Photography is not welcomed in the Kingdom as it is in other places. You don't see families posing and having their picture taken anywhere. No one ever asks for you to take a photo. In fact, we have been strictly warned not to photograph anyone. So instead of taking our tripod and digital SLR out with us, taking pictures has turned into a covert operation where I sneak in pictures with my iTouch. I promised not to ramble this week, so here's life in pictures....
Pain at the pump
The only pain we feel at the pump is the blurry image. You can't see it clearly, but the entire tank was filled on 24 Saudi Riyals which is roughly 7 US Dollars. But don't be jealous, I would probably pay the $5 gallon if I could drive my car, have a margarita and not be melting in an overbearing abaya in desert heat! :)
Apple Juice
When we go out to eat, R loves to order apple juice. Here is some freshly squeezed green apple juice with a slice of apple as a garnish. It is pulpy, delicious, and tastes exactly like drinking an apple. So very refreshing!
Zatar (aka Zaatar or Za'atar)
Zatar is a dry Middle Eastern spice that contains herbs, sesame seed and salt. It is too delicious for words. You can find zatar croissants, or spread on pitas like below.
Kri Kri Almonds
These nuts are also amazing. Kri Kri is a Lebanese speciality of coating nuts. These almonds have the same taste as traditional almonds but are coated with a crunchy sesame shell. They also come in chili and BBQ flavors. Yummy!
Clothing care
I was wondering how I would be able to keep my blacks black and whites white. Good thing there are custom detergents for each. And right next to each other!
Books and Magazines
My newly inherited free time has reignited my passion for books and reading. R was kind enough to get me a Kindle before our adventure began so I can catch up on the classics and new best sellers. I love a good book store and thankfully the Kingdom is full of them. I could get lost in a book store for hours, just browsing through every section trying to take everything in. There's a decent selection of English books in most stores as well. There's always a large section of Arabic books. I almost bought an Arabic children's book just so I could learn the numbers! And of course, the Saudis love the Twilight saga as much as we do!
Here are a few of the latest English version Arab magazines I picked up as well to keep me up to date on issues. My biggest pet peeve is that our TV line-up doesn't include any local news or weather so I am constantly relying on the internet. Don't get me wrong, I love doing everything online, but there's something very classic and enjoyable about flipping through a magazine or newspaper.
Pain at the pump
The only pain we feel at the pump is the blurry image. You can't see it clearly, but the entire tank was filled on 24 Saudi Riyals which is roughly 7 US Dollars. But don't be jealous, I would probably pay the $5 gallon if I could drive my car, have a margarita and not be melting in an overbearing abaya in desert heat! :)
Apple Juice
When we go out to eat, R loves to order apple juice. Here is some freshly squeezed green apple juice with a slice of apple as a garnish. It is pulpy, delicious, and tastes exactly like drinking an apple. So very refreshing!
Zatar (aka Zaatar or Za'atar)
Zatar is a dry Middle Eastern spice that contains herbs, sesame seed and salt. It is too delicious for words. You can find zatar croissants, or spread on pitas like below.
Kri Kri Almonds
These nuts are also amazing. Kri Kri is a Lebanese speciality of coating nuts. These almonds have the same taste as traditional almonds but are coated with a crunchy sesame shell. They also come in chili and BBQ flavors. Yummy!
Clothing care
I was wondering how I would be able to keep my blacks black and whites white. Good thing there are custom detergents for each. And right next to each other!
Books and Magazines
My newly inherited free time has reignited my passion for books and reading. R was kind enough to get me a Kindle before our adventure began so I can catch up on the classics and new best sellers. I love a good book store and thankfully the Kingdom is full of them. I could get lost in a book store for hours, just browsing through every section trying to take everything in. There's a decent selection of English books in most stores as well. There's always a large section of Arabic books. I almost bought an Arabic children's book just so I could learn the numbers! And of course, the Saudis love the Twilight saga as much as we do!
Until next time!
Cheers!
M
The pic of the detergents side-by-side is classic. Its basic and clean and I bet sells really well there. I also like the fact that you need to learn the numbers, cause we alll know that if you drop a finance major in a foreign place they will need to find out how to know "numbers." Oh and as for the gas, filled up last night--unleaded premium was $4.33 a gallon in the Royal County of Montgomery.
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