Sunday, 14 August 2016

Not What I expected



I was in Saudi Arabia this week, this was the first time in this country for me/ as I am sure everyone knows it’s a complicated country to get entry to. I had to get permission from the Saudi Arabian Ministry Of Foreign Affairs  to apply for a visa, I don’t expect may visa applications are turned  down if you have to have permission to apply for a visa.  On arrival immigration was complicated with a lack of signage and conflicting instructions but after two hours I was in a taxi on the way to the Hotel.

I had a belief that Saudi Arabia was very restrictive and without doubt it is not the most open country in the world but I saw several groups of women walking around unaccompanied, although we sat in the single male part of the restaurant there was a women’s section and a families section. I was told the single male’s section was often closed at the weekend and an extended families section created.

One of the things that most surprised me was that beer could be bought in the supermarkets. Alcohol free beer but beer nonetheless.      

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