Venture into the Great Unknown

Well after some weighing of pros and cons, I went with my instinct and walked out of the compound for the first time. I was told by an expat friend that the Ramez Center was a 20 minute walk and was considered a safe passage (re traffic not bad guys!). Ramez has been described as having KMart ambiance as an all-purpose discounter. The walk was in some ways liberating since I have become so dependent on scheduled bus loops. Although I really enjoy the compound and its amenities, at times I feel as if I'm living in a parallel universe sealed off from the real world like being a figure in an Arabian snow globe - without, of course, the snow!

In any case the walk was uneventful except for the several times I had to cross a major highway. This is a life-threatening experience throughout Riyadh and I'm not exagerating much. The principle that the pedestrian has the right of way is either unknown or disdainfully dismissed in Riyadh. In either case I stayed to the far shoulder of the road after leaving the compound on the service road paralleling the main drag. I walked at a brisk pace on sand/dust while taking advantage of the mid-morning breeze before the heat descended walking beside several blocks of land awaiting the inevtiable construction of some revenue-generating enterprise. All too soon I had to make the first crossing of the highway (imagine the Parkway East at rush hour between the Bates Street entrance and the Squirrel Hill tunnel). Actually, due to the relatively light mid-morning traffic on the Saudi weekend, it was tricky but not spine-tingling. So I made it in one piece with a bit of a swagger in my step...

Comparisons of Ramez to KMart are libelous to the latter unless we are talking about KMart in the early 80s. Ramez did seem to have a wide array of primarily Chinese made products ranging from carpets to soap detergent, backpacks to stationary, manicure sets to men's winter jackets (!) - and mercifully no small of rancid popcorn... I was looking for beard grooming products (isn't this just too compelling!) and struck out there. I also searched for one of the string bags that you can use as a carry-all for lunches, etc. but the only ones available were in pink featuring Princess Jasmine and her banby camel or neon green with the Riyadhi Kid on his skateboard - so I passed on those. Left with some pens, a notebook, a pair of scissors (all imports from Beijing),etc. and a great deal on Tide.

The bad new: this was the high point of my day off - the good news: I won't ever again subject you to my shopping list... Just another exciting slice of expat life in the Magic Kingdom!

For another bit of local flavor, what follows are the story line headers from yesterday's Arab News:

"No compromise with Iran, says (newly appointed) Crown Prince Naif"


(Saudi) Education model needs review


Four caught running bogus Haj (travel) firms


Over 177,000 pilgrims arrive from non-Arab Africa


Syria, Arab league argee on road map to end unrest


WVU files lawsuit against Big East 

[Yes that's West-by-God Virginia being referenced (go figure!) along with the NHL hockey scores and CC Sabathia's contract which mercifully crowded out the cricket play-by-plays. Our Stiller's unexpected domination of the Pats also got some attention earlier in the week.]