A trip back to the year 1431

  Upon arrival it was clear this was a very different place. The road leading to the city of Riyadh was lined with monochrome coloured buildings built with little taste and in desperate need of facade cleaning and restoration. There was also no attempt to beautify the main thoroughfare with trees, floral features and even keeping the sides of the road modestly clean. 

  Once in the city, there was no real indication of how people live as high walls sealed off any hopes of a view into their properties from the streets. The other oddity was that there was still no sign of women.  Upon entering deeper into the city there were still no parks, sports fields or entertainment venues. The other feeling was that there was no real joie de vivre as people appeared fairly subdued as they were going about their daily lives. 

  It wasn't long before the echoes of the call for prayer resonated across the city. This happens five times a day and forces the temporary closure of practically everything apart from mosques. In addition to the sound of the muezzin, other sounds can be heard like steel shutters being drawn down by shopkeepers and people huddling out of their buildings/homes to go to the nearest mosque or prayer room. Any non-muslim quickly finds themselves stranded as even shops and cafes observe the closure. Many non-muslims often plan their day around the prayer times especially the Maghrib and Isha prayers which occur at sunset and the later about 1 hour after which can make buying groceries for the evening meal rather tricky. 

  Any public building or service has segregated entrances and areas for men and families (women and children). Unless you are with your wife and children, you cannot enter these family areas which only increases the divide and lack of interaction between men and women. Certain jobs in other countries normally done by women are done by men. Astonishingly, this includes nurses, secretaries and even a shop assistants selling women's lingerie! 

 So, what do people to for fun? After a few days of observing life in this city, one could quickly conclude that this is an ultra conservative society with little emphasis for entertainment and a long list things which are haram (forbidden). But upon closer inspection, all the fun appears to occur in peoples homes. Although basic and modest from the outside, homes are usually grandiose and lavish inside. In recent years a government relaxation on the sale of satellite dishes has led to people being able to watch non-censored international tv and programmes. Electronic stores are lined with huge TV's and home entertainment systems. The vendors often crank up the volume for a few seconds to the sounds of Shakira or a Lebanese pop artist only to turn down the volume shortly after not to offend anyone or show any signs of fun. 

  From speaking to people, a common theme suggested that the widespread use of satellite TV's in homes has led to a change of opinion amongst Saudis who appear to understand foreign culture and values better than before. This coupled with the internet offers a lot of hope and has already dramatically changed the lives of many people. This is especially true for women who's movements outside the home are still restricted by not being able to drive or walk the streets and go to shops unless accompanied by their husband or a male relative. The Blackberry is a bestseller and has given them access to social networking and increased interaction with their female friends. 

  However, Saudi Arabia still has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world and will only do slow at a much slower pace due to strong religious and cultural traditions. This can be too much for many locals especially the booming younger population who often drive for 5 hours on the weekends to go neighbouring countries such as Bahrain and the UAE just to go and watch a movie in cinemas which are outlawed back home. The irony is that the official year in Saudi Arabia is 1431 based on the islamic calendar, but many aspects of the society and country still resemble the middle ages and 1431BC.