Riyadh, KSA
Intro:
When I first wrote this guide, many years
ago, the amount of info available on Riyadh though the Internet was negligible.
Having returned here after a lengthy break, I’ve decided to bring this page
kicking and screaming into the 21st century with more (relevant)
hyperlinks. UPDATED:
04-June-2012
I have written this article with a sense of humour garnered from 18 years in
the Middle East. Please try to read it in a similar vein – no offense is
intended.
Oh, and if you find it useful and decide to copy it, please don’t try to pass
it off as your own work as several unscrupulous people have. Give me credit
where it is due!
General:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is ruled by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
King Abdullah & lies between latitude 16° and 32° north and longitude 34°
and 56° east and has an estimated population of 21.5 million of which half are
under 20 years old. The land area is approximately 2,240,350 square kilometers,
and has a diverse topography. It has only seasonal rivers and no lakes. It is
bounded on the north by Iraq & Jordan, with Yemen & Oman to the south.
East is the Arabian Gulf and west is the Red Sea. The capital city, Riyadh, is
situated at 25° North and 47° East and occupies the Najd plateau at approx
1000m above sea level, with many deep gorges in the outlying districts. The
capital currently covers some 2000km². The population of Riyadh is 4.46 million
of which many are transient expats, and this figure is expected to rise to 11
million by 2020. The name Riyadh means “the gardens” and refers to the date
palm plantations along Wadi Hanifa
to the west of the city.
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyadh
Language:
Arabic is the official language, both written and spoken, although English is
very widely used, especially in business and most road signs etc. are bilingual
(there are still some Arabic only signs, although attempts at entry to WTO and
tourism are prompting changes). Saudis do not expect westerners to know their
language and there is generally little difficulty in making oneself understood
in English. It does however help oil the wheels if one comes out with the odd
phrase or two of Arabic, particularly those of courtesy and greeting. Do not be
afraid that by using the odd phrase an Arab will assume that you have a wide
knowledge of his language and will launch into a long spiel by way of a reply;
it rarely happens that way. The more usual reaction is that he gives you an
appreciative smile and then proceeds to show you how good his English is. Most
people on arrival soon pick up phrases like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and also
acquire the ability to count, i.e., to find out prices; it is also necessary to
learn a new set of written numbers as our so-called “Arabic numerals” are
different from theirs (١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩٠ = 1234567890). Beyond that stage, few expats venture
and even fewer delve into the mysteries of the Arabic alphabet which is written
from right to left.
Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog are also widely spoken in their own respective circles.
Learn Arabic: http://arabic.speak7.com/
Climate:
The ambient temperature is hot (to say the least) in summer (May to September),
with official temperatures of 45°C being registered. Humidity all year is
usually very low. What may surprise you is how cold a winter morning can be. It
has been known to approach zero, and snow sometimes falls in the Asir Mountains to the southwest (I wouldn't bother to pack
your skis though!). Sand storms can come out of nowhere and rain is slight and
comes in short bursts, when it can be bothered, and amounts to some four inches
a year, with four times that in the mountains. As an obvious word of warning,
if you are a little thin on top (or have short cropped hair), wear a hat; a sun
burnt scalp is not pleasant. As my Aussie mates would say Slip Slap Slop.
Riyadh Weather: http://www.wunderground.com
Social Customs:
The lack of provision for social life arises from a basic cultural difference
in Arab life in that they are extended- family-orientated and have fewer social
contacts outside the family circle, whereas the reverse is true for Westerners.
The Arabs spend most of their time visiting family members’ homes and have less
need for external provisions for social life of the kind we would take for
granted. A further, direct consequence is that social contact between Arabs and
Westerners is largely nonexistent, no matter how friendly they are in work.
Another constraint on social life is that a bachelor is considered a dangerous
man to an Arab and as such is a threat to his wife and daughters. He is
therefore to be avoided socially. Such social gatherings that do exist are
segregated into “families” and “bachelors”, often by simply restricting
bachelors to the most unpopular times of day or week. Segregation of the sexes
is a fact of life and Arabs will defend their opinions on the subject with all
the fervour of someone who knows that not everyone agrees with it. In Saudi all
local women are required to wear the veil (hijab) and
black robe (abayah), however for the Western woman, the abayah should suffice during shopping expeditions
to avoid the onslaught of the Muttawa and carrying a
scarf just in case is always a good plan. Western women never, however, feel
entirely comfortable in the presence of a majority of Arab men as the latter’s
upbringing probably gives them some strange notions about women, particularly
non-Muslim ones. It is suspected that inside the Arab home, women play a much
more dominant role than outside; this gives them a curious advantage in that
they are treated to a Westerner’s eyes, with an exaggerated old-world courtesy.
Hospitality and generosity are usually deeply ingrained and genuine, and
considered high virtues. A person who regularly practices these virtues gains
the respect and reputation of not having been negligent in assuming his or her
responsibility.
A feature of the Hejira calendar is the holy month of
Ramadan, which according to the lunar cycle should run for 28
days. During this period Muslims are required to fast by day, however they make
up for this by partying all night. The fasting is taken very seriously and in
public places, which includes offices, even non-Muslims must abide by Islam
which means no eating drinking or smoking (or other pleasures!) during daylight
hours, although for the expat a room is normally set aside for meals, hidden
from normal view.
All men in the Arab World are greeted with a handshake and entering a meeting,
you will be expected to greet everyone in the room this way. Do not attempt to
shake an Arab woman’s hand unless she offers it first.
Saudi Arabia is the home of Islam; therefore
prayers are followed strictly. There are 5
prayer times each day – Adhan (Call to
prayer) can be heard at Sunrise [Fajr] (though the
call for this one is very early!), midday [Dhuhr],
afternoon [Asr], sunset [Magreb]
and evening [Isha], obviously times change throughout
the year. For those Muslims found standing around the streets
during prayer time, there is the Muttawa (religious
police) who will round up ne'er do wells and pack them off to the mosque. Their
other tasks include deciding what is (or not) "haram"
(against Islam), therefore you will find a lot of censorship and odd items
missing from shelves.
Strictly speaking, photography is not permitted in Saudi Arabia. However,
cameras and photographic shops are common and, in practice, you should simply
be careful not to photograph anyone without his or her permission; or any
building, installation or other place which might offend local sensitivities
about security (construed very widely) or privacy.
As Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state, the importation, production and sale of alcohol is prohibited, though many expats brew
for their own consumption in their own home, and an almost blind eye is turned
to this, however, transportation of alcohol is seen as distribution and
severely punishable. Whilst fermenting is largely ignored, distilling is
frowned upon - do so at your own risk. Do not offer alcohol to any Saudi
“friends” you may have – they tend to exact revenge if your source dries up.
Time and Hours of Business:
Local time is 3 hours ahead of GMT. The Hejira
calendar is in use, so the weekend is Thursday and Friday, however for some
companies you can expect to work some of Thursday. Working hours for Saturday
to Wednesday vary so widely that it seems a waste of time putting them in here,
especially as everywhere closes at prayer time,
however a 48 hour working week is quite common. As in other Islamic countries,
expect working hours to be dramatically reduced during the holy month of
Ramadan which changes by 11 or 12 days each year depending on the cycle of the moon and in 2012 will start on (or around) Friday,
the 20th of July and will continue for 30 days until Saturday, the 18th of August. Banks also seem to open all weird and wonderful hours however
you can seem to “bank” on them being open between 8.00 & 12.00 Saturday to
Wednesday, some also open in the evening from 4:00 to 6:30 (especially around pay
day) but this practice is variable and taken on chance as is the odd branch
opening the occasional Thursday, 09:30-12:00. (Note as of this update [May2012]
I’ve seen opening hours from 7:30-15:00, 08:00-12:00, 17:00-20:00
so check with your personal bank as to their own particular hours). With the introduction of internet banking,
this would now appear irrelevent. Shop hours are an
unknown quantity but core hours are definitely 9.00 till 12.00 and 4.30 till
10.00 Saturday till Thursday. The larger food stores stay open 24 hours (except
for prayer times). Friday is potluck but generally evenings only, and 24hour
supermarkets will close their doors at around 10:30 for midday prayers. (See
Shopping). Government departments work in the region of 7:30 till 2:30, but
these hours should be taken with a liberal fistful of salt!
Public Holidays:
Variable holidays are based on sighting the moon and include: Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
& Eid al-Adha (Feast of
the Sacrifice). 23 September is Saudi National Day.
