VISITORS WELCOME
What we noticed was an open, pleasant nation that welcomed guests. We blended in in addition to any foreigners would in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, and we didn’t spot the much-feared non secular police. In Medina, we by accident roamed into the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque, not figuring out that it was for Muslims solely. When a policeman requested us to go away, his tone was apologetic.
In only a few years, leisure choices have ballooned in a nation the place the median age is just 30. Maybe due to the desert warmth, nightlife there may be booming. From Riyadh’s Boulevard Metropolis – a sprawling industrial improvement that features an amusement park, out of doors cinemas and retail shops – to Jeddah’s Pink Sea waterfront, folks crowded into the streets, singing, dancing and hanging out in cafes and hookah lounges properly into the evening.
Feminine drivers at the moment are commonplace. And whereas most Saudi girls are nonetheless carrying lengthy, flowing abayas in addition to face coverings, fashionistas have tossed off their hijab and are carrying their abaya like a cloak. Nobody judges or casts disapproving glances.
What about males? We took loads of Uber rides and talked to Saudi drivers. One laughingly quipped that site visitors in Riyadh received loads worse since girls started driving.
A 69-year-old in Jeddah stated he was okay that two of his 5 grownup kids had been single. One 22-year-old stated he was an enormous fan of American rapper Eminem, who will carry out in Riyadh subsequent month. And other people simply assumed we had been within the Kingdom for enterprise, as if profession girls had been a reality of life.
