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Conor's Confirmation.jpg 2009-05-27

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Scott P Wind and Fire Colors.JPG 2009-03-20

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Brian H from closer in the cave.JPG 2009-03-20

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Sunrise on a new day and a new year

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Nestle Water Truck.JPG 2009-01-15

I went into town today to pick up some things to send home.  There is a lot to be said about "a trip isn't as much the destination as the journey you took to get there".

 

The architecture of many of the buildings is really special and I am constantly amazed at how rich they are and how much they spend on construction.

 

Equally amazing is the effort they put into westernizing their economy.

 

Tammimi stores are Safeway knock offs...that is okay because you can at least find food that you can recognize without playing spin the wheel.

 

We have a Dominoes’ pizza here on base but if we ever want to go enjoy a pizza at a sit down restaurant we can always go into town and head to Pizza Hut....you just have to look for the trademark logo and you're there.

 

Sometimes you have to rely on the locals to help you with some of the shopping.  Fuch's is not a place for what you might think.....trust me, I know.

 

On the way back to base I was behind a taxi at a red light and what he had written on the back of his car made me laugh.  If you ever watched Seinfeld you would recognize his name.  I wonder if he is still mad for Jerry messing up his visa application.

 

The Saudi sunsets can be really special.  When I look at one I know that it is just before lunch time back home and everyone is going through the “what are you hungry for, I don’t know, what are you hungry for?”  For me it is easy, I am hungry for anything cooked in Texas!

 

Al Kharj is a town of 225k people located about 45 minutes South of us.  Located just on the South East side of Kharj is PSAB (Prince Sultan Air Base) which was used as a major flight line for US forces coming in and out of Saudi Arabia during the gulf war.

 

Frank Kinney is a firefighter from Philadelphia that I work with and we decided to drive down and familiarize ourselves with the area one day.

 

As you get into town you are met with a very unusual signage for the town.  Besides the shape, the wording is most peculiar and we were thinking that it said something to the effect that it is the Saudi equivalent of Area 51.

 

Closer into town we could see a UFO landing pad camouflaged as a water tower/restaurant. 

 

In town we were driving by a McDonald's restaurant (aliens surely eat McDonald's) and we saw an old Chevy step side pick up truck for sale...in mint condition, only used to haul camels and goats to market and to the Mosque on prayer days!  We wanted to know how much they were asking for it but the information was written in some alien dialect  so no luck.

Coming back from downtown the other day we could see a lot of smoke.  Firefighters are no different (maybe a little) when it comes to morbid curiosity about smoke and fire.

 

The smoke was very close to the exit to our base and when we turned off the road we could easily see where it was coming from so we drove closer to it.

 

As we came up to where we could get close enough to see what was burning we saw that it was just another tire fire lit by who knows.  This happens very often around us and we speculate that cooking with tires must make for a very good bar-b-que.  Before I leave this country I must get the recipe.

 

The water supply system in Saudi Arabia is very poor and the Riyadh Fire Department uses water tankers and shuttles for all fires.  In the pictures you can see that they are fighting it with some sense.....dump a hell of a lot of water on it fast.

 

 

 

 

It was a real blast to get to come home for three weeks and get to see all of my family. 

Absence does make the heart grow fonder and it was so nice to be able to hug my wife....

While there I got to catch Dylan's graduation from high school, Conor's confirmation of faith at church, Braden's visit to the dentist and a ton of fun with Jennifer, my grand daughter Jaden and new grand son Nick.  Visiting with my Dad, sister, in-laws, nieces and nephews was a good re-charge for my soul too.

Before I had to leave we made time to run down outside of Hunt, Texas to see the replica of Stone Henge and the Easter Island Idols......pretty damn neat.

 

 

Today is the last day I'll have off before heading to the airport on the 20th so there was much to do.  I needed to run out to the American Embassy and Bill Harasti needed to go too so we car pooled.

 

While I was waiting to leave I was sitting in my living room of my Villa when I saw something out of the corner of my eye go running across the floor in front of me.  It was not moving in a straight line but more with a side to side motion and I thought that it was a small snake (chest pains began). 

