Eigentlich sind für das Volk Werte wie Gerechtigkeit, Freiheit, Menschenrechte nicht wichtig. Es ist bereit, alle Normen, Regeln, Gesetze und Gebräuche umzustürzen, wenn es nicht nach seinem Willen geht. Aber auch wenn alle Voraussetzungen, Bedingungen und Zustimmungen vorhanden sind, wird es auch nicht machen können, was es will. Denn das Volk widerspricht sich selbst. Das ist ein Verfallsurteil für die Volkssuizide.

This video does well in capturing the essence of hearing many adhans reminding individuals to stop what they are doing and come to the mosque and pray.  And if unable to go to a mosque, one can always pray in the privacy of their home or even beside their car.  Anyone hearing multiple adhans at one time for the first time cannot help but be moved by the cascade of sounds.

Watch the brief video and then share your comments.

Are you happy or sad that adhan is or is not heard in your respective area announcing muslim prayer times?

Recently, the rules surrounding how to interact with people from other countries has come to the fore in the form of a bow – a bow from our president to Japan’s emperor, to be exact.

So much tongue-wagging all over a show of respect that is the norm in Japan!

I, for one, take the side of a presidential official who was quoted by CBSNews.com as saying, “Obama’s attitude was, this is an elderly gentleman in a country where this kind of greeting is customary…It does not seem extraordinary to show this kind of gesture to him.

“The Fox News poll said that 67 percent of Americans thought [the bow] was a good thing for him to have done,” the official continued. That large percentage among traditionally conservative voters and media-watchers gladdens my heart. Why?

Because it shows that Americans get it, meaning we understand the importance of etiquette among other cultures and countries. While some feel bowing puts one at a disadvantage, most get that it simply evens the playing field with a show of mutual respect.

Now for a few “Daley Tips” about the Japanese should you ever have an opportunity to travel and/or do business in this very influential country:

• Japanese people as a rule are not confrontational. They ignore insults or missteps and change the subject. They consider it polite not to dwell on an obvious mistake.
• Their non-confrontational stance makes it hard for them to say “no.” This impacts their negotiation style, as they may appear obtuse and not direct.
• When visiting a Japanese client, you MUST take a gift.
• Exchanging business cards is an important ritual. In Japan, it is considered a person’s identity. Shoving yours the across the table is not acceptable.
• Even though English is the “official” language of business internationally, there is a great language barrier in Japan, and they are often more comfortable in Japanese. Therefore, it is important to learn a few phrases, do NOT use slang or familiar terms, and speak slowly, not too fast.
• The Japanese do NOT touch in business.

Look for more Daley Tips on doing business with the Japanese in my upcoming e-letter and future blogs.

Until next time, Dale

A distinguished young woman on a flight from Switzerland asked the Priest
beside her.

‘Father, may I ask a favor?’
‘Of course. What may I do for you?’
‘Well, I bought an expensive woman’s electronic hair dryer for my mother’s
birthday that is unopened and well over the Customs limits, and I’m afraid
they’ll confiscate it. Is there any way you could carry it through Customs
for me? Under your robes perhaps?’
‘I would love to help you, dear, but I must warn you: I will not lie.’
‘With your honest face, Father, no one will question you.’

When they got to Customs, she let the priest go ahead of her.
The official asked, ‘Father, do you have anything t declare?’
‘From the top of my head down to my waist, I have nothing to declare.’
The official thought this answer strange, so asked, ‘And what do you have
to declare from your waist to the floor?’
‘I have a marvelous instrument designed to be used on a woman, but which
is, to date, unused.’
Roaring with laughter, the official said, ‘Go ahead, Father. Next !’

According to Wikipedia, a blogger is a person who writes a blog (or weblog). Bloggers are not a homogenous group. They have a variety of personal and professional motivations for blogging and they come from a variety of political, economic and social backgrounds. One way of segmenting bloggers is by their blog type:^[1]

• Personal: blog about topics of personal interest not associated with work
• Professional: blog about industry and profession topics but not in an official capacity for a company
• Corporate: blog for a company in an official capacity

Some bloggers may be scientists, reporters, public figures, etc.  However the majority of bloggers are normal people expressing their opinions and observation of the world. An average blogger does not have the requirement to behave like authoritative professionals. An average blogger does not have to authenticate sources or make a long research project out of each article. An average blogger should simply express his or her views. A blogger can in certain instances go through complete research and validate information, but it is a choice an individual blogger makes.

