"Strand_Man's Riyadh Page" a Riyadh Travel Page by Strand_Man

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Start of week three - I live on a compound with a lot of other westerners (Three other South African so far) It is very nice with everything you could want. I have got used to the drivers - you just have to be aware all the time. The food stuff is expensive compaired to South Arica and has a good range of products.

I am no expert on Saudi Arabia or Riyadh. I have ony been here a week (29/Jan/01) but I can share my feelings and experiences. The City is cleaner then a lot I have seen (Johannesburg & Durban) but not as clean as Cape Town or Austrian Cities. The people are very polite but nobody seems to smile & that is sad (Reminds me of the 50 to 60 year olds in Hungary) The shops are clean and have a wide range of products. So far I am not impressed with their cooked food. The drivers are crazy & could not drive without a hooter (Horn yanks). No parking meters!!!!! Now that is a bonus. No white lines - they would egnore them anyhow. When they run out of lanes they just start another - no problem. Speed limits - now that would be silly.
I stay on a compound that is well set up & run. It is a big culture shock coming to Saudi but I have already accepted a lot of things as normal.