Note: Christmas is not recognised in
Saudi Arabia and most expatriates are expected to work on Christmas Day unless
you have a prior arrangement with your employer (some do appreciate the fact
that the Christian world like to celebrate too).
Health and Hygiene:
There are apparently no real health risks in Saudi Arabia for anyone who is fit
on arrival, likes an open air life and takes the usual precautions necessary in
any hot climate, however vaccination against TB, polio, hepatitis and tetanus
is recommended. Jizan in southwestern Saudi Arabia is
potentially malarial and visitors to that area should consider taking adequate
precautions. During the Haj period visitors need to
show they have had a meningitis vaccination. Another problem is that of
dehydration and as a consequence plenty water must be drunk, especially for
those with jobs having an outdoors involvement. Note that all potential
residents in Saudi must undergo an AIDS and Hepatitis test, with a positive
result meaning immediate entry being refused. (See also Medical Facilities)
Information from WHO
Visas:
Saudi has an Israel boycott, which means that Israelis and those having an
Israeli stamp in their passport are not admitted. All visitors except nationals
of GCC states require visas and a passport with more than 6 months validity. If
you have worked in the country before and are returning on the same passport
under a new employer a ‘No Objection Certificate’ must also be presented. A
medical must be passed in order to complete your residency procedure, which
includes an AIDS test. It is advisable to bring originals of all certificates
in your possession; these should include, but not limited to, Birth, Marriage, (Death?) Qualifications,
British/International driving license, etc. For security lodge copies of
them in a safe place in the UK. To speed the residency paperwork on its way it
would be useful to bring at least 20 passport sized photographs. Once in
possession of a residency stamp an exit/re-entry visa will be required for all
travel however this is usually a formality. A single exit visa will cost you
200SR and a 6 month multiple exit is 500SR. For identification purposes you
will be required to carry an Iqama, issued to you on
completion of your residency procedure. This will be given to you in exchange
for your passport, which will be kept in the company safe, and returned when
you need it in exchange for the Iqama, and vice versa
when you return.
(See also Residency)
Money:
The local currency is the Saudi Riyal, usually written “SR” or "SAR",
sometimes before the amount, sometimes after. It is subdivided into 100 Halalas. There are 10, 25 & 50 Halala
coins (though it is rare to see them and you will often be given chewing gum in
lieu of coins!) and 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 & 500SR notes. At the time
of writing the exchange rate is approx. 6SR to the GB Pound and is tied to the
US Dollar at 3.75SR. It is freely convertible and has no restrictions, although
you may not find any at some UK banks or airports. Both cash and traveler’s
cheques are readily converted at the various moneychangers, but it would help
to bring about 200SR in case of any hassle at the airport. All major credit
cards are accepted in malls and supermarkets as well as some smaller shops, and
your cards will work in most ATMs or can be used over the counter at banks to
obtain a cash advance. Due to money laundering and anti terror legislation, the
most you can withdraw from an ATM if is SR5000 per day. Expat Residents are
actively encouraged by banks to open a local account however you should shop
around to see what each one offers. Under Islam interest on bank accounts is
not allowed. If you are to be paid into a UK bank account, check the
possibility of getting some of your salary paid locally, as transfer charges
can be excessive. The reverse is also true, though to a lesser extent if you
will be salaried in Saudi but wish to send money home - banks will telex money,
but a cheaper alternative is to use one of the many “Remittance Services”. Two
that are recommended are Al Rajhi Banking &
Investment Corporation, and SpeedCash (Saudi American
Bank - SAMBA) - Both are fast and efficient, although you will have to go to
their offices with cash and a note of the account details to which the money is
to be sent. The latter will issue you with a plastic card with a number that
will access your details from their computer database, making the transaction
that much quicker. The advent of internet banking has largely replaced this for
Western Expats, though many Asians without bank accounts still use the
remittance services. Also worthy of note here is that Bahrain, home of Pubs ‘n’
Pork takes Saudi Riyals in most of the larger establishments.
Religion:
Saudi Arabia is an exclusively Islamic (Muslim) kingdom and Islam governs
nearly every aspect of life. The public
practice of any form of religion other than Islam is prohibited in Saudi Arabia
and even private service in homes have been known to
have been raided. Severe punishment (imprisonment and deportation) can result
should such activities come to the attention of the authorities. The
authorities also stamp firmly on attempts at proselytisation
or conversion of Muslims to Christianity. (However, non-Muslims are free to
worship in their own homes). Entry to Mecca and Medina (the two holiest cities
of Islam) is strictly forbidden to all non-Muslims though access to the
outskirts of Medina (e.g. the Sheraton Hotel) is allowed. Saudis take their
religion very seriously. Over a billion Muslims throughout the world face Mecca
five times daily in prayer and it is a major expression of faith for every
Muslim to make the pilgrimage (Haj) to the shrine (Ka’aba) and other religious sites at Mecca and Medina once
in his/her lifetime. The Muslim holy day is Friday.
Before you travel:
If you do not already belong to a “Frequent Flyer” scheme, then it is advisable
to join one now. Flights to Saudi have been known to be double
booked and passengers removed. Those holding FF cards for that airline are
given preference, although the airline should compensate you if you are bumped
off. Another privilege of membership is that you are often given a bigger
luggage allowance enabling you to bring out all the things you think you might
need.
Arrivals:
King Khalid International
Airport is quite big and
fairly light, and you will usually land at a pier and not have to suffer the
heat until you are outside the arrivals hall. Most major airlines serve Riyadh,
however you may find that your company has a deal with Saudia,
offering you no choice for annual tickets - there is a free choice of others
you buy yourself. There is no duty-free area in the arrivals hall of the
airport (that said, there is only a very limited one
in departures!). Proceed to the lower level, here you will find immigration. The
queues are generally long and inefficient and everyone is treated with
suspicion particularly if you are of Asian descent, however western expats do
tend to receive a little more courtesy. You should present both passport, and
landing card (first time visitors) that the airline gave you on the plane to
the officer here- note that most info for the card is in your passport, but in
addition, you need to know the name and address of your sponsor. Visiting wives
may be dragged out to the arrivals hall to get their husband to come through
and take over immigration proceedings! Once through this you can now search for
your luggage. One word of warning here: “Fragile” seems to be Hindi/Urdu for
“throw heavily onto the conveyor” so try to carry your breakables with you. If
you are lazy, or your luggage is particularly heavy, a porter can be hired to
see you through customs. Now walk over to customs desks, still in the main
baggage hall, where you will be searched. Sometimes it involves putting your
bags through the x-ray machine, sometimes a thorough item-by-item search
(although you will have nothing illegal will you?). They will be looking for
alcohol, drugs of any kind, pork products, pornography and any pirated
software/videos etc. From here it is out into the arrivals hall where someone
may be waiting for you. If they do not appear to be there (as they weren’t for
me) take a look outside as they may be sitting in the comfort of their
air-conditioned car. If you don’t have any Saudi Riyals these can be bought from
the many banks in the waiting area after customs. Bear in mind though, that
when a traveler from the Indian subcontinent returns his/her whole family and
friends will be waiting for them, so be patient or agree to meet, say, at the
hotel booking desk to the left from terminal 1 right from terminal 2. If you
are doing your own thing, turn left and proceed to the
domestic terminal, (about a kilometer walk!) here you will find the car rental
desks and if you are lucky, one of them will be manned. There are the
ubiquitous Airport taxi drivers who will hassle you as soon as the customs
doors open "Taxi Sir?" I'm not sure how legal these are, but they
don't have meters although they may offer a receipt (Fatoura)
and the fare is negotiable - aim as close to 50SR as you can get for CBD and
you are doing well, but certainly not more than 75SR.
Hotels:
I am no longer listing hotels here as there are many sites that do a better job
than I could ever do.
I use www.agoda.com or www.booking.com
Wherever you are staying, don’t forget to ask for a
discount. These apply to weekdays, weekends, and long stay.
(See also Dining Out)
Registration:
Due to the ever-potential threat of war, terrorism, etc. it is advisable to
register your residence at your National Embassy as soon as possible after
arrival and you will be given contact details of your local warden, whose job
it is to inform you of any change of status etc. Most Embassies are located in
the Diplomatic Quarter to the West of the city. The British Embassy also ask
you to re-register each January and advise of final departure; if you do not
re-register in January, they will assume you have left and remove you from their
database.
The British Embassy. Tel.:488 0077, Fax: 488 2373
website: http://ukinsaudiarabia.fco.gov.uk/en/
The U.S. Embassy. Tel. 488 3800, Fax: 488 7360 website: http://riyadh.usembassy.gov
Getting Around:
Driving (always) and navigating (at first) can be quite dispiriting and the
kamikaze nature of driving standards in Saudi should never be underestimated.
