Eid Al Fitr Celebrations In Riyadh!

Riyadh Municipality is organizing Eid Al Fitr celebrations for the year 2013 in over 200 locations around town. There's events for family, women only and children. It might be hard for expatriates to know where the festivities are and the timings. Finding the information in English is hard every year, unfortunately it's quite poorly advertised and promoted to the English speaking expats in Riyadh. I gathered some of my favorites here for you and your family to enjoy this Eid in Riyadh!
Eid Mubarak to all Blue Abaya readers!
For Blue Abaya's Top Ten List of Things To Do During Eid in Riyadh, go here: http://www.blueabaya.com/2013/08/top-ten-things-to-do-during-eid-al-fitr.html

 Locations:
King Fahad Football Stadium
Suspension Bridge
Prince Faisal Stadium
South of Salam Mall
East of King Abdulaziz Manakh Park
Al Ha'ir neighborhood

Prince Sultan University

National Museum Park right has lovely fountains, streams and light shows and is the perfect place for a family picnic! Nearby is the King Abdulaziz Historical Center folklore tent where traditional music, dances, poetry recital are performed. 

The King Fahad Cultural Center is set on a beautiful location on its own, situated on the edge of Wadi Hanifa. The center offers various activities aimed mainly at children and women only events.

What would Eid celebrations be without some traditional dances? The folklore tent at the King Abdul Aziz historical center, right next to the National Museum, offers some of the best shows! Dance groups come from all over the Saudi Kingdom; Eastern Province, Jizan, Makkah and of course, the Najd Ardha dances! The dance performances are shown on the first three days of Eid and start up around 5:30 pm continuing until after midnight.

The folklore tent also has poetry recital and it's a great chance to listen to old Bedouin love songs played with the 'Desert Violin', the Rababah. 

For a bird's eye view of the festival area, and the best place to view the Eid fireworks show from, go up the water tower located inside the amusement park next to the National Museum!

Top Ten Things To Do At Janadriyah Festival

This is an article I wrote for Destination Riyadh April Issue: "Top Ten Things To Do At Janadriyah Festival" it's a quick guide and tips on the most interesting things to do in the festival area. Janadriyah opening times are for families from Asr prayer around 4 pm until midnight every day until 19th April!
 
"The annually held Cultural Heritage festival Janadriyah is undeniably one of the most important cultural events of the year and a must visit for all expats in the Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia. This is when you can immerse yourself in the Saudi culture, enjoying what the real Saudi-Arabia and the friendly hospitable Saudi people have to offer.
This year the festival starts on the 3^rd of April and continues for two weeks providing unforgettable experiences for expats and locals alike. The vast festival area may seem daunting for first time visitors; there seems to be endless places to see and it might be hard to choose which areas to go to!

Here are my top ten recommended things to do in Janadriyah Village: 

• 1.      Sample the delicious foods of the Makkah area. Try the special drink Subiya, the mouth watering Kabab meero, special Saudi dumplings and the flat bread made on the fire. Enjoy your foods while watching a traditional Makkawi wedding party at the nearby auditorium.
  
  
  
• 2.      Watch the famous Al-Baha region dances. Get carried away by the catchy quick paced rhythm of the drums and watch in amazement as the dancers leap high in the air with their daggers in hand.  This area gathers the most spectators for a reason!
  
• 3.      Take a camel ride at the Qassim region square. Children will especially enjoy this activity while parents can sample the tasty fresh Kleja bread and mammoul from the nearby Qassim souk.
• 4.      Browse the Al Madina Al Munawara marketplace for exquisite perfumes, Saudi style leather sandals in a multitude of colors, fresh herbs and spices, colorful woven baskets, a wide selection of dates, gold jewelry and antiques
• 5.      See the hunting falcons at the Eastern Province area. The bravest visitors can get a chance to hold one too.
• 6.      Get in the festive mood by decorating yourself with a necklace made of Jasmine flowers at the Jazan region marketplace. Men can join in on the fashion craze and wear a headband of flowers.
  
• 7.      Discover the traditional treasures on display at the Najran area. Here you can find and purchase the traditional women’s dresses, unique Bedouin jewelry, pottery and wooden handicrafts all made by skillful Saudi craftsmen.
  
  
  
  
• 8.      Wander around the Hail region museums and discover how people used to live in a traditional mud house.
  
  
  
  
  
• 9.      For the best views of the Janadriyah Village, climb the Abha house up to the third floor. Don’t be discouraged by the rather unexciting appearance of the house from outside; once you step in you will be blown away by the colorful interior.
  
• 10.   Get quick henna tattoos on your hands at the women’s only building while admiring the skillful Saudi women weaving carpets from goat hair.

Have fun!

