Half Moon Bay from Dhahran Camp

This is a view of Half Moon Bay from the Dhahran compound.  It is almost never clear enough to see it!

 

Sand Roses

Sand Rose digging is one of the things people enjoy doing here.  Sand Roses are gypsum crystals formed with sand over time.  They are hard like a rock and heavy.  The are found just above the water line which means you have to dig for them.  You can dig and not find many or you may hit a hole that just keeps giving. It is a bit like playing the lottery.  There are some places that are known for them and you can see the remains of other digs by the abandoned sand roses laying about.  The sand roses come in all shapes and sizes and are very pretty.  

Abandoned Sand Roses and pit

Sand Roses Left Abandoned

Sand Rose

Sand Roses

Filled in hole

What we found

.Empty hole

Bedouin Camel Camp

This is a typical semi permanent bedouin camp other then the bedouin mobile home.  

Bedouin Camels

While out in the desert along came some camels.  They have one guy on a camel leading the herd along. The man stopped to talk to us and let us sit on the one he was riding.  Very nice man!  

Camels Sand Rosing 

Camel Remains

While out in the desert we came upon a fallen camel.  While disgusting on one hand it was somewhat cool to see the bones so polished white laying on the desert floor.  

 

 

 

 

Typical Saudi's

These are your typical Saudi's.  The majority of men here wear the thobe, shumagh and egal.  The thobe is the white robe.  They may wear a gray colored one in winter.  The shumagh is the checkered scarf and the egal is the black ring that is placed on top to hold the scarf in place.  The ghutra is the plain white version of the scarf that is sometimes seen.   The women wear the abaya, hijib and burka.  The abaya is the dress, the hijib the head scarf and the burka is the face cover.

Wheelie Motorcycle Really???

On the Cornish we saw a motorcycle doing a wheelie.  It passed us on Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque Road and continued to do the wheelie.  I wish I had a better picture!!  You don't see Saudi's on motocycles here.  Might have something to do with the bad driving and not wanting to be killed on one.

Terror is Back with a Bang!

This is from the souk area in Khobar.  It doesn't matter where you go kids seem to like graffiti.  

Soccer Field Readiness

This car was driving in circles getting the soccer field ready for the big game.  Wish I had been able to get the goals in it as well.  If you are wondering what he is dragging that is rolled up chain link fence, I think.

Hofuf Caves

The Hofuf caves are impressive.  The government has built walkways so that you may explore inside and there are guards protecting them.  There is some graffiti on them but not much.  They are worth the drive to see both the inside and the outside.  You can climb on the top of them and get a great view of the date farms in this oasis.  Be careful of the holes that just randomly appear and drop to the bottom of the caves.  

Hofuf Caves 

Ibrahim Palace

Ibrahim Palace is in Hofuf.  It is still in the process of being restored and is now open to the public as part of Saudi's tourism push.  It was very pretty. We only had about five minutes to spend here.  I will have come back to properly see it.  

Ibrahim Palace 

Hofuf Camel Market

The Hofuf camel market is one of the larger ones in Saudi Arabia.  It has camels, sheep, goats, and more.  It is a nice market and very active.

This is a 3 day old baby camel. 

 

 

Hofuf Camel Market 

Hofuf

Hofuf is a much larger city then I thought.  It is larger then Khobar.  It is a very nice city.  They have some beautiful minarets.   They have a Bedouin souk, and a new souk area as well.  They have restored a palace as well as a primary school for tourism.  Both are very nice!

Hofuf 

Hofuf Primary School

Saudi Arabia is in the process of renovating and restoring their historic sites.  They are doing an amazing job!  They have artifacts and signs telling what everything is.  They allow you to touch everything and fully imagine how things were.  Some of the old pictures they had were just amazing to see. It is worth seeing!

Hofuf Pimary School 

Nada Dairy Farm

We were able to visit the Nada Dairy Farm.  Nada is one of the largest dairy producers in Saudi Arabia.  They have an amazing facility!!!  It is huge, well run, and so clean!!  It was very cool to see how they produce all the milk, juice boxes, and so forth.

Nada Dairy Farm 

Cold & Wet...

If you have the thought like I did that its a desert over here so why bother bring an umbrella and coat rethink your decision.  It is currently 52 degrees and raining!! Yes that's right it feels like Portland or Seattle not Saudi Arabia!  In fact a good portion of the Saudi schools closed today because of the weather.  The Dhahran Aramco schools were open.   Here is the article from the Arab News about the school closures.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article540030.ece

Schools in some areas closed after Met warning for Tuesday

Motorists drive gingerly during a drizzle on a Buraidah road on Monday. Other parts of the Kingdom, including Jeddah, also experienced moderate rain. (SPA)

By MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Nov 29, 2011 01:49 Updated: Nov 29, 2011 01:51

RIYADH: The Ministry of Education has declared a holiday on Tuesday for all schools in Riyadh, Qassim, Hail and in the Eastern Province.

The ministry issued the directive as a precautionary measure following Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection (PME) projections of expected inclement weather conditions in these areas from Monday night.

The decision was taken following reports and warnings from the PME that thunderstorms and heavy rains were expected in these regions during the next 24 hours from Monday night, said Ministry of Education spokesman Mohammed Saad Al-Dukhaini.

Al-Dukhaini added that the notice of closure was being issued only to schools in these four regions and applied to students, teachers and administrative staff.

Mosaed Al-Mujahid, the ministry’s supervisor of foreign and community schools in Riyadh, told Arab News that the ministry took the decision to stop students and teachers having to commute to schools in potentially hazardous conditions. However, he added that schools would reopen on Wednesday.

The International Indian School in Dammam (IISD) Principal Mohammad Shaffe said following the directive from the government they immediately decided to close the school on Tuesday. The school has notified parents.

A spokesman from the PME in Jeddah said heavy rains and strong winds of up to 45 km per hour were expected in Riyadh, Qassim, Hail and in the Eastern Province.

Dhahran Housing

Housing styles are one thing I have been ask a lot about.  Here is what I have put together.  The modular's are all in main camp the townhomes and adobe's are in the hills.  Bachelor housing sprinkled throughout.  To see the furniture supplied on arrival look at the following post.  Arrival Furniture
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Dhahran Homes

Town homes

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This is the larger 3 bedroom townhome.  They all come with an office upstairs that could also be used as a bedroom if needed.  

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These two show the smaller 3 bedroom town home.  It is almost identical to the larger just the a few differences like the dinning room is not as small.

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This is the two bedroom town home.  It is for people without kids or with only one kid.  

2 Bedroom Townhome Pictures

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Adobe

Adobe House Pictures

Adobe Home Video

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Modular

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Bachelor Townhouse

Halloween

Halloween is not officially celebrated off camp but it is a big deal on them!  Saudi's come in from the surround communities to trick or treat and hang out.  Here are some of the scenes from Halloween on the Dhahran Compound.  

 Security blocking off streets

 Dressed as Saudi soldiers!

Yards 

 

 Block Party Atmosphere.  There had to be at least 3000 there!  They were as far as you could see.