Don’t get me wrong, Saudi’s don’t drive that badly, but add them to the TCN’s
with licenses and you have a recipe for disaster. The
good, wide roads look deceptively easy to the novice until he has his first
near miss (within five minutes of taking the wheel) and his first crunch
(probably within his first month). Most British expats find that driving on the
“wrong” side of the road is the least of their problems (it’s a strange day
when you don’t see the aftermath of at least one accident). Road signs are in
Arabic but most directional ones have English subtitles, however most of these
do tend to be located at turn offs, rather than just before them, making last
minute maneuvers an everyday occurrence. Street names tend to be Arabic only so
learn your way by landmarks such as “Pepsi Street” “French Corner” and “Fish
& Chip Street”, that said, before you travel look at Google Maps for orientation, and when you first think of finding
your own way around, get a copy of the Farsi map – It’s surprisingly accurate, but be sure to check
which way is north as one side is rotated about 45° to the other. With the
increase in technology since this was first written, by far the best way to
navigate Riyadh is with a GPS. Garmin produce excellent Middle East based maps and are remarkably accurate, until the Baladiya (Council) dig up
the roads. The “slow” lane on a three-lane road is the middle one, also making
for interesting negotiations as traffic merging from the right immediately
crosses two lanes of faster moving traffic. Women are forbidden the privilege
of personal mobility and must resort to limousines (taxis), private drivers or
compound shuttle buses, and while seatbelts are compulsory, many here value
lives very lowly and regular sightings of children on
the dashboard are the norm. Traffic police have speed detection devices, including a lot of
cameras that weren’t here a few years ago and the penalty for exceeding the
speed limit is a standard 150SR fine and can include 24 hours in the traffic
jail with up to 3 days and a 900SR fine being the maximum, however for reckless
driving up to 1500SR fine and 20 days and 20 lashes can be handed out, with all
but prison for passengers! Beware, this will probably
apply to Drunk Drivers too.
All cars here are air conditioned, with a mixture of automatic or manual
transmission, rental cars tending to be Japanese/Korean compacts or American
tanks, the only exception apparently being Avis who offer Opel Vectras. There are a few car rental souqs
in Riyadh, notably East of junction 13 on the Dammam
Highway (AKA Kourais Road), Old Airport Road (AKA
King Abdul Aziz Road), Olaya Street and of course you
can get a car at the airport. Major players include:
Sixt: www.sixt.com
Avis: www.avis.com
Budget: www.budgetsaudi.com
Hanco: www.hancoworld.com
Expect to pay in the region of 90SR per day for a compact car.
Forget long-term lease as a way of getting a car; it
is far cheaper to buy and there are few restrictions on purchasing your own
vehicle, new or second hand (other than having to have a family for a 4x4 but
there are ways “around” this, and only two cars per expat), and prices are
reasonably cheap, however, of note is that you must either sell or export the
car in order to obtain your final “exit only” visa. Insurance is now compulsory
in Saudi, called Ruhksa, which insures your license
for a Riyal-a-day, whilst fully comprehensive insurance varies between 2.5 to
4% of the market value of the car. Cars over 3(?) years old require an MOT (AKA
MVPI (Motor Vehicle Periodic Inspection). As in most middle eastern countries
there is a pecking order when it comes to apportioning the blame of an
accident, i.e., A Saudi is never to blame, even if he/she rear ends you!
However if a westerner runs into the rear of say, an Indian, then the Indian is
at fault - totally unfair, but true. Petrol stations are open 24 hours to provide
the local boy racers all night entertainment. The price of petrol without UK
duty etc. is a laughable 45 or 60 Halalas per litre
[91 or 95 octane] (12-16c / 7-10p ish). It is
important to note that ‘in town’ petrol stations close for prayers, however out
of town/highway stations tend to stay open regardless. The road system is
fairly Americanized, being based around blocks and it is difficult to get lost
within the confines of the ring road (N.S.E. & W.) – just head for one of
the two new towers (See Below), or if outside the ring road system, look for
signs to the airport – these invariably lead to a ring road. The motorways are
named with the place they ultimately head to – e.g. Dammam
Highway, Makkah Road, Kharj
Road, etc. Speed limits are (allegedly) 45kph in urban areas and 80 to 120kph
on motorways. Turning right against a red light is accepted practice, however
one should make sure it is safe to do so first!
The two prominent towers in Riyadh are Faisalia Tower
and Kingdom Tower. They both lie between King Fahd and Olaya
roads, with Kingdom tower being the more northern of the two. Faisalia is the pointy one with a ball topped by a diamond,
while Kingdom Tower is known affectionately by expats as the “giant bottle
opener”, or “Pokemon Tower” due to the resemblance to
Pikachu ears on top, made more poignant as Pokemon is
banned in Saudi!
Public transport within Riyadh is below average, consisting of brown, cream and
orange minibuses of indeterminate age and route for men only and limousines
(taxis) - these are all white with a white light on the roof and will pick up
from home etc. or can be hired from an office. If you find a driver you feel
you can trust (especially for women) ask if he has a mobile number. Taxi fares
are reasonable and are metered for Ar-Riyadh
Limousines. They start at 5SR and are based on the usual calculation of
distance/time according to speed - there should be a table in the car showing
this.
Traveling out of Riyadh there are Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) Air Conditioned buses, which ply routes to all major
cities within the Kingdom and have a separate “Ladies Section” in the back (I
know several ladies who have used this service and they tell me it’s clean and
safe). There is also a rail system, however the route is limited to Riyadh to Dammam, with stops in Hofuf &
Abqaiq, and the fare for this 4 hour, 565km journey
is 60SR, First Class! For enquiries, tel
448 0131. As of August 2003, there was talk of a tram system in Riyadh –
as at May 2012 this has still not materialized, however Princess Noura University for Women has a monorail system and King
Abdullah Financial District has plans for a Monorail loop too, with connections
to a light rail network, but no sign of it being constructed to date.
Accommodation:
Renting is the only way an expat can get a house in Saudi Arabia and as with
other towns, Riyadh has its fair share of compounds. This is not to say you
can’t find accommodation outside compounds; far from it – there are many
apartments available at reasonable rates, furnished or otherwise, some even
have a pool. These however are really only to be considered by dedicated
bachelors, as your family will not thank you for the wrong decision. They can
be sought mostly in the Arabic press, so get a translator at work to find one
for you and can be had for as little as 15,000SR per year unfurnished.
Compounds range in size and facilities, but as a rough guide a 2 bedroom villa
can be rented for 45 – 55,000SR if you shop around and become more expensive
depending on location and facilities. Also check how your accommodation
allowance will be paid, as many compounds expect a year’s rent paid in advance,
whilst some will accept 6 monthly payments, and only a few will take monthly
payments, often at a premium i.e. 55,000 will quickly become 70,000 if paid
monthly.
There appear to be two distinct types of accommodation available; prefab
buildings with window type a/c units, and concrete built with central a/c –
obviously this reflects on the price, as does the amount of “furnishings” that
go to make a furnished flat – some offer only basic furniture while others
include a “soft pack” i.e. bedding, crockery, cutlery, etc.
Most rental prices appear to be all inclusive but check before you sign and be
sure to take a reader of Arabic with you if your rental agreement is not in
English. A phone call will normally see any repairs carried out reasonably
quickly on a compound; however, if you are outside it helps if you are keen on
DIY. One point to look for when choosing your accommodation is covered parking;
as the inside of a car can reach 70°C making touching the steering impossible
without first removing your socks to use as gloves. Another point to note is
that of noise pollution - Check the vicinity of the nearest mosque as the sound
of earlier morning prayer call can be quite alarming,
and the sound of locals collecting friends by honking their horn at all hours
is annoying.
As you will probably notice when you arrive, Riyadh is a big building site,
with the city constantly expanding and evolving, and as such, all rent prices
outside compounds are negotiable. Most of the accommodation is however light
and modern and once settled into they can be made to look quite attractive
however there is no getting away from whitewashed walls. (See Compound List at
end)
Security:
Crime is quite rare, and what there is tends to be fairly minor. There are
regular police roadblocks checking for paperwork to cut down on illegal
immigrants etc. As well as normal policemen, there is also the “Muttawa” a name that strikes instant dread and fear into
every western expat, although it shouldn't. They are the “Religious Police” and
are merely there to see that morals are upheld. As long as you remember that
you are in an Islamic Kingdom and dress accordingly in public there should be
no problem. If you are stopped by them (you'll recognize them as the leader
will have a short thobe (Arab dress) long beard and a
gutra without iqal, they
also drive GMC Suburbans) do not go with them unless
they have a uniformed officer with them.