If bloggers are treated or perceived in the same category as professional reporters with high ethics requirements on them, this in turn basically puts a halt on free blogging for the average blogger.

Further, a blogger is not required to provide a forum for each and every commentator. This is not limiting free speech as the internet is free and the person has the freedom to voice his/her opinion about the world in many places on the internet.  If a commentator chooses to present views not related to subject matters, uses inappropriate content, attempts to debase and/or smear the blogger or acts in a manner which disrupts positive dialogue, the blogger has the choice to block such commentators from the blog.

These are some of my basic thoughts and perspectives on the definition of an average blogger.  How are they the same or different from yours?

Terahara hit the nail smack on its head asking if I’d had a spliff when I was in Thailand.

That bartender on Ko Samui proved to be an exceptionally resourceful man, supplying us not only with enough yaba to keep Jean, Nori and me on cruise control for a week, but also a Ziploc bag full of pot to ease us out of the fast lane.

The day I was returning to Japan, I flushed what remained of my stash–five pink pills and a handful of grass–down the toilet of my hotel room. It was a crying shame to watch it get washed away in a whirlpool of water, but I didn’t want to take any chances when I went through Customs.

Just to be on the safe side, I also turned the pockets of my pants inside out, and gave them a good shaking. I went through all my clothes, the souvenirs and knickknacks I’d bought, and the compartments of my luggage, checking everything more thoroughly than Pére Noël.

Even so, when I arrived at Kansai International, I was embarrassed to find a sniffer dog snooping excitedly around my feet.

Shoo!

God knows the riot of proscribed activities his olfactory nerves were picking up on–yaba, marijuana, the ping-pong pussy . . .

Shoo, dog, shoo!

I don’t know if it was the dog or the wasted expression I was wearing that tipped the Customs inspector off, but damned if he didn’t go through every one of my stinking bags.

“You speak Japanese?”

“I do.”

“What do you do in Japan?”

“I live and work here.”

“You pack these bags yourself?”

“I did.”

“Carrying anything for anyone?”

“No.”

“What’s in that bag?”

“My laundry.”

“Would you open it?”

“Certainly.”

“What were you doing in Thailand?”

“Relaxing.”

How relaxing could the trip have been when I looked like death warmed over?

“What’s in that bag?”

“Souvenirs.”

“Open it.”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Could you turn your pockets inside out?”

“Yeah.”

And so on.

_

注意：この作品はフィクションです。登場人物、団体等、実在のモノとは一切関係ありません。

© Aonghas Crowe, 2009

A common theme when a non-Saudi woman speaks about a Saudi man is typically how charming and personable he is.  And those non-Saudi women who marry a Saudi man will also reinforce that his charm, his personality, his way of making a woman feel very unique and especially loved were traits which captured her heart and drew her to him.  I happen to agree that Saudi men do have a special charm and personality that can seem like it hypnotizes a woman.  Is it the extra measure of care and protectiveness along with the charm that make the Saudi man a powerful magnet as compared to non-Saudi men?  Is it because Saudi men have grown up in an environment where they are expected to cherish and care for the women in their life that teaches them to be a master at making a woman smile and feel special?  Do Saudi men feel more of an obligation than perhaps Western men to not hurt or disappoint a woman in their life?  These seem to be influencing factors and traits in relationships between Saudi men and non-Saudi women.  But I’d like to know, what do the Saudi women think?  Are the perceptions of non-Saudi women about the Saudi man accurate?  Why or why not?

WHO IS THE PATRON SAINT OF SCOTLAND?

St. Andrew’s Day is the feast day of Saint Andrew. It is celebrated on 30 November.

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew’s Day is Scotland’s official national day . In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated St. Andrew’s Day as an official bank holiday. Although most commonly associated with Scotland, Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania, and Russia.
(…)
In parts of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Romania, superstitious belief exists that the night before St. Andrew’s Day is specially suitable for magic that reveals a young woman’s future husband or that binds a future husband to her. Many such customs exist, for example the pouring of hot lead into water (in Poland, one usually pours hot wax from a candle through a key hole into cold water), divining the future husband’s profession from the shape of the resulting piece

In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht (“St. Andrew’s Night”), in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet (“St. Andrew’s Prayer”), and in Poland as Andrzejki (“Andrews”).

