Ten Pools In Riyadh To Cool Off In This Summer!

There's no doubt that summer is here to stay. It's getting hotter by the day with recorded temperatures reaching almost 50C! Lots of women are looking for swimming pools in Riyadh that could be used by females only. There aren't many olympic sized public swimming pools out there, but a few great options are available for those looking for a refreshing and cooling day out at the pool. Whether you're searching for an indoor or outdoor pool look no further!

This is my article from June's Women's Skills Bureau Newsletter "10 Ways To Cool Off In Riyadh"
The newsletter as a whole can be downloaded here.

Top Ten Swimming Pools In Riyadh

Summer is here and temperatures are expected to raise well above +40c daily for the next three months or so. What a better way to cool off than by spending a day at the pool! Here are ten swimming pools that women can use in Riyadh.

1.       The outdoor wave pool at Diplomatic Quarters Sport Club. The DQ Sports club outdoor and indoor pools have alternating days for women and men. The outdoor wave pool area is set in a beautiful garden and has water slides, kids pools and a restaurant. Membership required.

2.      Yibreen Spa outdoor pool. Located inside this secluded luxury spa, the pool and sun tanning/lounging area is accessible for members free of charge and with a fee for non members. The café offers healthy snacks and fresh fruit juices.

3.       Riyadh Golf Club Sports Gardens pools. A green oasis in the middle of the desert, the Golf club has plenty of outdoor activities for families including the outdoor pool, children’s pool, mini-golf, basketball and others. Membership required.

4.       Al Manahil ladies spa in the Diplomatic Quarter has a large indoor pool accessible for non members and by single payment. Modest swimwear required. Swimming classes for children and adults.

5.       Al Luthan women’s only Hotel and Spa has a beautiful indoor pool and also offers aqua fitness classes.

6.       Al Aghar Equestrian Club inside the Diplomatic Quarters has a private pool area that can be rented by the hour. Separate ladies/men’s days, Fridays are family day.

7.       Dirab Golf & Country Club located 44km outside Riyadh is a wonderful haven outside the hustle and bustle of the city. Two outdoor pools and also horseback riding available for ladies, abaya free zone.

8.       Al Multaka Ladies Center. In addition to an indoor pool,  AlMultaka offers a spa and beauty salon, library, shops and a restaurant.

9.       Many of the private hospitals in Riyadh have women only pools and offer classes with female instructors. Check out Obaid, Hammadi and Specialized Medical Center pools.

10.   For family pool time or pool parties, the area around exit 8 and 9 is lined with istiraha’s (small private resort) that can be rented per day for the whole family to enjoy or many families can rent one and share the costs. Fantasy Land, Yamama Resort and Splash Waterpark have aquaparks open to children only but they also offer private villas with small pools.

P.S For men I would recommend the Intercontinental hotel outdoor pools (men and children only) and Ritz Carlton indoor pool (men only)

The Secret Lake

Last weekend we visited one of my favorite spots in the desert, a place I like to call the "secret lake". Secret, because not so many people seem to know of its existence, which I think is for the better. Many popular picnic and camping spots have been ruined with litter by locals and expats alike. I last went to the lake in May when it still had deep water in it.

The lake grew sea weed and I even saw some fish in there. I was amazed by this tranquil place midst the harsh dry landscape. The area seems like the last place you would ever find water in!

Because the surrounding area is so dry, after the rains the water flushes down the dry hills into the valleys and they lead here to the lowest ground forming temporary lakes. There was so much water last spring that I thought it would never dry out.

I was wrong! In its place was a beautiful green meadow full of flowers though. Only one family was picnicking there. At the end of the lake there's a large green willows growing very tall reeds. A cacophony of birds and frogs can be heard there but mostly not seen.

The wind blows softly through the reeds, swishing them back and forth. It looks like waves in the ocean.The sound is so peaceful, so calming.

I could stare at it for hours and not get bored!

 Delicate like little snowflakes.

My friend Mandi who writes the blog Under the Abaya came with us and I'm so glad she enjoyed the trip despite the lack of water! After our little picnic we decided to climb up the hill to catch a better view of the lake.

 My husband watched the babies while Mandi and I made our way up the hill like nimble mountain gazelles (not).

A small sign of life peaking through from the rocks.

 It was very quiet and we were now the only people there.

 The sun was setting behind the hills and the light started to color the valley first a golden hew and then a beautiful pink color.

 The view from the top is beautiful!

Sunset behind the hills.

Mandi making her way down. Be careful of the loose rocks especially when coming down.

 This area is rich in fossils because it used to be the bottom of the ocean some 50 million years ago. I found this rock which I call the "caterpillar fossil".

The dried up river bed. We were in a hurry to leave the site shortly after sunset because it becomes very difficult to drive here in the dark.