Saudi Legal System (as described by the British Embassy, Riyadh)
1. Laws are based on the Muslim Holy
Book, the Quran. The system is often known as “sharia”.
Punishments for some offences are harsh by British standards, but the Saudis
understand that the ways of non-Muslims are different from their own and they
will not generally interfere with what foreigners do quietly, privately and
discretely. Foreigners who take advantage of this to break the law are running
serious risks. The Saudis are protective of their reputation of having a
well-ordered society. They will not allow foreigners to put it at risk.
2. British Consular Staff will do what they can to assist UK nationals who are
caught disobeying Saudi law. In most cases this is restricted to giving advice
and attempting to ensure that the normal correct Saudi legal processes are
followed. A British Consul cannot save UK nationals from the consequences of their
own actions – e.g. the implementation of customary punishment (e.g. lashes for
alcohol offences).
3. Murder and sexual immorality such as adultery or homosexual acts carry the
death penalty in Saudi Arabia, as does apostasy (renunciation of the Muslim faith).
The death penalty is carried out in public, usually by beheading. Serious
and/or persistent theft is punishable by cutting of the thief’s right hand.
This, too, is done in public, usually in front of the main Mosque after mid-day
prayers on Friday.
4. Under sharia law,
non-payment of debt is considered a crime, and sufficient reason for
imprisonment; imprisonment does not discharge the debt. It is therefore
important both to avoid getting into debt personally and to keep careful
accounts of any employer’s funds or goods, which pass through your hands. You
can be held personally responsible for company debts, too, if you are
considered the sole company representative in Saudi Arabia. Experience shows
that debt cases are often the most difficult to resolve.
5. Motor insurance, including third party cover, is available in Saudi Arabia,
but it is not compulsory and some Muslims have scruples about the principle of
insurance. An expatriate should not assume that he is covered for third party
claims even when he is driving his employer’s vehicle on business: he should
check that he is adequately covered. (Note: 3rd party insurance is available at
1SR/day!)
6. Sentences for alcohol offences range from a few weeks or
months imprisonment for consumption to several years for smuggling,
manufacturing or distributing alcohol. Lashes can also be part of the
sentence; and a hefty Customs fine if smuggled alcohol is involved. The
authorities also hand out stiff penalties to people found in possession of
equipment for making alcohol.
7. The Saudis take a particularly serious view of drug offences. The death
penalty is frequently imposed on drug smugglers, including foreigners, and
sometimes also on minor traffickers found guilty on a second or subsequent
charge. Possession of even the smallest quantity can lead to a 2-year prison
sentence.
8. Imprisonment in Saudi Arabia is a trying and uncomfortable experience; its
purpose is punishment, not rehabilitation. Prisons are generally overcrowded
and, for much of the year, hot. Exercise, if any, is an occasional privilege.
Visits are allowed regularly, though under difficult conditions.
Postal Services:
The local postal system is inefficient and letters can take weeks to travel
literally a few meters (I’ve been waiting 4 weeks for my ATM card), which
contrasts greatly with air mail to and from the UK which can take as little as
3 to 5 days (usually bills!). A Post Office Box is required for all mail except
couriers who require a physical address. Outgoing mail is
generally reliable, but before using it check whether your company has a
regular mailbag home or find someone going home, if not a trip to the post
office is in order. Also available are various courier services, e.g., TNT, DHL
(AKA SNAS), FEDEX and Aramex. The latter have a Shop And
Ship scheme that allows
you to have both UK and US pseudo mailboxes to enable deliveries from companies
such as Amazon.Com
Doing Business
First of all, do be patient. Appointments and requests may be delayed by more
pressing and higher priority demands (like cups of tea and phone calls to
friends).
Whilst private sector companies have regular working hours, the locals have
many other pressing engagements to attend to. Their working hours therefore may
appear to be shorter than those of the expat. Try not to arrange meetings first
thing in the morning.
Government departments on the other hand are a hive of activity (sorry, a
little joke there!). If you find you do have dealings with a government
department, try to aim for between 10:00 and 12:00 as this will catch the Saudi
at his desk, sorry, best
Visiting cards are very widely used. If you are working for a reputable company
you will be given one that is printed on both sides - one in English, the other
in Arabic - to save embarrassment, have it proof read before committing it to
the printer - Alan in Arabic sounds curiously like Elaine.
Telephone:
The telephone service (land lines) is run by the STC (Saudi Telecom), Call
charges vary and are split into Local (Riyadh area only) Kingdom (meaning you
need an area code) and international and three types of line are available to
suit! It is worth noting here that mobile numbers are prefixed 05* and as such
you need a Kingdom line to access them! The IDD code for Saudi Arabia is 00
966, and there are exchange numbers for certain areas - Riyadh numbers are
prefixed 01, Jeddah 02, Dammam/Dharan/AlKhobar/Jubail 03 etc (you
probably won't actually get beyond 1, 2 or 3).
The yellow pages phone book has been compiled by an outside source and
is supposed to be updated regularly but checking back after a few years shows
little progress.
Mobile Phones are big business here and there is even a black market for lines
(star numbers), but where the cost of the phone seems expensive compared to UK
“free with cornflakes” offers, the price of calls is negligible. There are
three mobile providers in KSA - STC now has some competition from Mobily and Zain.
Rather than list continually changing tariffs, I leave you to examine their
websites to decide which deal suits your needs.
www.stc.com.sa
www.mobily.com.sa
www.sa.zain.com
The Emergency numbers for Riyadh are (yes, it’s an emergency, what was the
number again?):
Police – 999
Fire – 998
Ambulance – 997
Traffic accident – 993
Note however, that you may have trouble as not all operators speak English.
Utilities:
Electricity throughout Saudi Arabia is basically a joke! 240v 50Hz with British
style13 amp 3-pin square type power outlets are found next to 110v 60Hz two
round pin sockets and confused further by old style 3 round pin sockets of
indeterminate voltage and frequency! When in doubt, ask. Unfortunately most
appliances come with American two pin plugs, and if this wasn’t bad enough,
most flats have only one or two single outlets (of any old voltage) in each
room, resulting in Christmas tree adapters for Hi-Fi
and kitchen appliances.
Tap water is desalinated and fluoridated and almost drinkable from the special
ceramic filter taps (if installed) but is it advisable to boil it first,
however you may prefer bottled water to be absolutely sure – as a guide, the
bigger the bottle the better the value, e.g. 0.5L = 1SR, 1.5L = 2SR and so on.
Cooking when not electric, BBQ or nuke is by bottled gas, which will be either
plumbed into your apartment or stuffed under your work top. Refilling centres are in each district and costs around 20SR.
Normal tap water is quiet soft and most soaps will work up a good lather.
Domestic Staff:
Maid services are widely available on compounds, with live in maids only
allowed to families. Many advertise their services in the local English
language papers and on supermarket notice boards. Outside compounds you should
find that each residence comes with a “Hariss” who
will clean the communal areas and may even wash your car, the latter you will
have to pay for yourself and costs about 10SR a wash for a daily wipe over with
a damp rag.
Education:
The Education system in Saudi Arabia is two tiered, although the expat would
not send his children to the lower tier, being the state Islamic schools of
which there are approximately 22,000 and 7 universities throughout the Kingdom.
Illiteracy amongst Saudis is about 20%.
The two major western expat schools are:
British International
School Riyadh (BISR) – www.britishschoolriyadh.com
The American International
School (AIS-R) – Riyadh - www.aisr.org
School fees in Saudi Arabia are high (currently up to - £10,000 / $20,000 per
year). At these prices you will obviously want to be sure that school fees are
included in your package, else you could be working a couple of months per
child before you put any money in the bank!
Media:
The British Council has an English lending library with a limited range
of fiction and reference works and is available for a modest. English books are
available from bookshops, but at a premium and unless you actually like Jeffery
Archer it is recommended to bring works by your favourite author with you. For
the widest selection, try Jarir Bookstore on Olaya, Khurais
Road, Takhassousi or North Ring. Note that a lot of
smaller “book shops” are usually stationery shops! A better option of course is
to buy an Amazon Kindle and download your favourite books online.
Most decent UK papers (don’t expect to see The Sun!) are available on a next
day basis from any of the major Supermarkets, or Jarir
Bookshop and Riyadh has two English language papers, The Arab News and the Saudi Gazette with The Arab News (AKA The Green Truth!) being the
more popular. In addition there are 7 Arabic papers.