Expats Guide: Janadriyah Cultural Heritage Festival With children

Janadriyah 2013 is just around the corner so I thought of sharing with Blue Abaya readers the guide I wrote for the Women's Skills Bureau March Newsletter. The festival will begin on the 3rd of April continuing until the 19th April 2013. The first few days are men only and the King will inaugurate the festival with a spectacular opening ceremony Operetta on the 3rd April. The opening festivities will be televised live.

Family days are beginning from Monday 8th April. The festival area is open all day but schools visit during the mornings and to public they officially open the gates at 4pm (or after Asr prayer) and it's open everyday until midnight. The gates sometimes open early so it's worth going well ahead of time because of the bad traffic and parking. The entrance is free for all.

Guide To Janadriyah Cultural Heritage Festival With Children

 The annually held Cultural Heritage festival Janadriyah is definitely one of the most important cultural events of the year and a must visit for all expats in the Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia. This is when you can immerse yourself in the Saudi culture, enjoying what the real Saudi-Arabia and the friendly hospitable Saudi people have to offer.

This year festival starts on the 3^rd of April and continues for two weeks full of Saudi traditions and unforgettable experiences for the expats and locals alike. There is something for everyone at Janadriyah! Here are some tips on fun activities with kids and where to find the best places at the Janadriyah village for families. The vast festival area may seem daunting for first time visitors, there seems to be endless places to see and it might be hard to choose which areas to go to.

The best time to visit for families with children would be on the weekdays and it’s best to arrive as early as possible. Officially the festival starts at 4 pm, but on many occasions they will open the gates much earlier. There are plenty of vendors outside the gates selling everything from toys, silly hats and wigs, sunglasses, veil decorations, Saudi foods, flags and more. With luck it’s possible to find Saudi ladies who will make quick beautiful henna tattoos for 15 sr on visitor’s hands.

On weekends the festival area will get very crowded and the parking lot is disorganized and can get chaotic. Enter from the front gate, which is directly opposite the highway. Upon entering the area (admission is free for everyone) take a map from the info stands; they will have English language maps too. Staff will provide small children with wrist bands that have the parent’s mobile number on them in case they were to get lost in the area. It’s recommended to bring a stroller because the area very large and takes many hours to walk through.

It’s best to start out by exploring the Jizan and Farasan area directly to the left from the gates.  A large white wall marks the entrance. The Jizan dancers are fun to watch, their dance is very lively and the beat is fast and gripping. Children will love the show, the traditional fishing boats and there’s a camel running a sesame seed mill. From this area you can buy beautifully scented jasmine flower necklaces and flower hair bands for the kids (and why not adults too).

Continuing on, the next recommended areas are the Qassim with the high tower and the surrounding marketplace.  For kids there’s camel riding and from here it’s recommended to try out the Saudi foods. A must try are the Kleja breads made by the Bedouin women in an oven on site. Various kinds of delicious mammoul (date filled biscuits) can also be bought here.

To the left from behind the Qassim tower the road leads to the farm area where kids can see all the typical farm animals in Saudi Arabia. Continuing on forward from the farm area visitors will reach the other main road. At the end of this road are the Equestrian club areas where the statuesque Arabian horses can be seen.

The main road leads to the Medina region on the right hand side which can be recognized by the golden dome. 

It’s recommended to try out the foods here and see the men dancing the famous “spinning” dances. This area also has a nice bazaar for buying souvenirs.

Another area children will enjoy is the marketplace opposite Medina, here you can go on donkey carriage rides, climb on a huge fishing boat, see boa snakes and join in on the Saudi traditional children’s games.

If you’re interested in seeing the hunting falcons and for a chance to hold one, visit the Eastern Province section where you’ll also find a replica of the Qara caves and lots of Saudi craftsmen. The architecture is beautiful inside and outside of the houses.

For the girls and moms it’s worth visiting the women’s only hall where you can experience traditional Saudi women’s attire, music and dances. For the boys and dads there’s the Saudi National Guard exhibit next to the Makkah area where you can see tankers, helicopters other military equipment.

Janadriyah is the best way to take a quick course on the Saudi culture and customs and makes for a nice family outing.

Click here to download the WSB March newsletter full of useful info!

Why I Love The Janadriyah Cultural Heritage Festival

It's almost time for the annual Janadriyah Cultural Heritage festival, organized in 2013 for the 28th time. I for one have been waiting for this festival for months. I truly love going to Janadriyah and have been there every year since I came to Saudi in 2008 and some years I went on several days. The festival has surely changed a lot over the years but some things remain the same like the cheerful atmosphere.
Check out my Top Ten Things To Do At Janadriyah Festival here: http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2013/04/top-ten-things-to-do-at-janadriyah.html

The feeling of joy and happiness is simply contagious. One cannot go to this festival and leave with a sour face. Unless of course...

You happen to be a moral cop. Because boy does this festival have some loose morals!