The best chance to see this location with water in it is after heavy rains. It's raining today in Riyadh so there's a good chance water would accumulate here again if enough pours down from the skies! I'm letting my readers know about this location because I know you're all responsible, environmentally conscious people, right? And I take it nobody will leave trash there! If you see trash, take it away with you!

Directions:

Take Khurais Road toward the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ).Where Khurais Road splits, take the fork to the right on to the Makkah Highway East (Route 

40E)toward Salbouk. Drive to the second exit to the right for King Abdullah Street, going up the ramp toward the traffic lights. Stay in the left lane and reset your odometer to 0.0 km.

Turn left from the traffic light onto King Abdullah Street and drive straight to the large traffic circle. Go around it to the second exit where you turn right, down a road leads that leads to Wadi Hanifa area.

Drive downhill and shortly after you cross two bridges and bear to the left at the traffic lights at 1.7 km.

Cross a third bridge and you will see security gate to a large farm ahead of you. Pass it by turning left slightly downhill. Now you will see the walls of a palace on the left hand side and farm on the right. Keep going straight and pass the Wadi Hanifa park entrance on the left hand side.

The road will end in a t-junction where you will take a right, and then the road turns to the left shortly after.

Follow this wadi road and be careful because the road is in bad condition and has lots of potholes. Don't be discouraged by the scenery which is now pretty ugly! Shacks, garbage dumps and abandoned trucks and other vehicles spotted around everywhere.

Keep on this road and at 9.5 km bear to the right, do not go up the hill to the left. You will pass under the new Ring Road bridge and continue going straight. The road will become narrower and turn into a dirt track. 

There are three forks in the road before you reach the lake. From the first one you take a right and then shortly after a left. You pass by a gate to a farm on your right. Keep driving and the road is now very narrow and only doable with a 4x4. Keep on the left track. Just before the lake there is an abandoned farm on the left hand side. At 22 km which is the end of the road the lake will appear on the right. You can park the car anywhere but the best place is on either end of the lake where you can take a hike up the hills.

You can read Mandi's post from our trip here:
http://undertheabaya.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/a-great-week/

You Know It's Summer In Saudi When..

-the second you step outside you feel as if you've walked into a convection oven.

-you at the same time dread and wish for a gush of wind or even a breeze

-that gush of wind feels like someone is blasting the hairdryer on your face on full heat

-you take the sheets out to dry in the sun and after five minutes they have dried into something resembling crispy potato chips

-Saudis will only be seen outside after 8 p.m

-when all the trees and bushes in the desert have become brown and the camels have stopped eating them due to burnt taste

-camels hair turns black from burning in the sun

-your children thank you and actually laugh at pouring ice cold water on their heads and faces

-you can cook eggs on the car hood

-the car door handle is so hot you need to open it with the sleeve of your abaya

-you are thankful for the abaya that protects from second degree burns when you enter the car now turned sauna and sit on the leather benches

-you leave the house in your bikinis, under the abaya

-all movement in the city stops from noon to 4 p.m

-the Saudis finally think it's warm enough to swim in the pool but you think it has turned into a hot tub

-when your sunglasses turn foggy the minute you step out

-your face looks like a cooked tomato after about 2 minutes spent outside

-the hose water coming from the water tank is almost boiling hot and you can say your goodbyes to cold showers

-the temperature doesn't drop below 40c even in the night


-that Bebsi cola you left in the sun for 10 minutes has started boiling

-that book you read outside has melted and all the pages dropped off

-your cats scream and run back inside in panic after touching the scorching hot ground

-you discover that outdoor candles can handle fire, but not the Saudi sun!

Check out the Saudi-Finnish temperature table here:
http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/2010/11/saudi-finnish-temperature-table.html

8 Things To Do In Riyadh This March

Here's a list of some suggested activities for those in Riyadh this March.

1. Visit the International Riyadh Book Fair. The fair starts 6th March and runs through the 16th, open daily from 10 am to 10 pm at the Riyadh International Exhibition Center. There is an English books section, a female only area and an excellent children's book and activity area. Be sure to check out the religious police's hilarious stall where they display confiscated items such as T-shirts and poker chips.

2. Go to the desert! Spring is almost over and now is the time to see the desert in full bloom and the weather is not too hot yet. Easy to reach even with two wheel drives are the Red Sands area on Mecca highway and Thumamah sand dunes and park in the North. For further expeditions out of the city try Rawdhat Khuraim, directions in desert treks tab.

3. Visit the National Museum. SCTA is holding an exhibition "Recovered National Antiquities" in conjunction with the events of Al Janadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival 2012 until the 12th of March at the National Museum. Around the museum you will find lovely parks and fountains perfect for a stroll. http://www.imagesofsaudi.blogspot.com/search/label/National%20museum

4. Visit a compound function. For the expat ladies in Riyadh there are monthly coffee mornings in compounds such as Kingdom and Jadawel. Kingdom compound has the largest expat bazaar in Riyadh every first Monday of the month(5th March) and Jadawel 11th March. This month there's also a bazaar at Cordoba on the 15th and a craftsmarket at Najdi compound on the 21st.