BBC World Service is available on both radio and satellite TV, and there the
usual assortment of “English” FM radio stations: AFRTS (U.S. Forces) and Voice
of America. There is only one local station in Arabic only (what ever happened to
Radio Riyadh?).
Local TV has a several channels, Local and English, the latter of which shows
the likes of thirty year old Candid Camera. The area is well covered by
satellites in the guise of OSN (Paramount/Nickelodeon, The Movie Channel, TVLand (Drama) MTV and business channels, ESPN Sports,
Super Movies, America Plus, Fun Channel & Disney Channel), Star TV
(Star Movies, Star World (Baywatch, Simpsons & X Files) and a whole load of
Hindi stuff) and an “under the counter” DSTV from South Africa that carries 5 sports channels,
four news channels and a variety of movies. In addition if you follow English Premier
League Football you will need to subscribe to Abu Dhabi Sports. Popular rumour is that in 2013 Al Jazeera
will bid for the franchise in the Middle East. Watch this space!
Most expat style compounds come with a cable TV system of most channels
provided. TVs are dirt cheap, as are video recorders (remember to get a multi
system one with PAL/SECAM as most are American style NTSC only). Locally bought
DVDs are very expensive and the selection leaves a lot to be desired besides
being heavily censored and Arabic subtitled but for around 30SR an
under-the-counter illegal DVD copy can be had of all the latest releases.
HI-FI requirements can either be brought from home or bought locally. CDS are
available at UK prices, but are quite a few months behind in release dates.
Computer hardware and software are widely available here, usually 2-3 weeks
behind UK and despite a government clampdown, pirate software abounds (20SR per
CD copy at the computer souq on Olaya
Street, near the junction with Mecca Road). Internet subscription is available from
the telecom suppliers listed above but is heavily censored (a fun site called
ilovebacon.com is banned!) though an uncensored (but illegal) satellite
connection can be found if you ask around.
Recreation:
All the usual expat activities are available, though some are harder to find
than others. A rough guide follows:
Hashing, as usual, is popular amongst the expat community, with two groups
meeting in the desert surrounding Riyadh. On a Thursday are Sulaimaniya
and Friday is the Third Herd. Both can be contacted via the author by E-mail baldrick@hasher.net
Trips for expats
throughout the Kingdom and the region are organised here: c3classicculture@yahoo.com
Opera Fortnightly – Saturday: ros2003@yahoo.com
Line
Dancing????????????
- looseboots@gmail.com
Music School – Piano, guitar, violin, voice
etc. (individual tuition): rmasalkhi@tunemusiccentre.com
Quiz night runs
every first Thursday/month: info@rancovillage.net
Reiki Healing is
available from Karen – 056162467
There are a couple
of Aerobics groups:
Arab Investment Compound, Tel: 482 3444 ext 2701
Arabian Homes , Tel: 454 1888 ext 429 (Aerobic Hall) or 454 1888 ext 404
(Mohamed)
Ten Pin Bowling can be found at Al Khozama Hotel,
Tel: 464 1400 ext 895 & Intercontinental Hotel, Tel: 465 5000 ext 4037 as
well as at FAL Tamimi on Old Airport Road where there
is also an Ice Skating Rink.
There is a Bridge Club organised by Judith Davies, Tel: 456 4857 and the BAe Bridge Club is organised by Roy Deacon, Tel: 419 6600 x
2566 (w), 248 0101 x 104 (h)
For music lovers, there is the Choral Society, Greg Johnson (director), Tel:
4779948 (h), or the Opera Society, Tel: Simon Baker, 454 1028 ext 124, or
Riyadh Concert Band, A brass and woodwind band which meets every Monday
evening. No auditions. Regular concerts, phone Geoff Greenhalgh
on 464 1400 ext 458 (h)
Got a Bike? Try Riyadh Wheelers, contact, Rob Patrick, Tel: 454 1888 ext 638 or
go one step further and try Triathlon and Road Runners through Steve Forster,
Tel: 464 0520
Budding Fred & Gingers need to speak to Jo Seed for Ballet, Tel: 464 9482
ext 1333 or Melanie Kozak-King for Tap and Modern Dance,
Tel: 470 1686 ext 267
Even though Riyadh is over 400km from the sea, there are dive instructors here.
Contact PADI Diving Instructors, Pete Richards, Tel:
231 1489/231 1587 ext 5 (h), Tel: 477 7714 ext 3932 (w), Angus McKenzie, Tel:
462 7998 ext 332, Mike Moffett, Tel: 454 0803 ext 421, or Ray Newbigging Tel: 239 8389. Another nautical pursuit is the
Riyadh Yachting Association. Contact David Good, Tel:476
6566 ext 4082 (w)
Horsie types are catered for (though as with
everything else, it’s segregated): Nadee Alaghar Riding Academy (Near Diplomatic Quarter). Ladies
Sat/Mon/Wed, Men Sun/Tues/Thurs, Contact: Stephen Lynch, Tel: 488 0954. Also
ladies only is available at International Equestrian Stables for beginners and
advanced riders, dressage and jumping, Tel: 477 4941, Sat – Wed after 17.00hrs
, Thurs, 9.00 – 11.00hrs and 17.00 – 22.00hrs
Eric Oates can be contacted on Tel: 2406165 (home) 4769777x49871 (office)
2406665 (fax) 0504207239 (mobile) for Squash and Tarek
at the Intercontinental Hotel can give advice on tennis, Tel: 465 5000
For Tai Kwon Do, contact Carol Moore on Tel: 482 6878 ext 316
Riyadh is well endowed with Golf Courses. Three grass courses are located at:
the Intercon, tel 404 2222,
The Arizona Golf Resort - part of an expat compound! Tel Marty Cowal on 248 4444 ext 454, fax 248 5486 and e-mail
management@agr.com.sa and Dirab Golf Course- contact
their pro, Jim Christie on 498 0018. Green fees are around 135SR
For football speak to Scott Cuthbertson (MOD), Tel:
465 5957 ext 4246, Dave Tapper (children), Tel: 464 6600 ext 2210, Gerry McKeown (BAe), Tel: 476 6566 ext
4106, or John Hanson (BAe), Tel: 476 6566 ext 4431
Rugby players are catered and the Rugby Union Football Club welcomes new
members. Contact Jimmy Riddell on Tel: 464 6600 ext 2613 (w)
Amateur theatricals are abundant too, with two theatre groups putting on a half
dozen or so shows each every year. Theatre Go Round can be contacted on tel 465 6858 or email: curtjr97@hotmail.com. The other
group is DRAG but I don’t have their contact details – ask around!
Trips into the desert are always a popular weekend activity, however, you
shouldn’t go out on your own, or in two wheel drive vehicles, and you should
always carry plenty water.
One of the major weekend time fillers is a flight to Bahrain for about SR570,
or a four-hour drive for approximately 150SR (note – this time is door to door
and equates to 3.5 hours for the flight including 2 hour check-in, 30 minute
drive to the airport and customs/immigration clearance at the other end, and
believe me, there is nothing to do at Riyadh airport!). This gives you a chance
to restock some of the items not available in Saudi.
To relax after all these strenuous activities, try a Qualified Aromatherapist:
Gill Trafford, Tel: 463 1920
Hazel McKay (plus reflexology), Tel: 454 0803 ext 401
Or for treatment, try Kim Munro, Tel: 488 1139 Ext 426
Clubs and Societies:
These are numerous and
diverse, and further details are available at the Embassy, however some of note
are:
Riyadh Group for British Business
Formed in 1981, the Group
consists of about 300+ individual members who strive to develop and improve
British business interests in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Membership is open to all British passport holders resident in Riyadh who have
business interests in the Kingdom.
The group works closely with the British Embassy and in addition to the regular
business networking meetings also arranges social and sporting events for
members and their families.
American Business Group of Riyadh
The American Business Group
of Riyadh is an association actively promoting American business interests in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf. A principal goal of the
organization is to enhance and proactively promote United States business and
trade in the region
Southern Cross
Women's Association is a social club for Australian women (
also for wives of Australian men). They hold social functions throughout
the year, including a Race Day event, 60's evening and an annual Winter Festive
Ball. Our upcoming events includes art exhibitions/workshops, and a Family Fun
Day.
They are a non profit organization that has donated to various charities in
Saudi Arabia, and abroad, including Australian and New Zealand disaster relief,
the One Girl charity organization in Sierra Leone, and the Australian Christian
Ugandan Organization, Africa.
