib (Sunset); 6) Isha (Night).  Yes, I listed six, but the main five are numbers 2 – 6.  Stores close.  Restaurants close.  Some restaurants and stores will let you stay inside and shop; but, many will not.  Business meetings come to a halt.  Most Muslims will stop and pray at these times.  There some who do not, but most do.  So, you must plan not only your commercial, but your social activities around prayer time.  Prayer time is based on the position of the sun; so it changes throughout the year.  Most of us keep a sheet identifying the daily times.  I use IslamiCity.com as my source of prayer times.  They are not so strict in other Muslim countries, but they are very strict in KSA.
2. The weekend is Thursday and Friday…NOT…Saturday and Sunday. I have written about this previously, but this is a biggie.  Of all the things that required adjustment for me, this was the most difficult.  After a while, you get used to it, and it’s just the weekend…though, it is almost impossible to shake the feeling that Saturday should be the start of the weekend rather than the start of the work week.  In most Arabic countries, the weekend is Friday and Saturday…why it is Thursday here, I don’t know.  But, this has greater impact than just your personal psyche.  Business with US and European counterparts is pretty much limited to three days a week.  Saudis take off Thursday & Friday; Westerners take off Saturday & Sunday.  While there are exceptions to the no business statement, it holds true in most cases.  Thursday will sometimes see half-days, but most folks take the full day. Everyone likes their weekend.
3. Business is rarely, if ever, conducted on Friday. This is one of the hardest things for Western business people to realize.  Friday is the Islamic holy day.  While it is not against the Q’uran to conduct business on Jumu’a (Friday), except one hour before noon prayer (that is how I understand it anyway), the practical matter is most stores and restaurants don’t open until 1pm.  Most of the ones that do open close at 10am or 11am.  After 1pm, it’s almost exclusively stores and restaurants, which open – except in emergency situations.  Islam requires all adherents to participate in public prayer at a mosque on Jumu’a, which is held at noon.  Many of the TV channels actually switch to prayers for those who cannot attend.  If there is a single day commonly used as a  day of rest, it is Jumu’a.  Even the lower caste folks who do all the crappy work are given the day off.  No business on Friday.  None.  Anywhere in the Arabic world.  Except for emergencies.

I have more items to offer up to those preparing to come to Saudi Arabia, which I’ll be posting.  I hope someone finds them useful.

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