From Wikipedia

One of the most popular Polish traditions performed by young girls during the St. Andrew’s Night is pouring hot melted wax through a key into a bowl of cold water. After the wax has hardened, it is held up to the light and its shadow cast on the wall must be observed to guess the future. Usually the only light comes from a candle, which not only helps to read from the shadow but also to keep a mysterious atmosphere of this evening. While guessing the girl’s future for the upcoming year, it’s best to observe the shape of the shadow from different angles.

Here’s a special treat THINK ENGLISH has found on the Internet for you:
CLICK on the key
and find out about your future:

What shape did YOU get?
What does it say about YOUR future?

Check what others said
and write about your own results! – CLICK HERE

*Not all Saudi men thankfully are the way described below but this post is written as an advisory for those who have had little to no exposure to Saudi culture and the Saudi man.

For some reason it seems to be culturally acceptable for a Saudi man to abandon a woman, in spite of ‘alledged’ rights to which a woman is entitled.  A high percentage of Saudi men will go outside the Kingdom as students or for employment.  They are exposed to differing lifestyles and cultures.  Many will gradually believe they have blended in to the new lifestyle and culture and eventually find themselves in a relationship.  What most women who are unfamiliar with Saudi Arabia and Saudi men does not realize is that the Saudi man can be a most persuasive and charming speaker, kind of like the devil in disguise as the most magnificent Prince Charming.  He can easily cajole a woman who would naturally resist strongly to give up her virginity to him.  Now the Saudi man after receiving his “present” will either move on to other challenges (read conquests) or continue to enjoy the “free feast.”  Yet if the woman becomes pregnant it is not surprising that the man will rapidly move on and avoid contact with the woman.  After all, she is the one who is now pregnant, not him, so it is her problem.

The Saudi man who is outside of the Kingdom for a period of time also needs to be viewed with caution, particularly if he is older and therefore assumed to be more mature than a young student.  This man may be even more charming and sophisticated and appealing to non-Saudi women of all ages.  He will unlikely wear a wedding ring yet due to his age and position in life, most often married.  But of course he would likely quip that he is not married, separated or divorced.  The likelihood he has a Saudi wife and at least four children in Saudi.  It does not bother his conscience to cheat on his wife.  He is satisfying his needs and probably has the perspective that he is also bringing pleasure to a willing partner.  Being more sophisticated and culturally savvy, he may even integrate himself into the family of the woman with whom he is having a relationship.  He may make references or innuendos to a future with her and while probably sincere at the moment because he wishes it could be so, he also knows realistically there is no future and furthermore deep down he does not want a future with her. When his business or position which brought him outside of Saudi is complete, he’ll depart without a backward glance.

In both cases of the younger student or the mature sophisticate, they may not make any attempt to hide their involvement with a foreign woman outside of Saudi.  The foreign woman may be introduced to their male friends.  Of course she would not be known to any Saudi females or members of the Saudi family because the man is engaging in activities which are considered haram (forbidden) in his own country.  While a woman may think it is flattering to meet his friends this is actually disrespectful in the Saudi culture.  And of course when the man makes his exit from her life, the remaining Saudi friends will be polite to her but it becomes clear that no matter how kindly they treated her with him, she is an outsider and will never be accepted.

Then there are the Saudis who are married.  First, like the sophisticate who seeks female companionship when outside of the Kingdom, he illustrates no loyalty or faithfulness to his Saudi wife.  It is also ingrained in him that if his Saudi wife ever needs assistance, has problems or illness, how own “blood” family will take care of her.  He views himself of absolved of responsibility.  And if he is the Saudi with a foreign wife he will expect her to find her own way to solving problems and meeting her needs.  If she becomes ill it is expected her expat friends and family (from abroad) will take care of her.  He should not be exposed to illness or upsets.  She is also not from the “same blood” so there is not an expectation or obligation on the part of his family either.

I hear of these situations more and more frequently.  Most seem to come from someone in a relationship with a Saudi man over the age of 40.  How come these men have become adults without a sense of responsibility or loyalty if someone is not from within the inner “blood” circle of family?  Does this again go back to the impact of segregation and pre-defined roles of a husband and wife in an arranged marriage?  Yet even in an arranged marriage or any Islamic marriage there are rights to which the woman is entitled.  Sadly though, too many Saudi men make no effort to meet those rights and simply ignore them.

What options are available to the woman, regardless of where she is or what nationality, who finds herself abandoned by a Saudi?  Saudi Arabia is the exclusive men’s club where the men do stick together and protect each other and women’s needs and rights are easily forgotten.