Membership is free, and Australians who would like to join are invited to
register at the following email address: scwa.riyadh@gmail.com
The
American Community of Riyadh
ACR
exists to enrich the lives of the American and broader expatriate community. We
understand the challenges of living here and work to balance those challenges
by creating a unique community and making the “Riyadh experience” a positive
one. We offer social and cultural events, educational programs, and an
opportunity to experience all that Riyadh has to offer.
InterNations
The InterNations
network aims to support you when moving to or settling in Riyadh: Connect with
fellow expatriates in Riyadh, receive helpful advice and information about
expat life in Saudi Arabia and join our InterNations
get-togethers to meet up with other expats from the international community in
Riyadh.
The Caledonian Society of Riyadh
What you see is what you get
Not much info yet
Multinational Club: multinat@nesma.net.sa
Australian Club: ncw@csc.org.sa
Scandanavian
Club: nordiskaklubben@yahoo.com
Scottish Dancing: baradaservices@arabian-homes.com.sa
Canadian Club: canadianwomensa@hotmail.com
4WD Club:
www.riyadhrovers.com (Website is “Members Only”)
so contact info@riyadhrovers.com
The
British Community Ladies - tel. Mal Brown, Tel/fax 224 2116 or Wyn Green, Tel/fax 450 9144
Al Nahda Philanthropic Society for Women, Tel: 464
9304
Porcelain painting - Nagila Selmi
Tel: 4550498
For the boys, Beavers/Cubs/Scouts Registration Officer is Sally Garner, Tel:
249 0440 ext 468
For the girls, Brownies/Rainbows/Guides/Rangers can be reached through Jean Parkes, Tel: 454 6695 (h)
Also Friends Of Guiding, Chairperson: Laura Dossary,
Tel: 464 8750 (h), Vice-Chairperson: Jannette Kamal, Tel: 456 1332 (h)
Corona
Club - Corona Worldwide is an organisation
for people, principally but not exclusively women, who are living or have lived
overseas, or who have an interest in those who have done so. coronainriyadh@hotmail.com
The
Natural History Society offer Dirayah Tours: Saturday
- Wednesday 0900-1400, Contact Saud, Tel: 486 0274
Dining Out:
One of the favourite pastimes for Arabs is eating. Obesity is rife, and a quick look through the Yellow Pages “restaurant” section show
you why. For the frugal, Shwarma shops appear on
every street corner, disguised with all manner of misspelling of “Restaurant”
and curry shops abound. There are an infinite number of fast food outlets,
there is even a fish and chip shop located on the corner of Tahlia
St. and Abdullah Bin Suleiman St. However for the more discerning palate, there
are several high-class eateries, some of which are listed below:
Sea Food can be found at the
Golden Lobster between Olaya and King Fahd level with
Akaria – tel: 461 4437.
Chinese are served the Gulf Royal Group that has several oulets
– tel: 465 5368
The best Indian restaurant (allegedly) –Raj, behind
Fuddruckers on Takhassusi – tel:
461 0314, web: www.rajrestaurant.com
Arabic food is served at Oasis in the Intercon hotel
– tel: 465 5000
Bee Won (Korean Palace) - A Korean/Japanese/Chinese restaurant is located near Olaya Palace. tel. 463 1102
Japanese is served at Shogun in the Hyatt Regency – tel:
479 1234
French is on the menu at L’ecluse on Tahlia Street – tel: 465 7648
La Campagna serve Italian food in Tahlia
Street, tel. 462 4339
For Thai food, there is a restaurant on Amir Fahd ibn
Sa’ad ibn Abdul Rahman street (the small street to the back of King Fahd
Medical City (more details when I try it out)
Localalizer Mall - Thalia Street - Steak House
and Diamond (Chinese)
Centria Mall – Corner of Thalia
and Olaya – Italian Restaurant
Tex Mex – Mix of Mexican -
Off Thalia
Indian Summer
- Geat Indian - Off Thalia
Asarariya - Great Turkish Thalateen Street
The Steak
House – Thalateen Street
Mutiara – Great Thai - Al Mather Street (obliquely opposite
the Ministry of the Interior)
Intercontinental
Hotel – Excellent Weekend Breakfast
The usual array
of Casual Eateries are available: Trader Vics,
Applebee’s, TGIF, etc are all available too.
For the cosmopolitan, (especially around autumn and spring when pavement dining
is pleasant), there are an abundance of designer coffee shops springing up
around the city, particularly along Talateen Street
from Panda Supermarket, down to Olaya.
It is also worth bearing in mind that outside the hotels, most restaurants will
do home deliveries, often for free.
To find even more Restaurants, both in Riyadh and
further afield you might like to visit
Riyadh Eats . com
Trip Advisor
Tipping:
The idea does not seem to have caught on here apart from in the large hotels,
however the first time you get caught by someone offering to take your shopping
trolley from door to car you’ll realize why tipping doesn’t occur. A few
drivers tip the petrol pump attendants, but I have yet to receive service that
is deserving of a tip.
Medical Facilities:
Medical facilities in Riyadh are good, though not in all respects, and they are
expensive (10 – 20,000SR for a broken leg, 50,000 for a heart attack as a
private patient). There are some British doctors working in private clinics or
hospitals, several of which are well equipped. You should ideally ensure that
your employer provides medical cover under the terms of your contract, if not,
sign up with one of the major private insurers like BUPA, Norwich Union, AXA or
PPP before leaving home.
Some government hospitals:
Armed Forces Hospital, tel 477 7714
King Fahd Hospital, tel 491 7788
Kingdom Hospital, tel 275 1111
Dalla Hospital, tel 457
5277
Green Crescent Hospital, tel 464 4434
Shopping:
Food shopping is diverse in Riyadh, ranging from “bakalas”
(corner shops) to supermarkets, such as Tamimi (AKA Safeway), Euromarché, Jazira, Al Othaim, Carrefour, Danube, Al-Sadhan and Panda
(AKA Azizia), and through to wholesale markets. Bakalas tend to be used more for emergency rations,
although some are quite well stocked.
Panda stores are found in most locations around Riyadh, so one should be on
your doorstep, Tamimi has half a dozen branches, Carrefour
has a couple, Al Othaim has at least one in each
district and the others have one each though Al-Sadhan
are quickly establishing themselves.
The quality of all the supermarkets is quite high,
though fresh local veg is sometimes past its best and
the choice more varied than the UK however shopping around can obtain a wide
price difference. A lot of products on supermarket shelves are local but if
it’s imported it will tend to be American or British, with the exception of Dutch
veg and the “Oriental Aisle”. There are other items of
course that some expats can’t live without. One example is decent pickled
onions, which have to be brought in either from UK or on shopping trips to
Bahrain. Almost as if to make up for the lack of alcohol, all other drinks are
very cheap; Cola is 1SR a can and a 1.5 litre bottle of water is 2SR as is a
can of No Alcohol Beer. All weights and measures are metric. Always keep an eye
on the specials. These are often goods that are approaching their sell-by date
and are usually offered at 50% off, or 2 for 1. Note that ‘fresh’ fish is
driven in on ice from Dammam and therefore not as
fresh as it could be, but at 375km from the sea, it is good enough!
As is customary in Arab countries, haggling is a prerequisite of shopping in
all shops except supermarkets and especially when shopping for carpets and
“antiques” where two or three visits may ensue to get the right price.
Electrical/electronic goods such as computers, stereos and cameras are widely
available and tend to be at UK prices minus VAT, the only exception seems to be
video recorders at a laughable 100SR. UK Newspapers and magazine prices are
sheer robbery, with SR11 for a Telegraph (OK the local paper is good but it
doesn’t have an appointment section on a Thursday).
For those who are bargain hunting, shops of one kind tend to gather around each
other, ending up with the likes of the furniture souq,
the stationery souq, the electrical souq and the clothing souq. It is
merely a matter of finding one, then trading him off against the others. Also good for bargains are the plethora of 5, 10, 15, 20 shops.
A scour through the small ads and supermarket notice boards will find second
hand goods on offer by departing expats.
For furniture a trip to the Kuwaiti souq is called
for. This furniture souq is located between King Fahd
and Olaya towards the Northern Ring Road, taking
almost the entire block of low, white arched buildings. Here you will find all
the large items, such as sofas, beds, wardrobes, etc. and an abundance of
cutlery, crockery etc. at very cheap prices. Ikea has
a shop in Riyadh and Home Centre has a few outlets dotted around.