 

My reflex reaction was to pick my feet up, which I did with near perfect Olympic grace and form (almost fell off of couch in neatly tucked pike position).

 

Seeing the creature running for the daylight of the glass door I knew I was clear from imminent danger so I put my feet down and dismounted the couch.

 

Knowing that it was still in the house with me and that one of us would have to leave I got up to go to the door to see where it was. 

 

As I got closer to the door I saw it sitting on the floor about six feet from the door when it also saw me and took off for the door (obviously it can't sense human cardiac anxiety and fear).

 

When the damn thing was about two feet from the door it jumped up what seemed nearly three feet in the air on to the door and started running up the glass.  I think that it jumped but was not certain that it didn't fly, possibly could have levitated.

 

With such a creature in the house I knew that he would have to go so I went outside through another door to go open the glass door and let him out.

 

When I got there and opened the door it was almost like he was stuck to the glass and wouldn't move.  I thought that I would get something to put some distance between he and I and help coach him over to the other side of the glass.  I grabbed a mop (most lethal instrument available) and went back to the door.

 

With a little help the terrible lizard did move over to the other side of the door and I was able to shut it and thus make my home safe again.

 

Not being happy with the status quo of having the lizard on the other side of the glass I decided that I would make him get off the glass and run away

(eminent domain defense and protection).

 

I took the trusty mop Excalibur and proceeded to whisk away the lizard when the damn thing grabbed on to the mop head and started to run up the handle towards me (chest pain turns to palpitations)!

 

With what I thought was more Olympic form, I launched the mop away from me as far as I could (possibly more like it fell from my hands from the disorganized, involuntary convulsing ). 

 

As it stands now my Villa is free from terrible lizard infestation and he now has a free mop to live on or in.

 

On the way to the Embassy we went around the West side of Riyadh and we went over the Wadi Laben suspension bridge.  It is quite a sight and supposedly even better at night….that will be another road trip.

 

After we finished everything we headed back to base where they were having a Saudi cultural event called “King of the Desert”.  A very nice Saudi national brings out his tent, camels and falcon to encourage a better understanding of Saudi Arabian heritage and culture.

 

The falcon was a very beautiful bird and even through the leather glove you could feel its’ talons gripping in.  I was very happy to not be wearing anything that resembled a furry animal for a hat.

 

Riding the camel was very interesting because you mount it while it is on the ground and then let it rise to walk around.  One of the Master Sergeants (plus sized) got on the camel to take his turn riding but the camel would not get up (very embarrassing).  

 

To help lighten things up (so to speak) one of the other sergeants that was waiting his turn hollered out “more cardio, less Oreo’s” (I had to write that one down for use later).

Payday comes at the first of the month and it is a time to hit the local shops to stock up on the things that you can't get on base.

 

There are several shops around town that have "Western" items and are known for being friendly to foreign visitors. 

 

"Tamimi" market is a grocery store attached to the Sahara Mall.  For those of you old enough to remember, there used to be a string of stores in Texas and other states called "Safeway".  Knowing that they are not in Texas anymore, I now know where they moved to.  Take a look at the picture in the "Mall Ninjas" album and you'll see what I mean.

 

Frozen pizza is something cherished, especially when it is something as good as Red Baron.  When shopping you have to constantly remind yourself about the exchange rate of currency.  When I first saw the Red Barron pizza at Tamimi's I thought I was going to have a stroke when I saw the price....fortunately the price listed was in Saudi Riyals and not US Dollars. Still, the price came out to be more than I wanted to pay so pizza will have to wait until I get back to the states.

 

While cruising the mall you can't help but take in the sights.  In the mall they have the obligatory food court with all of the usual restaurants.  You might not recognize the names of the stores but their corporate branding speaks for them well.

 

If looking at the shops bores you there is always some pretty decent people watching.  My favorite is what I call the "Mall Ninjas". 

 

Muslim religion is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia and part of it requires that women must cover exposed surfaces of their bodies to prevent them from being seen by men. This applies only when they are in public.  The outfit they wear is called an "abaya" and includes the robe, headdress and scarf.  Some women will wear the scarf over their face while some will opt to wear either the full veil with a shear or eye slits for seeing. 

