Saudi Arabia aka: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Strictly for religious reasons. I don’t want to live there.

I was born here and left when I was very young. I haven’t been back since I left, but I have fond memories of Riyadh as a child. It was a privilege to live in Saudi Arabia and experience the culture and customs. I especially adored shawarma.

I would love to go to Saudi Arabia, however as a woman I cannot travel there freely without being bound by sexist restrictions… I wouldn’t even be able to lift that darn abayya to see the sights… What kind of vacation would that be?!

If you want to understand the life and get a “flavor” for the culture, there is a new book, Surreal in Saudi, that gives a good picture from a westerner’s point of view. It is a story of a nurse who travels to the country to work on a contract, goes beyond the safety of the compound where Westeners are housed and lives in a palace with a prominent royal family.
go to www.surrealinsaudi.net

Interesting place to visit. Definitely the most uncomfortable atmosphere that I’ve ever endured.

As a Muslim, we are to perform our pilgrimage to Mecca & Medina at least once in our lifetime. I have done my duty and it will be an experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life as it has brought calmness and serenity to anybody who’s been here.

Actually I was born in Jeddah so I know that is difficult to visit this country unless you have a first level relation with someone that is living there…

I was in Saudi in ‘96 during the Operation Southern Watch. What a culture shock to say the least. Getting bombed and shot at was not very enjoyable but they have most of the ammenities that we are use to in the USA, the food is great and the people are (for the most part) pretty cool.

Planning to go

They say curiosity killed the cat!! Well i am willing to die! But for some reason they dont give young blonde single gurls visa’s to travel there as a tourist???? Well, inshallah one day i will be able to travel there doing my Haj or Umrah!!