Random Observations

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Every day, especially in the morning when I’m walking to breakfast or the SAC Center, I hear sounds that sound a lot like an owl. It’s pretty loud and it comes from all over. You can hear these birds at all times of the day, every day. They sound louder in the morning perhaps because it’s quieter. I asked one of the Participants what the sound was and they said it was a desert pigeon (not a dessert pigeon, by the way). See www.drhashimbehbehani.com/desertpigeon.html for a bit more detail.

The sand storm has blown away and it was bright and sunny today. The wind that was around during the few sand storm days is also gone. You’ll note of course that the weather returned to nice just when the weekend here ended. The not nice weather started just when the weekend started. In this respect, Saudi Arabia is a lot like Minnesota. Now that it’s nice again, I’m back to working all day.

I didn’t take any photos today, but I did notice that one of the bathroom stalls has one of those holes-in-the-floor (no potty seat). I remember telling my kids about that they might see this in Italy and they didn’t believe me - until they saw it themselves. The regular toilets also have a hose attached to them with a sprayer. I imagine it’s not there as either a water fountain or a shower attachment. My other bathroom observation (too much time on my hands?) is that the stall doors go almost to the floor and almost to the ceiling. The dividers between the stalls are also this way. I guess this discourages foot tapping, which apparently is rampant at the Minneapolis airport. I bet Senator Larry Craig doesn’t come here often. And my very last observation is that the doors have absolutely no gaps in them. Either they really know how to make private stalls here, or there are modesty concerns that can be inferred.

Besides being the restroom stalker, I also direct people how to get to the prayer room. This is a building that is a few feet away from the SAC Center. The assessment schedule is devised to accommodate times for prayer, which happen five times a day (some before and some after work). My room at Steineke also includes a prayer rug and an arrow on the ceiling to tell you which way is Mecca. Photos are attached.

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Photos

My Treasures
Cards from Linda, shells from Ras Tanurah, drift wood found on the beach.

Sign to Mecca
This is on the ceiling of my room (I shot this picture looking up). It shows which direction to pray.

Prayer Rug
No Gideon bible, but this very pretty prayer rug is included (folded on shelf, ready to use)

Comments

[Heather]

A sunny Saturday in Dallas....
....and I've just finished making a batch of basil pesto. Yum! Saudi Arabia is on my mind this week. They've just appointed their first female Cabinet Member, who will be responsible for girls' education - a nice sign of progress. And it's the 20 anniversary of Khomeini's fatwah on Salmon Rushdie - wow, how did those years fly by so quickly?! (And how amazing he survived it.) I'm really enjoying your little observational obsessions, Ted! First food and now the facilities ... I guess it's all sort of ...er...connected ;-)

[Jeff]

Bathroom Bidets rock!
Those sprayers, some call a bathroom bidet sprayer are so much better than handfuls of toilet paper! I experienced my first sprayer in Thailand and fell in love with it. I found one online at http://www.bathroomsprayers.com//index.php and installed it myself. You won't know how or why you lived without it.