 

The Muttawa are religious police that wander the city and towns to enforce the Sharia law of Islam and if they catch Muslims breaking any of the laws they have the right to detain the person until a police officer can arrive and issue a citation or arrest the person.

 

Muslim women are forbidden from speaking with men who are not blood relatives to them.  If they are caught doing so it is equated to marital infidelity or prostitution. 

 

Needless to say, the women don't spend much time lingering when they are out and about.  Because of this they frequently can be seen hurrying around to get where they are going and to me at least, they look like Ninjas.  From the pictures you will see that some are larger than others or they are possibly concealing Ninja weapons.

The closest you will come to Pork in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is through one of the Harley Davidson dealerships.

 

Today we had a trade bazaar and local merchants brought out their wares for sale.  The most popular merchant was the Riyadh Harley Davidson dealership (http://www.harley-davidson-sa.com/).  The brought with them a 2009 Sportster and Rocker.

 

The bikes were available to ride provided you comply with Air Force regulations for operating a motorcycle on base property meaning that you must:

 

• Have A Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Course Completion Card
• Have A Motorcycle Operator License
• Wear A Reflective Vest (supplied)
• Wear Long Sleeves (ABUs will do)
• Wear Long Pants (ABUs will do)
• Wear Over The Ankle Boots (ABU uniform boots will work)
• Wear A DOT Approved Helmet (supplied)
• Wear Full Fingered Gloves (supplied)
• Wear Eye Protection (sun glasses will work)

 

Somewhere along the way there was a breakdown in communication and for some unknown reason the dealership was allowing people to ride the motorcycles without meeting all of the requirements to include civilian contractors and some active duty members.

The ride route was limited to the base and speeds were not to exceed 40km/hr.

Since the speeds we low and the traffic was non existent, I chose not to wear a helmet when it came my turn to ride.

After my turn the next two to ride were a couple of other firemen who also chose not to wear a helmet.  That is where it gets a little funny.

On their ride they were stopped by the Security Forces staff and asked where their safety gear was.  When they told them that they didn't have any they were then followed back to the Bazaar and a very stern warning was given by an officer from the Security Forces saying that they would shut down the riding if anyone else was seen driving without the appropriate attire.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

My need for a motorcycle ride fix has been satisfied but for how much longer I don't know....

There are some wild baboons that live very close to the base in a town called Heet.  It is maybe 15 miles or so from here and getting to it is very easy. 

 

Myself and a couple of other firefighters (Brian Hammes and Scott Vanderlaan) took off to find them.

 

What we found on our first trip a week ago was just some of the simple natural beauty of the arid country.....no monkeys.

 

We decided to try again a week later and Brian and I struck out on finding monkeys...no luck but we did find the Heet Cave.  It is at the base of the cliffs and walking up to it was fairly easy.  We had to drive past an old abandoned well house that has become the Saudi taggers preference for leaving their marks....as well as other tourists.

 

The cave itself leads deeper into an area where it meets the water table.  We didn't have any flashlights with us so we stopped at the entrance.  Plans are to head back out some day and go into the cave as far as we can.

 

Brian had to study and couldn't make the next trip back to the look for the baboons so it was Scott Vanderlaan and I.  We drove back to the exact same spot where Brian and I had been the day before and I'll be damn, they were there.

 

At first we only saw two baboons sitting up close to the edge of the cliffs.  There were also some Saudi Arabian's there having a picnic.

 

When we got out of the car with our fruit and vegetables the Saudi's pointed up the hill and looked at us and said something we couldn't understand.  Then they started to make this grunting sound and very soon there were several more baboons up on the ledge.

 

One of the Saudi's came over to us and we could understand that he was going to help us call the monkeys down.

 

We threw a few oranges up on the hill and it was like throwing free money out a window into a crowd.  The monkeys started coming out of the wood works and I counted 35 at one point.

 

The Saudi told us his name was Ahmad and that the baboons usually come out at 7am when they are hungry and that they really like bread.

