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Tag Archives: Riyadh
Ramadan Kareem
It’s finally here, after the big build up. Would it start on Saturday? Would it start on Sunday? The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is the month for fasting during daylight hours. It is called Ramadan. It is … Continue reading
Posted in Here and Now
Tagged fast, feast, Iftar, Kraft, lunar calendar, muhammad, new moon, Ramadan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tamimi, Tang, Vimto
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What will they call Riyadh’s new metro?
When Lawrence of Arabia lay in the hills above Abu Na’am Station on the Hejaz Railway a little less than a century ago. His mind was on the destruction of the Ottoman empire’s main supply line through Arabia: The Hejaz … Continue reading
Update on The MERS Virus
I thought as there has been another recent flurry of concern about Mers that I should update my readers on the status quo here. This week there has been a flood of articles around the world about the virus mainly … Continue reading
Posted in Here and Now
Tagged bats, Camels, Coronavirus, jeddah, MERS, middle-east, Riyadh, SARS, Saudi Arabia, WHO, World health Organisation
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Bats about MERS
Since I returned, conversation turns at every opportunity to “MERS” and it goes something like this: “What’s this MERS thing? “Some sort of flu” “Is there much of it about?” “You have to have contact with Camels” “Do you know … Continue reading
Posted in Here and Now
Tagged Camels, Egyptian Tomb Bats, Hajj, Professor Ian Lipkin, Riyadh, SARS, Saudi Arabia, the lancet, WHO
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The Art of Shopping, with help from Sun Tzu.
A couple of days ago, I was invited by a select group to go to the Thumairi Gold Souk in Riyadh on a shopping expedition. I have, so far, been wary of shopping in the Souks as I am not … Continue reading
Unexpected Riyadh
In some ways this should have been the very first blog entry, but how can you write about something you know nothing about. I know that usually doesn’t stop journalists, but I wanted to wait and form opinions rather rehash … Continue reading
Posted in Here and Now
Tagged Al-Masmak Fort, compound, diplomatic quarter, expat, islam, mosques, petro-dollars, public transport, Riyadh, rocky escarpment, Saudi Arabia
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The Janadriyah Festival 2013
A two week long cultural and heritage festival is held each year at Janadriyah, some 30 miles outside Riyadh. Originally The festival was founded as a massive camel race meet, but has gradually become a celebration of the regional heritage of … Continue reading
Posted in Here and Now, Tours and Activities
Tagged Cultural Heritage, Janadryiah, Janadryiah 2013, Mutawwa, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Ikea Here We Come
The D.H. announces that he has invited 10 people to dinner on our first day in Riyadh. This he says is not a problem because he will cook! It is a problem though because the kitchen, while perfectly delightful in … Continue reading
Arrived. Phew!!
After months of medicals, form filling, and general faffing around. The Family, that is the children and me, (Saudi terminology , I promise you will get used to it) arrived at King Khalid international airport, Riyadh, late on the 27th … Continue reading
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