Tuesday Ten From Saudi-Road Trip

Last week I skipped posting a Tuesday Ten because I was on a week long road trip around Saudi-Arabia. Our journey was awesome, surprising and eventful. Promise to post about it very soon with pictures from the most amazing places I never thought existed in the Magic Kingdom. For the Saudi Road Trip Part One from Riyadh to Abha post go here: http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2012/02/saudi-road-trip-part-one-riyadh-abha.html

So here is ten things from Saudi-Arabia life the past week..

En route on our road trip my daughter met her great-great grandmother in this small village south of Riyadh.It was an amazing experience to get in touch with relatives from many generations away. I could never imagine anyone in Finland having this chance but in Saudi people married early (she was married at 14) and had lots of children so that is how it's even possible.

It was Eid Al Adha time in Saudi and we saw LOTS of sheep on their way to Saudi families dinner tables. This also meant more traffic on the roads.

We bought five jars of delicious honey in the Abha mountains from this friendly  Saudi man who told us the honey had been harvested in the Yemeni mountains. It was so delicious!

Pink houses are very popular in Abha and Gizan, I really don't understand why this particluar color is so common. I've never seen so many pink houses and villas and all sorts of buildings anywhere around the world before. I think it's funny so many Saudi men actually live in "princess pink" houses! Read my post about the popularity on pink color (especially among men) in Saudi-Arabia here: http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-see-pink-people.html

I LOVE seashells! Another thing I collect from around the world. My house has LOTS of seashells as decorations all over, and also sand from around the world.

Most of the beaches on main Island of Farasan are ruined with trash! I was so saddened and disappointed to see even the one of the islands upscale hotel, the Farasan Coral resort was ridden with litter! Huge change from last visit in 2008 and big disappointment. To read more about trash and littering problem in Saudi-Arabia read this post: http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2012/01/recycling-saudi-values.html

These women were giggling and pointing at me following me around and acting really immature and rude. They started taking my picture with cameras and cellphones, which I don't have a problem with per se, but I do when people are openly making fun of me. So I whopped out my BIG camera and started taking their picture, they turned around and got upset. Sheesh.

Back in Riyadh this week at Dirah souq they were selling these huge rings with a container on them, for what we asked? Apparently drugs like hashis LOL I think the salesman might have made that up to make them seem more exotic or something.

This is the first all blue abaya I have found on sale in Riyadh at this very same souk. I didn't like the design of the abaya that much so I didn't buy it.

My baby has been under the weather this week and that's another reason I haven't had time to post. She felt a little better and we took a walk around the Diplomatic Quarter parks. She loves to look at the fountains there and it seemed to cheer her up. The weather was perfect for a picnic this time of the year in the Kingdom the weather is so lovely and pleasant not too hot or cold yet. We are expecting the winter rains to start soon though and that should make everything look more green and more flowers will start blooming soon.