For those into DIY, Riyadh has a few SACO outlets dotted around town. For Brits think B&Q,
Americans think Ace Hardware (A lot of their stock is Ace!)
Shopping malls are a-plenty with Marks &
Spencer and Debenhams having their prime locations as anchor stores in couple
of them. New malls are opening all the time and are too numerous to mention. For
those looking for an investment, gold is a good buy in Riyadh, being sold
primarily by weight. There are Gold Souqs located
just about everywhere - 2 major ones are at Batha and
Shola Mall. Jewelry can also be made to your own
design, although this will cost a little more, though your name in Arabic for a
pendant, is reasonably priced and makes a nice gift.
Household electrical/electronic goods are sold in the old district of Batha and a shop called "Extra" on the Old
Airport Road, and Mobile Phones and GPS equipment are across from Sahara Mall
on Old Airport Road – look for the big Motorola sign and turn up that street.
Half Decent Camera equipment is found in Al Akaria,
though prices are high, and this author recommends buying in Singapore,
Malaysia or Hong Kong.
Pet Lovers are catered for by "Pet Village" who are located on Old Airport Road a few blocks after 'Extra'
Special
note on shopping: Prayer times are not
shopping times. All shops close for prayer. Some supermarkets allow “Lock In”
which means you can continue to shop behind closed doors,
however the checkouts remain shut until prayer is complete. Additional, on
Fridays midday prayer unofficially
starts around 10:30 meaning you cannot buy anything, including petrol within
the city limits!
Clothes for Riyadh:
All the usual Western clothes are available in Saudi though usually either the
quality is poor, or, where the quality is acceptable, the price is high. There
is a middle ground in the form of Sana on Talateen
Street, Last Chance on Khorais Road and Debenhams /
M&S prices are not too highly inflated. It is a good idea therefore to
bring all that you feel you will need for your first stint and top up as
required on your leave. Due to climatic conditions, clothes need to be washed
more often, a typical day seeing two changes of clothes (work and home), so a
greater amount is needed to see a week out. If your flat has an automatic
washing machine and a clothesline, this will see laundry washed & dry in a
matter of minutes in summer. Laundry and dry-cleaning services are ten-a-penny
(2SR to wash and press a shirt if you ask for discount) as are “Tailors” who
will take up / let down trousers, etc. for five Riyals. Genuine tailors can be
found in the “Material Souq” on Olaya
at Al Andalusia Mall. This is also the place to go for women who like to make
their own dresses, etc. the quality and variety is
without equal. If buying new clothes to bring out, try to buy items that have a
high natural fibre content, e.g., cotton / wool as
these will breath more freely that man made fabrics.
If working on a construction site the latest “Stay Dry” fabrics are a blessing
and the likes of Columbia and Timberland can be found at Sun And Sand Sports on Olaya (Opposite Al Khozama hotel) In winter (November to March) a jumper or
light jacket may be required; 20°C seems cold after 50°C and for the more
athletic, a tracksuit is recommended to prevent cooling off too quick. Women
are expected to cover in Saudi & Western women are supposed to wear an abayah
(black figure disguising robe) while outside in these high temperatures, but
then there’s no accounting for taste. Eastern designed/made clothes can be
bought at reasonable rates but for western designer stuff you’ll pay that bit
extra, especially if shopping at the big name stores such as Next, Mango, Liz Claibourne, etc. Female expats that are larger than average
should consider bringing extra underwear with them, as there is very little
available in anything bigger than a C cup, and even for more modest sizes, you
may be a little daunted by the prospect of a fitting by male sales staff! At
the latest edit, Male Lingerie salemen are supposed
to be phased out and replaced by women. I’m told this is the case in malls but
not in stand alone shops yet. Another interesting
story is that of a British expat running a lingerie shop had all his mannequins
confiscated and returned later minus their nipples! Kingdom Centre (AKA Al Mamlaka Mall) has a Ladies Only
floor, where you check in your abiya as you enter and
wander around freely!!
Note that western men are expected to wear suits and ties for business and
formal social occasions.
Going Home:
Tickets back to UK are higher than UK prices, but out of season, discounts can
be found, especially if you are prepared to take a diversion, via say, Cyprus,
Prague, Budapest, Moscow, etc. on their state airlines. Seats are often booked
well in advance, so for Summer holidays, Christmas and
Ramadan/Eid, make sure you have a ticket before
booking you leave. As an alternative, several expats buy a return to Cyprus in
Saudi and a package for the family in UK and meet up with loved ones there.
Again, try to use a FF card as passengers have been refused seats.
Of important note, is that you are required to obtain an exit permit to leave
Saudi. This is however, usually a formality and will cost you 200SR for a
single exit, or 500 for a multi exit/re-entry visa (per person!).
Other items of Note:
Everyone knows the joke that goes “Give me a haircut like Roger Moore”
......... “He does if he comes here”.
This rings true in Riyadh. For men, you have five choices: (1) Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi
Barber - one cut, 10SR, (2) Egyptian/Turkish Barber - three “styles” and 15SR,
(3) Lebanese Barber – 40SR including all the gel you can carry, (4) Hotel
Barber – don’t even think about it, and (5) wife or friend with clippers - pot
luck but free.
For women, manicure, pedicure,
false nails, wax, massage & make up can all be found from Robbie Barrett
Tel: 488 1139 ext 456 and hairdressers are: Liz Walsh, Tel: 4632508, Sabrina,
Tel: 488 7611 ext 230 & Barbara Kent, Tel: 454 1888 ext 430
Under normal circumstances you will not see anything that will poison you or
attempt to eat you, however a trip into the desert will find scorpions, snakes and camel spiders. Around the house, if you
are unlucky, you will find cockroaches - do not squash them as if they are
female, this will release their eggs - use a spray. On the roads, particularly
away from built up areas you will also find a large variety of insects, as they
tend to fly at about mid windscreen level. They are particularly difficult to
remove as they vaporize on impact and become baked on due to the heat. A hazard
associated with this are the birds that chase the insects can do considerably
more damage to your car . . . . . as do camels - When driving outside the city
at night be careful of strays wandering the road; they are stupid! A walking
camel is very top heavy. Take out its legs at bumper height and here’s what
happens: Camel-vs-Truck
A few Do’s and Don’ts:
Do expect Arabs to sit, talk, and stand closer than people in the West do. What
Westerners consider an intimate distance is here only social and friendly.
Do expect to be touched more frequently by members of the same sex. This is an
expression of friendship.
Do accept as normal the occasional use of influential connections to accomplish
tasks more rapidly [Wasta].
Do expect to shake hands much more frequently. On entering a room or meeting a
group of people, it is expected that you will shake hands with all the males
present, except small children. On social occasions, you will probably also
need to shake hands again when you leave.
If pressed (i.e more than twice) to accept a gift,
always take it. It is considered rude to refuse, and always accept it (and
anything else offered to you) with the right hand, as the left is considered
"unclean" in Islam
Do not expect all promises or decisions to be put in writing. In some
situations, you will have to accept an oral promise. This is partly because the
written word carries a weight of meaning greater than Westerners are accustomed
to.
Do not be surprised at being given an indirect answer of Insha'
Allah (God willing). Insha' Allah usually indicates
the good intentions of the speaker, though on occasions it can mean ‘not on
your Nelly’.
Do avoid some subjects in public. Certain topics are generally not considered
appropriate or acceptable for discussion in public. These may include political
issues, religion, alcohol, total women's liberation, abortion, and male-female
relationships, such as dating. Many people are very sensitive about these
topics, and problems could arise should you try to discuss them.
It is considered discourteous to show the soles of one’s feet to an Arab as
they are considered “Dirty”, so be careful how you sit.
Residency Procedure:
Note: The information here is given as a guide only since changes to the
procedure can occur without notice. Generally changes are small but can lead to
frustration, so please remain calm, it will happen eventually! Also it can
depend upon just how helpful an Official wants to be, get one on his "off-day"
and you have a problem! GOOD LUCK!
Obtain at least 30 off 3x4 cm passport photos. Some may be returned but you
will definitely need at least 20. In addition get around 10 off 6x4 cm “Family”
photos
1. The Visa
1.1 Start a file to keep all relevant paperwork. In this file be sure to keep
several copies of every piece of paper that comes your way, along with your
photographs. Always take this file with you during the process. Always keep
photographs with you all times. ALWAYS have your Passport with you! Always
carry a pen – just in case. The file doubles as something to lean on while
completing forms! Always take all originals of documents just in case – it’s a
pain but saves time and frustration along the way.