5.Go watch the horse races at Riyadh Equestrian Club!
Located next to the Janadriyah village, the Riyadh Equestrian Club is open and free entrance for all. Races start after Asr on Fridays. There's singles, family and a VIP sections. You can rent your own viewing room complete with private service and dinner included, no abaya needed.
http://www.imagesofsaudi.blogspot.com/2012/02/winner-takes-it-all.html

6. See (or participate in!) a golf tournament. The Dirab Golf & Country Club is hosting the AMEX 19th Annual Golf Tournament on the 28th and 29th March. This golf club is worth visiting because it has stunning scenery, a nice restaurant, swimming pools and horse stables with beautiful Arabian horses. http://www.dirabgolf.com/Default.aspx

7. Join the Riyadh Road Runners! The running season continues until end of April and all levels of runners are welcome to participate. The next 10 km run is in Salwa compound on the 16th March starting at 8 am. More info on their website: http://riyadhroadrunners.com/index.html

8. Go to the desert every weekend for a nice walk with a group of expats! Email me for details, expats only!

P.S for those asking details for opening times/family days of National Museum please check this link: http://www.arriyadh.com/Eng/Tourism/Left/KingAbdula/getdocument.aspx?f=/openshare/Eng/Tourism/Left/KingAbdula/National-Museum.doc_cvt.htm

The Day of Rage from the skies

So it's March 11th, the much anticipated date of the "Day of Rage". It was supposed to be a day of protests around the Kingdom.
I was curious to see if anything would actually happen although I highly doubted it in the first place. Read my previous post on the Saudi revolution here.

What I saw today was a city empty of citizens but full of police and dust from a bad sandstorm. Police were stationed on all main roads, on the intersections and sides of roads were they had extra checkpoints. Helicopters were buzzing around the city centre.
Some imams had been cursing all state enemies in their friday sermons.

In the afternoon the sky started getting darker and thunder could be heard. After a while there was lightning and loud rumbling thunder. And then, all of a sudden hail the size of marbles started pouring down from the sky! Ouch, they really hurt when they pounded on my head as I bravely ventured out to take some pictures of this weird phenomenon!

I certainly felt the rage from the skies. But no signs of protesters. In the evening when the last prayer had finished most shops remained closed and the streets remained very quiet. Only the rain and thunder could be heard. People had been warned not to go on the streets and it looks like the government's plan worked.

I am sure that some sheikh is going to come up with a theory that the "state enemies" planning the protests brought on these extreme weather conditions. By upsetting God with their immoral actions, these "apostates" were the reason the thunderstorm and hail hit Riyadh! It would't be the first time immoral actions (or women) would be blamed for weather conditions or catastrophies.

The only form of protesting I saw in Riyadh this weekend was at the entrance of the International Exhibition center where muttawas had gathered to protest to women not covering their faces. This was the Riyadh Book Fair which is not gender segregated and muttawas of course detest it.
As I walked by with my friend we heard "cover face" "in Saudi-Arabia head" "cover head". Could they at least learn to say it in proper english? Anyways we ignored these religious zealots. Actually these were not the official religious police Haia'a aka CPVPV. They were so called freelancing muttawas, who dress and look like the real deal. Just to pass their freetime they like to shout at women and check the bookfair for forbidden books.

So no other rage in Saudi-Arabia at least this time around!

The four seasons of the Magic Kingdom

Before I moved to Saudi-Arabia I assumed the weather would mostly be hot and dry all year round without much variations. But I've come to realize there are in fact different periods in the year which could be defined as seasons, but very different to the ones we are used to in Finland or elsewhere in the western world. These following seasons would be more typical in Riyadh than in Jeddah where the climate is very humid year round.

The cold, rainy season
Characteristics for this season are the "cold" weather ranging anywhere between near zero in the mornings to +20c during the day. There might be heavy showers or occasional light rain but typically they won't last more than a few days at a time. This is the best time to visit the desert which will be blooming with green scenery and flowers after the rains. Begins usually around December lasting until February.

The sandstorm season
This is the worst time of the year in my opinion. It starts around February to March lasting until May-June. Saudi-Arabia is ridden with sandstorms from mild to moderate or severe with total lack of visibilty. Sometimes they come with thunderstorms, hail or rains mixed with dust resulting in muddy rain. The temperatures start rising eventually topping +40c at the end of the season.

The hot season
From around May up until October the mercury will not drop below +40c. This season is when most people want to leave the country. The dry heat might rise up to +50c degrees in the worst months and typically the nights will not bring much relief to the scorching heat.

The mild, clear season
This is my favorite season, although it usually doesn't last long, the weather is perfect from around October to the end of November. There are typically very clear skies with no sandstorms and the temperatures hover around a lovely +30c. Reminds me of weather on a perfect Finnish summer day, which we might be lucky to get a few times in a year!