I really love life in Brazil. Sure, it’s different, but living between England and Germany meant I was always  missing either German bread or English crisps so for me missing things from another country is just what life’s about. I’m ok with the people and culture, I’m ok with living in a small town, I’m even ok with the constant “wow you speak good Portuguese” comments, because I’d probably say the same to a Brazilian abroad.

There is just ONE tiny tiny thing, which really gets to me. And the worst thing is it’s kinda my fault for being picky.

WHAT DO I DRINK IN A BRAZILIAN RESTAURANT?!

Last night my noivo and I went out for  meal in a new pizzaria in town. The waitress asked the dreaded question:

“Querem algo para beber?”

Here goes.

The obvious answer is of course BEER. But. I. hate. beer. Yup, grew up in Germany but hate beer . Any beer. Even chopp. Not just the taste but the heavy feeling it gives you. What I love, is wine. Lets give it a try.

” Do you have any wine by the glass or a half bottle”

“Sorry, but we haven’t any wine in stock yet”.

WHAT?! Usually its bad enough that I have to buy a whole bottle of wine when all I want is a glass (and they CHILL the red wine), but no wine at all? Not even the stomach-churning Jota Pe (which I’m convinced is cachaca mixed with grape juice)???

“Ok, just bring me a water.” Time to think.

My noivo tries to convince me to have one of the other drinks on the menu. But although I love a martini or campari on a night out, they don’t really go with pizza. So what about caipirinha I hear you saying?

Well. I can’t drink a caipirinha on an empty stomach unless I want to start dancing on the tables, but a few slices into the rodizio I tried to risk it – On the menu there were three choices: with vodka, with bacardi lemon (yurch), or with kurasal (double yurch). I really can’t drink vodka, it gives me a terrible headache in the morning.  So we ask the waitress whether she can bring me a caipirinha with cachaça.

“No sorry, we don’t have any cachaça”.

Sigh.I thought I moved to BRAZIL not RUSSIA.

So halfway through the evening I was getting really sick of water.  Turning away from alcoholic beverages (that was obviously not going to work), I decided to ask for something simple: an orange juice. And I didn’t even care if it was freshly squeezed or out of a can. And I put aside my issues in asking for a “suco de laranja” because my tongue always tangles on the “ranja”. Third time lucky, right?

…

I actually laughed in the girl’s face (with tears in my eyes), when she said “Sorry, but we’re not making juices yet”.

“Just bring me another water”…

Dear Brazil,

Please, please please learn to love wine. It is so much better for your health and less fattening to boot. I’ve even heard that all the chilled beer you drink is the reason for so many gastritis and stomach cancer cases in your country. Wine however is full of antioxidants which PREVENT cancer. Besides the taste is delicious. And whatever you may say, pizza was NOT made to be eaten with beer, but with wine. And there are three different varieties for summer, winter and spring! And the colour is just so much more beautiful.

If these reason’s aren’t enough for you, think of poor me, sipping water with no ice and no lemon during a pizza rodizio.

*And don’t tell me to drink “refri”, it rots your teeth).

Thank you for hearing me out,

Julie

• Jedes Studium ist eine wertlose, identitätslose Beschäftigung.
• Erst jetzt erkennt man die Veränderungen des Studiums durch die Reformen, nicht nur die Bologna-Reform.
• Ob eine humboldtsche oder eine Bologna-Uni, beide sind schwach.
• Immer wieder die Formschwachen.
• Jemand, der den Respekt der anderen vor sich selbst verlangt, verliert den Respekt der anderen. Den Respekt der anderen hat man oder man muss ihn erwerben.

Ahhhh…just imagine how all your senses stir when you inhale the aroma of a fine steak or chicken grilled to perfection on the ‘barby.’  And while you are waiting to bite into that succulent meat you can pass time enjoying a ‘Blooming Onion’….

It is indeed with great pleasure for me to advise that the Australian Style Outback Restaurant and Steakhouse has opened in Riaydh, Saudi Arabia.  This new restaurant is located right in the middle of the Localizer Mall on the popular Tahliya Street.  There are two separate entrances each with a staircase and an elevator for easy access as the store is located on the second floor of the mall.  Hours posted are Saturday through Tuesday from 4-11pm (1600 – 2300 hours) and Wednesday through Friday from  4 pm to midnight (1600 – 2400 hours).