That was a joke btw. I need to clarify to all the close minded negative nellies with no sense of humor whatsoever out there that I know stalk this blog just to find anything at all to complain about because their lives are so damn boring and uneventful. The rest of us feel sorry for you, now move along please!

Back to the topic, I think every expat in Saudi should visit this festival, not just to see the beautiful architecture, heritage and traditions of the various provinces, but to experience what the Saudi people are truly made of. This is such a unique chance to interact with Saudis from all over the Kingdom and embrace their culture. 

Time to take a cultural bath!

Trust me you will be surprised if you thought Saudis are rigid and don't know (or want to) have fun. Boy are you in for a shocker! At Janadriyah you will see Saudi women men and children laughing and having fun in public some dressed in funny outfits or wearing wigs,  hats and over sized glasses. Many women will be wearing beautiful decorations on their veils and men can be seen donning flowers in their hair! Who would have thought?

At Janadriyah village you will find the young and the old, the city people and the desert dwellers, the professors and the farmers, Sunni and Shii'a, craftsmen and women, Saudis of all backgrounds, colors and regions come together. Millions of Saudis flock here every year.

Janadriyah unites the Saudis.

That is what the true magic of this festival is all about. The national pride, the unity and the sense of togetherness just can't be experienced quite the same as it can be at Janadriyah.

Janadriyah is like a social experiment. An experiment that exceeds all expectations. An experiment which should be an eye opener to many. Saudis are fully capable of behaving in normal decent ways despite the mixing going on. I never once was harassed or approached in a negative way there, EVER. And let me tell you that I've visited this festival a total of 13 times with many friends of different races who share the same positive experiences. Everyone was genuinely welcomed and shown respect. No leering, flirting or passing of mobile numbers anywhere. So how is that for proof that allowing normal human interactions in the public sphere of Saudi Arabia does not result in chaos and havoc.

To some Saudis at the festival, a foreign visitor is almost as much of an attraction as the actual festival. Saudi women will come up to foreign women (especially blondes I guess) for a photo, or they will secretly film us with their cameras and phones. They might be giggling, in this instance not in a bad way but a genuinely curious and friendly way. The women might be shy to approach you so I would recommend foreigners take the initiative even if you don't know any Arabic. You will not regret it. They will want to welcome you to their country, know where you're from and what you think of the Kingdom. Some might want to show you around and explain the things going on.

Notice the "secret" photographers in the background :) We later talked to them and took lots of group photos.

"Welcome to Saudi-Arabia" is the most common phrase a foreigner will hear at Janadriyah. I encourage everyone to embrace the culture, get to know the Saudis. Laugh with them, dance with them, joke around with them. You will soon realize that they are just like anyone, like you and me. Don't be afraid to make the connection. You will remember these times for the rest of your life as the best moments of your time in Saudi Arabia.

Now I've been around a lot of expats here and I've heard over and over how it's impossible to meet Saudis or talk to them and how Saudis are such "insert negative adjective here" people. If you never met any let alone spoke to them, how can you even make a statement like that? There are rotten apples in every country and culture. Don't be that rotten apple of YOUR culture by thinking that Saudis are all bad.

Don't judge the whole nation just because when you went to the shopping mall a woman cut you in line or a man didn't open the door for you. Accept that there are differences in our cultures. Now I for one can say this is not always easy. I do rant, I do complain sometimes. But you know what guys? I still keep an open positive mind. I refuse to become bitter, hateful and isolate myself from the culture I happen to live in. Some of us are here voluntarily because we were interested in the culture and the country, many came just for the money, some followed their spouses and were thus "forced" to come.

Get out of your bubbles and compounds and visit Janadriyah with an OPEN heart and mind is my advice to you :) Leave your prejudices at home. Drop your guard. Open your mind.

The following is a photo collage from previous experiences from the festival over the years. Please DO NOT use these images without my permission. These are some of my most cherished memories and moments from the Magic Kingdom and I am sharing them with you to spread the joy and bridge the cultural gaps out there!

 Notice the bloke on the left? Definitely not a Saudi but he has joined the Makkah region wedding parade. Looks like he really embraced the culture!

Enjoy the pictures guys and if you like this post and Blue Abaya, please take a short moment to give some blog love for me by voting at the Weblog Awards. Blue Abaya is a finalist in the Best Asian weblog category. I know you can spare me a few moments and give a little something back as gratitude for sharing all the information, photos and time that I devout to you dear readers of Blue Abaya!

P.S I spent many days compiling this post for your enjoyment :)

Click here to vote: http://2013.bloggi.es/

P.P.S. The woman appearing in the photos is a good friend of mine who has worked the past five years in KSA and truly loves the Saudi culture!

P.P.P.S. Janadriyah festival starts on the 3rd of April and continues for 2 weeks onward.