1.2 Get a “Visa Medical” done. Most visa specialists know what is needed.
1.3 Go along to the Saudi Consulate with all the paperwork you have received
from your potential employer – even if you can’t read it! Along with this,
include (but not limited to) Passport, Visa Application form, Medical results
(you don’t need the Chest x-ray as the results are in the medical file), a copy
of your degree, a copy of your contract, A Company letter in Arabic (these are
sometimes called “employment certificates” or “to whom it may concern letters”
depending who you talk to), a copy of the visa payment slip from the employer,
the visa fee and a “No Objection Certificate” if previously employed in Kingdom
on the same passport number.
1.4 Depending where you get the above done it could take a matter of minutes,
days or weeks (it took me three weeks in Kuwait!). Now gather up the originals
of all documents you think you may need (and some you don’t) take a few copies
of each and head for the Magic Kingdom. These might include: Birth certificates
for all the family, wedding certificate, education certificates, driving
license(s)
2. The Iqama (ID)
2.1 On arrival in Kingdom you will be required to attend another medical – this
one is usually a formality but it does weed out a few unscrupulous types who
have “fake medicals”. It is generally called the “Iqama
Medical”
2.2 From here your employer should take your passport, medical results, company
letter, contract copy and photographs to the passport office and return a week
or so later with your Iqama. At this point they will
keep your passport, lock it in the company safe, and return it to you when you
need to travel (unless they are very trusting – most are not). Take a few
copies of your Iqama and put one in your wallet – if
asked by the police to present your Iqama, always
offer the copy first – if they take your original for any reason you are in
deep doodoo.
3. The Family Visa
3.1 Send a copy of your contract to your wife (unless you let her see it before
you left!) and get her to do the “Visa Medical”. While that is going on, you
need to get an official translation of all your certificates – Birth, Marriage,
and Degree. These must be done by a “recognized” translator (note, prices are
negotiable. Also note that if you show the translator the way your name is
written in Arabic in your Iqama this will save
trouble down the line). The originals and translations now have to be taken to
your county’s consulate for attestation. Get the Arabic application form
completed and obtain another company letter. Take these to the Istekdam office (Opposite Al Yamamah
Hotel) where your form is processed and passed to the Foreign Ministry, who
will advise the visa number to your Saudi consulate at home. This normally
takes 10 days, after which you can inform your wife of the number and she can
hopefully collect the visa.
3.2 Your wife must now take her passport, and that of any children traveling,
along with the visa number, medical results, contract copy & photocopy of
marriage certificate to the consulate to get the passports stamped. (this may take up to a week depending on time of year (Haj is usually busy) and it might be a good idea to appoint
one of the specialist visa agents to do all this leg work and waiting)
4. Family into Iqama
4.1 Take your Iqama, wife’s “Iqama
Medical” results, Application form, previously attested Certificates, yet
another Company Letter & a slack handful of Family Photos to the passport
office, wait a few days and collect your Iqama. –
That’s it, you are now a happy family again. (of course, if your company is big enough, they will have a
department to do all this for you!)
5. Driving Licenses:
5.1 You can drive in Saudi on an International Driving License and some
national licenses for up to three months, after this you need a Saudi license.
Depending on your nationality, you may not need to sit a test (Brits and
Americans are OK).
5.2 Obtain a translation of your U.K./U.S. Driving
License. This is not the same as the attestation before, but merely the
“Driving License Office” (DLO) translation for them to “certify” it is OK
5.3 Believe it or not, what you need next is a green hanging file folder, (you
know the ones) without this your application will fail! Into this, insert your
translation, a further company letter, a copy of your license, a copy of your Iqama and the ubiquitous application form. Take this to the
DLO and take a blood test – this is marked on your license, and an eye test -
both these tests will get you a stamp on the form to say they are completed.
Pay your fee and collect your license. Simple!
NOTE 1: YOU CANNOT GET YOUR PERMANENT DRIVING LICENSE WITHOUT YOUR IQAMA.
NOTE 2: YOU CANNOT (OFFICIALLY) OWN A 4X4 VEHICLE WITHOUT A FAMILY IQAMA (BUT
THERE ARE WAYS AROUND EVERYTHING)
Further Reading:
Visit the British Embassy website at http://ukinsaudiarabia.fco.gov.uk/en/
Here's a few blogs on Riyadh
http://lostinriyadh.blogspot.com/
www.bestofriyadh.com
http://samzplanet.blogspot.com/
http://blueabaya.blogspot.com/p/riyadh-restaurant-reviews.html
http://www.expat-blog.com
http://americanbedu.com
http://saudilife.net/
COMPOUNDS IN RIYADH
Notes:
1. If you must insist on
copying my list, at least give me credit. I know at least four other websites
that have blatantly plagiarized this list!
2. This list was getting old. I’ve updated it with web
links where possible.
AL HAMRA Tel: 249 0440
(Home of the British School)
AL-ISSA COMP Tel: 491 8400 (Mr Walid)
(SR30 to 40,000 rent)
AL JAZEERA BADER Tel: 492 1135 (Milwah Al-Shammry)
AL MOHAEYA COMPOUND (AKA Boeing) Tel: 482 1222 x 403, 410, 111, 666
AL
MOSTAQBAL HOMES
AL
NAKHEEL RESIDENCE Tel: 470 4191 (Peter Howarth-Lees)
(Takhassusi St, Near Dallah
Hospital)
AL-OLA
#7 Tel: 460 8095 – 460 7704
(Olaya – Abdullah Hamdan St.,
between Thalateen & Tahliah)
AL
ROMAIZON Tel: 274 0917, 488
0533
(Behind Immam University)
AL SHOWAIER
AL
YAMAMAH RESORT Tel: 4151973
(Eastern Ring Road J16)
ARAB INVESTMENT COMPOUND Tel: 482 3444, Fax:482 313169
(Nr Diplomatic Quarter) Rents from RS 65.000 per year
ARABIAN
HOMES Tel: 454 1888 (Martin
Shaw)
(Prince Abdullah Street, Al-Mursalat)
ARIZONA Tel: 248 4444
(Next to Cordoba Compound)
ASASCO VILLAGE Tel: 419, 9000 or 419 0936 x 423
(Olaya)
CREATORS REAL ESTATE Tel: 478 6708
(Small compounds/individual villas contact: Mr Mahmood)
COFRAS COMPOUND Tel: 478 7434
(J30 Dammam Highway)
CORDOBA
OASIS VILLAGE Tel: 248 3471
(Nr British School)
DHABAB
GARDENS COMPOUND Tel: 461 1080
DYWIDAG SAUDI ARABIA LTD Tel: 246 4144 x 153 (Mr. Joey)
(Nr football stadium)
EID
COMPOUND Tel: 248 3366
(Nr British School)
EURO
COMPOUND Tel: 478 0718 – 478
7381, Mobile- 055 27 28 36
(Nr Al Akhariah, contact Mr
Nicolas. RS 60 to 65,000)
EXPAT REAL ESTATE Tel: 454 0404 (Mr. Nasser)
FAL
COMPOUND Tel: 248 5847 (Larry Heitzman)
(J8 Near Arizona)
GREEN
CITY 470 8880 x 411 (Abdul
Karim Al-Lahham)
(Prince Abdullah Street, Near Takhassusi (Sheraton))
JADAWEL
KINGDOM
CITY Tel: 275 0275 (Chuck
Collins)
(Next to Kingdom Hospital, Airport Road)
NAJACO
VILLAGE
NAJD VILLAGE Tel: 248 1040 x 513 (Ali Askar)
(Near Eid Villas)
CEE
GROUP
Various properties around
Riyadh
PALMS ESTATE
RABWA
COMPOUND Tel: 493 1741 (B
Lewis)
J13 Eastern Ring Road/Kourais Road
RANCO
VILLAGE Tel: 492 4411 (Med Rowlands)
RIYADH
VILLAGE (AKA PHILLIPS
ERICCSON) Tel: 246 4900
(Nr football stadium)
ROC COMPOUND Tel: 241 2800 (Colin)
(Al-Silay, J16)
SAHARA
TOWERS Tel: 462 5666
(Olaya)
SAUDI BRITISH BANK Tel: 405 0677
(Behind Al Jazeera Supermarket)
SEDER VILLAGE
SUMMERLAND COMPOUND Tel: 454 9152
(Old Airport Road, Al-Malik Fahad
VILLAS ROSAS Tel: 482 4417
(Nr Diplomatic Quarter)
Finally, one of the most regularly updated accommodation web pages: www.expatriates.com/classifieds/riy/housingavailable
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