Complying with the Saudi culture, there are two separate and spacious dining rooms, each which is the size of a stateside Outback, with the kitchen centrally located in the middle.  The restaurant has a total of 100 tables and a seating capacity of 397 people.  On the family side, there is a room that Outbook calls the “Microsoft Room”, with dividers and privacy screens available.  Each side has both smoking and non-smoking sections.

The family side has floor to ceiling windows that overlook the interior of the mall and the singles side has floor to ceiling windows overlooking Tahliya Street.  The space has been constructed tastefully with very good craftsmanship.

Although delivery service is not available, diners can call for advanced seating reservations.

Many thanks to Tyler Russell who has been part of the Outback’s US Training Team in Riyadh for the information on one of Riyadh’s new fine eating establishments.

A New Taste of Home in Riyadh – The Australian Outback Steakhouse Has Opened

It is indeed with great pleasure for me to advise that the Australain Style Outback Restaurant and Steakhouse has opened in Riaydh, Saudi Arabia:

The new Outback Steakhouse is located right in the middle of the Localizer Mall on Tahliya Street.  There are two separate entrances…each with a sItaircase and an elevator, as the store is located on the second floor of the mall.  The hours that are posted are Sat-Tues 4-11pm and Weds-Fri 4-12.  There are two separate dining rooms, of course, each of which is the size of a stateside Outback , with the kitchen in the middle.  The restaurant has 100 tables total, with a seating capacity of 397 people.  On the family side, they have a room that we call the “Microsoft Room”, with dividers, and privacy screens are available.  Each side has smoking and non-smoking sections.  The family side has floor to ceiling windows that overlook the interior of the mall, and the singles side has floor to ceiling windows overlooking Tahliya Street.  The space has been done very tastefully with very good craftsmanship…I am very impressed with everything.  I have volunteered to stay on board until Nov 22nd to help smooth out the bumps, then home for a week, then back to Dubai to train the staff for the new store opening there in December.

Although the Outback does not deliver, one can call ahead and place their order.

The Outback restaurant is known for its mouthwatering steak and chickens

Noun 1. etiquette  – rules governing socially acceptable behavior

Since there are so many religions, cultures, and customs in the world today it is hard to keep track of what is deemed appropriate behavior at any social function. Weddings in particular have their own set of rules, mix that with the different customer, cultures and religions, and weddings all of a sudden become a complex event to attend.

Etiquette comes into play right away during the planning process from the invitations all the way to handling the gifts at the end of the day. For example the wording of the invitation can be tricky to figure out; usually the first names to appear on an invitation should be those of the people paying for the wedding. The only abbreviations allowed on an invitation are Mr., Mrs., and Dr., Nicknames are not appropriate. All names, the date, and the time should be written out in full on the invitation. Keeping track of the responses for your big day also requires some form of etiquette. For instance, you must keep track of your responses and their requirements for their meals properly, as it can appear disorganized the day of.

For the gifts, both monetary and non-monetary ensure that there are proper receiving instructions to those ‘manning’ that station. For monetary gifts, you want to ensure that you have a proper, decorative, container to hold the envelopes that your guests bring. Going to a wedding where your card is shoved and folded and creased into a small container never appears polite. You want to ensure that their gifts, big and small are both appreciated to ensure a pleasurable experience for all.

What is considered proper etiquette in one custom may not be the same in another. Traditionally in a Chinese wedding the bride wears a red wedding dress as red is the colour of love and joy. If a bride were to wear a red wedding dress in a traditional Italian wedding, this would be deemed inappropriate. In traditional Russian culture the bride and groom throw their champagne glasses onto the floor after toasting. If the glasses break, the couple can expect happiness. Now if this were to happen at a quite English ceremony it would seem inappropriate.

As you can see the traditions and customs of each culture and religion can vary the rules of etiquette. The best practice is to find out what it suitable in both your side and your brides/grooms side and find out how to reach a happy medium between the two if they are very different.

It appears that King Abdullah is now making his moves towards significant reforms in Saudi Arabia.  KAUST is up and running as the first international and co-educational university in the Kingdom.  And recently Saudi Arabia announced its top 10 projects which are further indicative of major changes which will likely to lead towards additional reform.  Last but not least, there is also a proposal circulating to allow female lawyers to represent female clients within the Saudi courts.