 

While we were baiting the baboons in closer we had set a half a box of oranges behind us back towards the car.  Before we knew it, two of the baboons had snuck around behind us and were hauling ass away with our oranges.

 

They didn't get very far because they were soon swarmed by the other baboons who were stealing the fruit from them.  I hate to admit it but it looked an awfull lot like New Orleans after Katrina and as if they had a big screen plasma TV they were fighting for.

 

 

Won't bore you all with that though.

 

Coming to the Kingdom has been a blessing and a curse.  While I am seeing new places and experiencing new things they almost get lost in not having Jeanie and the kids here to share it all with. 

 

Getting on the plane to come over here was very difficult, especially when there were so many unknowns including the concerns over hostility towards Americans and the history of violence towards westerners in this country. The time I think that was the hardest was when I finished out processing and knew that I still had the chance to change my mind and not get on the plane.

 

The only thing that made it easier to get on the plane was the comfort of having the internet to communicate with home and to be able to see and hear everyone back there.  I am thankful for the gift of technology and am a little ashamed when I think back to what my parents and Jeanie's parents had to endure early in their lives with the great distances and with only occasional phone calls and letters.

 

Two months have gone by and it has been a flash....in a few more months I'll be flying back to celebrate Dylan's graduation, meet my new grandchild and catch up with friends and family before I head back to finish my contract.

 

I am looking forward to seeing you all soon!

10/22/2009 2:07:45 PM - 002094750705
Scott, thanks for adding us to your share group.

Yes, Cathie & I are still living in Memphis, 30 years now for me.

How long is your contract with the Saudis and do you get to come home for R&R during the duration of your contract?
Take Care
Tim & Cathie

10/2/2009 7:00:22 PM - 002063908162
Scott - Rich Klemme here - - - email me!

7/31/2009 1:17:29 PM - 002080991223
Hey Scott, I think I finally figured out how to talk to you on this site. Looks like that is a different world over there, I am guessing it is. Glad you had a good trip home. Thanks for all the wonderful pictures. Bye for now.

7/30/2009 1:49:08 AM - 001032543659
Ready for you to come back, babe.

4/9/2009 10:06:59 PM - 002063582841
ha i like the picture of the three camels in the back of truck they remind me of two ppl who resemble them and then i"m the one driving the truck haha

4/5/2009 10:19:12 PM - 002063427939
Why do the "sheets" that are worn look so white and clean yet smell so bad?

4/5/2009 1:55:56 PM - 002061670854
Ok, I'll trade places..you come home and I'll go there!

4/5/2009 2:08:10 AM - 002063517951
I think it great, you're becoming more like Marlin Perkins everyday! I'm so proud ;-) First the cats, then the baboons....you're an animal lover afterall, I always knew it!

4/3/2009 4:12:35 PM - 002063908162
Hey Scott - thanks for the invite! For someone who has been there a relatively short amount of time, it appears you have had a large amount of free time to study the baboons, weather, the multitude of flora in the area, and such. LOL!

3/28/2009 11:04:51 PM - 002062338212

3/26/2009 2:26:28 AM - 002061768097
Let me guess, the weather forecast for the next 2 weeks is even more boring than the one in West Texas.
Sunny (or Sunni), High around 120 with a slight chance of afternoon sandstorms. Chance of gritty precipitation 20%. Relative humidity - 5%. Dry lake wind advisories are in effect.

3/24/2009 12:49:40 PM - 002061670854
I miss my big brother!! You better stop looking like you're having fun and get your ass to work! Can't wait till May!

3/23/2009 5:37:02 PM - 002061575116
Just think, now you can check off on your bucket list...baboon calling!! Who da thought it!

3/23/2009 4:00:05 AM - 002061368716
Are the baboons good at pitchin washers? I've seen baboons pitch washers. Take care.

3/22/2009 12:33:34 PM - 002061357208
Neet stuff, Scott.... Is that your team in the Miami Dolphins shirts? How do I sign up?

Saudi Sand

If you want to see what a "dry" country looks like then watch the video...

Dust Storm Chasers

When you get REALLY bored in Saudi Arabia, you can always go out and chase dust storms and dust twisters!