VIP treatment

This weekend, I flew to Jeddah on the Red Sea to lead a 2 day PYP workshop. The coordinator at the school had arranged VIP treatment for my arrival, which was a first for me both in and out of Saudi. I was curious about what this exactly meant!

Upon landing at the Jeddah International Airport, I had received clear instructions: do not board the bus taking passengers from the plane to the terminal. Instead I found a beautiful dark colored full leather interior VIP Audi A8 waiting for me at the bottom of the jet way stairs.

I was whisked away in the plush comfortable Audi and taken to the VIP terminal, all furnished with fluffy sofas, wooden coffee tables and beautiful Arabian artwork, a far cry from the uncomfortable gray plastic chairs usually used in airports. Once in the VIP terminal, I was greeted by two representatives from the school who delivered me to the hotel.

The return was as interesting. Last night, the school representative borrowed my Iquama (the Saudi resident card) and my flight information, and went to the airport to check in for me. Today, he picked me up from the hotel one hour before my flight and drove me to the VIP lounge. I sat down, relaxed and when it was time, was driven in the wonderful VIP Audi A8 and dropped at the bottom of the jet way stairs. I had seat 1C, in first class… Still can’t figure out how that happened, since I was booked on an economy seat, I guess I should thank the VIP treatment! After finding my seat, I was offered a few dates and Arabic coffee.

Unfortunately, after a 30 minutes wait, we were all asked to deplane due to an issue with one of the doors and return to the terminal. Since no Audi was waiting for me this time as this was unscheduled event, I ended up boarding the bus and was taken back to the terminal. Once there, I saw those horrible plastic chairs…not very tempting! So I followed some of my fellow first class passengers directly into the first class lounge. Might as well use the VIP treatment all the way! I had access to the buffet, comfortable chairs, cappuccino machines, juices and soft drinks, but unlike any other first class lounge in the world, no hard stuff was served! After an almost three-hour delay we all boarded another plane and finally were en route back to Riyadh, enjoying a great flight in first class. Is there any other way to travel than VIP? It’s going to be difficult to fly economy next time!

At the Border

Last weekend, we had planned a mini-vacation in the marvelous Kingdom of Bahrain…so a short road trip to the border to be followed by an uncertain amount of time at the border. Before leaving the Kingdom, we all had to get the Exit-reentry visas for our passport. No paper, no leaving the Kingdom!

For those who are not too sure about its location, the Island of Bahrain is situated just a stone throw from the Eastern Coast of Saudi, right across from Dammam and the huge ARAMCO compound. It’s connected to the mainland via a 25 km long causeway with the border point in its middle.

Arriving to the border is usually painless. Its crossing on the other hand can be very lengthy or quick as a whistle, depending on the time of day you get there, mostly due to the fact that we are not going through just ONE border crossing, but more like SEVEN..yes, you’re reading this right…there are seven border checkpoints/stops/booths to go from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the much smaller Kingdom of Bahrain.

So, on a Wednesday evening, arm yourself with loads of patience, as the Saudi weekenders arrive in drove and all have to go through all seven points, just like all of you.

Number 1: Toll Booth – each vehicle pays a 20 SR (about 5 US$) toll to access the causeway and in exchange gets a receipt for that toll.

Number 2: Custom booth employee prints out a Custom paper and hands it to you.

Number 3: Saudi Immigration - You hand in your passport with the utmost important Exit-Reentry visa and get the Exit stamp from the Saudi Government on the paper visa stapled to your passport while your name is checked on their computer system.

Number 4: Hand your custom paper back to an officer, quick and easy!

Number 5: You’re about to enter Bahrain – so hand in your passport to the Bahraini immigration officer who skillfully applies yet another stamp to one of the empty (or near empty) passport sheets.

Number 6: Bahrain Customs – as a Saudi vehicle going into Bahrain, we are not stopped…Don’t have anything to hide! Story may be different for a Bahraini vehicle going back home.

Number 7: Bahrain Insurance, as it is necessary to purchase additional insurance in order to enter the island, even if you have already purchased additional insurance from your Saudi insurer…don’t bother, that insurance is useless. You will still have to get the Bahraini insurance, so hand out another 20 SR with a smile and the gate opens.

SMILE, take a deep breath, you are in Bahrain. Enjoy the weekend. On the cultural side, I can recommend the National Museum, the old Fort and a walk in the old town and tours of its restored houses. Some great little restaurants are nicely tucked in an area right behind the Gulf hotel. This time we stayed at the Novotel Al Dana Resort. I highly recommend it, quiet, picturesque and their breakfast buffet is just finger-licking good!

Eid-Al-Ahda

Yearly, the Muslims only celebrate two religious holidays: at the end of Ramadan and on the 10th day of the last Islamic Month. Those days move each year since the Muslim calendar is based on the lunar months. Eid-Al-Ahda commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, following an order from God, but instead Abraham sacrificed a ram. The Bible has the same retelling but Christians do not celebrate it. On this holy day of remembrance, the Muslims will celebrate by slaughtering a sheep, the halal way. That means the sheep will face toward Mecca and won’t be allowed to see the blade of the butcher’s knife. The meat is then divived in three equal parts, to be given to the family, to their relatives and friends and the last third to the poor. In Saudi Arabia, Eid also means that millions of pilgrims converge annually to Mecca to perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the Holy sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina. Trying to fly towards Jeddah on the Red Sea is virtually Mission Impossible as pilgrims are flocking in droves and all planes are fully booked… Over four millions will again perform Hajj this year, including some of our colleagues who are going on “family trips” to Mecca as the pilgrimage is a good experience to live together.  They purchased an all-inclusive package, with flights, transfers, hotels, all meals and even a guide - a guarantee that all their needs will be met timely and in an organized fashion. 
As a preventative measure, we went grocery shopping this morning…as last year, by the time the holiday was over, the stores were empty: no produce and dairy were available, since the stores had not been replenished during the entire holiday. We also withdrew cash from the ATM, as those will soon be emptied and won’t be refilled until Nov 20! The country basically shuts down on the last few days, as all Muslims are celebrating, families are gathering…

One measure that the Saudi government has taken is the passing of strict laws for sheep slaughtering, preventing people from doing it in their backyard or in the street, but instead having them use mobile slaughter houses. As for the four million pilgrims in Mecca, they are also slaughtering…but indirectly. The pilgrims pay for a sheep that is then slaughtered. They receive some meat while the rest in given to the poor, in the country and also shipped to other poorer Muslim countries. It is a highly organized enterprise that works like clockwork and gets better at it each year.

Only sad that we, Christians, are not allowed in Mecca, the holiest place of Islam…