Further On Up the Road

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Groucho Marx and the hookah

Thursday allowed us to catch up on our rest and go out for a relaxing dinner with Donny Yoo from the US Cultural Affairs Office. As we drove along the beautiful Red Sea, we admired hundreds of public works of art along the way. Every traffic roundabout featured a multi story sculpture. One was a giant monolith with actual cars sticking out at all angles. It even had a Chevy Camaro jutting out of the top! Dinner was at a restaurant complex just a few feet from the waves hitting the shore line of the Red Sea. We dined in a tent like area filled with sofas, large coffee tables, and very tall ornate water pipes. We sat next to a large open window just a few feet from the water and sea breezes. It felt wonderfully relaxing. Hamour fish (in the Grouper family) is the most common fish in the gulf and it is good stuff. After dinner Donny ordered up a pipe full of apple flavored shesha. They gave us a fresh hose and placed hot coals on top of the foil covering the shesha. I had fun taking photos of everyone enjoying a bowl of shesha. Of course, I “just said no” to the experience, due to my delicate sensibilities, if you know what I mean.

Robbie strikes a pose

Ronnie samples the apple shesha

On the drive home we stopped at a large super market for supplies. As I mentioned earlier Saudi culture is more nocturnal in nature and the market was packed with families at 11:30 pm. Thursday night is usually family night in the Kingdom and Friday is the Sabbath. On Friday we are going with Dina Badaway, the Cultural Affairs Officer, to the Consulate complex to do laundry. Then we’ll have time to explore the cosmopolitan city of Jeddah. Tomorrow, we’ve got more school gigs.

VERY IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE:

Today, April 9th is my dear Elizabeth’s birthday. She is celebrating a benchmark birthday…shouldn't say the number but it rhymes with nifty. I want the whole wide world to know just what she means to me. Liz brings true joy to everyone she meets. Elizabeth is my constant example of strength, intelligence, humor, loyalty, generosity, and love. Happy Birthday Elizabeth! Have a great day at the ball park. Eat a Hot Dog for me.