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 spiritual police. In Medina, we by accident roamed into the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque, not understanding that it was for Muslims solely. When a policeman requested us to go away, his tone was apologetic.
In just some years, leisure choices have ballooned in a nation the place the median age is simply 30. Maybe due to the desert warmth, nightlife there’s 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 Purple Sea waterfront, folks crowded into the streets, singing, dancing and hanging out in cafes and hookah lounges nicely into the night time.
Feminine drivers are actually commonplace. And whereas most Saudi girls are nonetheless sporting lengthy, flowing abayas in addition to face coverings, fashionistas have tossed off their hijab and are sporting 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 bought quite a bit worse since girls started driving.
A 69-year-old in Jeddah mentioned he was okay that two of his 5 grownup youngsters had been single. One 22-year-old mentioned he was an enormous fan of American rapper Eminem, who will carry out in Riyadh subsequent month. And folks simply assumed we had been within the Kingdom for enterprise, as if profession girls had been a truth of life.