The Top 10 Saudi projects according to Construction Week from 10 to number one are as follows:

10- Jeddah Gate Development

Jeddah gate is a US $1.6 billion project under construction and expected to be completed in ten years.  The projects is comprised of constructing both new residential and commercial space in the vicinities of King Abdullah Street and Abdullah Al Suleiman Streets in Jeddah.

9- Haramain High Speed Rail Project

Haramain High Speed Rail is a US $1.9 billion project and expected to be completed in 2013.  This project is for the construction of a much needed rail link connecting the two Holy Cities of Makkah and Medina via Jeddah.

8- Jizan Economic City (JEC)

The Jizan Economic City is a US $3 billion project anticipated to be completed by 2020.  This is a massive project which will be comprised of residential, commercial and industrial zones.

7- North-South Railway

The North-South Railway project is a US $3.5 billion project already under construction and expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.  In addition to transporting passengers in Saudi Arabia it will also be used for the transportation of minerals mined at Az-Zubairah and Al Jalamid to the processing facilities located at Ras Azur Port.  Some Saudi residents along the new railway will have to become accustomed to hearing the whistles of passing trains.

6-  Knowledge Economic City (KEC)

The Knowledge Economic City project is a US $8 billion project which is expected to be built in phases over a ten year period.  The project is to build a Knowledge Economic City in Medina which will help establish a catalyst for knowledge based industries in Medina.  Knowledge Economic City Developers claim that KEC will generate 20,000 new job opportunities.

5-  Prince Abdulaziz bin Mousaed Economic City

The Prince Abdulaziz Mousaed Economic City project is a US $8 billion project which is start in 2010 and completed in phases by 2022.  The project is to build a city within Hail with 12 distinct components for trade and services in sectors such as agriculture and food processing, mining, education, housing and entertainment.

4-  Landbridge Project

The Landbridge Project is a US $10 billion project.  A BOT consortium consisting of Trabot, Saudi Oger, Bin Laden Group and Al-Mada will construct a 950km railway network.  The railway will connect Jeddah to Damman and King Fahd Industrial port with Jubail Industrial City.

3-   Princess Noura bint AbdulRahman University for Women in Riyadh

The Princess Noura bint AbdulRahman University for Women in Riyadh is a US $11.5 billion project and anticipated completion is the first quarter of 2012.  This project is construction of a new university for women north of Riyadh.  The university will include administration buildings, 13 faculties, 700-bed student hospital, laboratories, research centers and residential housing for both students and staff.  This university will accommodate 26,000 students.

2-  Sudair City Development

The Sudair City Development is a US $40 billion project which will be a mixed use development including residential, commercial, entertainment and educational facilities.  Sudair City will be located north of Riyadh.

1-King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC)

The King Abdullah Economic City is a US $50 billion project located in Rabigh.  This massive project is construction of a city which will be divided into Industrial and Residential Zones as well as a Sea Resort and Sea Port.

In addition to the top ten projects this posting would not be complete without citing another significant project under the jurisdiction of the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA).  This project is the construction and implementation of light rail metro system within the city of Riyadh.  The metro will have two lines consisting of 23 and 13 stations respectively.  A metro system in Riyadh will be a real plus where the city streets are already over-congested.  Although there is some controversy on how well a metro system will be received in Riyadh due to perception of those who will use the metro.  There are factions of Saudis who believe using public transport such as a metro system is degrading and that the metro is oriented more for expats and foreign laborers who are already accustomed to mass transit systems like metros.  The announcement of a metro in Riyadh also does not address whether certain cars will be designated as women or women/families only.  Nor does the announcement state if the metro would close during prayer times.

However in my personal opinion all of these large and costly developments are signs of both reform and progress in Saudi Arabia and initiated by King Abdullah.  I see these plans as steps which will also lead the way to the time when women will be able to drive in Saudi Arabia.

In your view, which of these projects is the most significant for Saudi Arabia and why?

Thanksgiving in UK

We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving over here ~ at least not en masse.  But Americans who live among us do.  Some celebrated early and have regaled us with stories of botched gravies and seasonal accompaniments. Others have desperately needed lettuce.  And others insist on making cranberry sauce from scratch.

Naive questions from foreigners

I asked my American colleagues what you are celebrating.  They were dumbfounded.  It’s an excuse to eat one said.  Another sad you were celebrating the first harvests of the Pilgram Fathers ~ and then laughed embarassedly!  Political holidays are always so awkward!

So Happy Thanksgiving to you.  May you have a good time with your families and safe travels!

Did this one for a trade with a friend.