Mamma's Need To Have Fun Too!!!

Now that I am a mother it's easy to get sidetrack and not make time for myself. So, every once in a while I do like to let my hair down and have a grown up night out. This night was all about dancing the night away and having fun with friends while my hubby worked the event. ;)

A Wedding Celebration To Remember

Celebrated my housekeeper/friend's daughters wedding. Such an honor to have been invited to their wedding reception. The bride and groom are such lovely people, and I am proud to know the bride's mother. She has been working with our family for almost 2 years now. Throughout this time we have gotten to know each other quite well. Yes, she helps me tremendously with keeping our house clean, but most importantly is the friendship we have developed. I will greatly miss her company when we leave post.

The wedding cake. 

The bride and groom.

Bride and groom and their parents.

Yummy food to celebrate the lovely occasion.

My friend with her 3 lovely daughters. 

Obama visits Riyadh

President Obama came to Saudi Arabia to meet with the King. While he was here he decided to pay our mission, it's staff and family members a visit. It was truly an honor, and a once an a lifetime opportunity to meet the President up close and personal. 

Air-force One arriving in Riyadh

President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry 

President Obama getting greeted by our  DCM, Timothy Lenderking

Embassy staff and family members.

Our embassy kids. The kids were so excited to meet the President. 

Our Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission and the President.

Next Post: Accra, Ghana

Our next assignment is Accra, Ghana. Of course we are very excited about this opportunity. We have always wanted to do an African tour, so now that box will be checked. It was actually one of the better West African countries that we had on our bid list. We could have gone to the Congo or Ivory Coast, which are slightly unstable for now.

We certainly love living abroad, it's one of the major reasons why we joined the Foreign Service, so for us to be able to stay overseas and not go back to DC is fantastic. Accra, Ghana will certainly have its hardships; poverty, trash and running sewage, plus we'll need to take Malaria pills during our tour. But for African standards, Ghana has been doing very well economically, their president is liked and the country is stable. The Ghanaians' are supposedly very friendly and warm. We'll have the ocean nearby and plenty of outdoor activities to explore. But the most exciting thing of all for me is having the freedom to drive again. Yiiiipppy!!!

In the end of August we'll be arriving "Inshallah" in Accra and I am sure we will make the best out of it, as we always do. I believe every culture and country has something special and unique about it. There are many magnificent places to explore and learn from. I am thankful every day for the opportunities I have been given, and I don't take it lightly.

It's Been Too Long...

Time has certainly flown by, I haven't written in such a long time. I guess it's because the first few months after giving birth was a complete blur; sleepless nights, recovering from a C-section, sore nipples from breastfeeding, adjusting to my new role as a mother, learning Lucas' cues, and mourning my old life. It was a lot harder than I predicted, but now almost 6 months into it, I must say it is certainly getting a lot easier. I am exercising again, making time for myself, and learning to multitask more than I ever have before. Oh, and having date nights with my husband is something we don't take for granted anymore.

Life has certainly changed, but for the better I would say. Not that life was not great before, but having a child has made me look at the world and people from a different angle. I also feel my inner strength has increased because of my precious little son, who truly illuminates our lives. In a few months a lot of our family and friends will be meeting Lucas for the first time when we go back to the States on home leave. This will be a joyous occasion and we are looking forward to it.

Then in the end of August we are off to our next destination: Accra, Ghana. We will be there for the next two years. It's going to be the polar opposite from Saudi Arabia in every way. There will be challenges at first, but I am sure we will adjust and love living there. In the meantime, the focus is on enjoying our last few months in Saudi and slowly saying, good bye to our friends and life we'll leave behind in Riyadh. It's going to be a crazy/busy time for us while we are in transition, but that's the Foreign Service for ya. It's not always easy, but there are a lot of great perks that makes this lifestyle worthwhile. If one day our attitude towards it changes then it's time to settle down somewhere and do something different. For now we enjoy it, and how fortunate to share our adventures with our son Lucas.

Maybe It's the Hormones...

The nursery is complete and now we're just waiting on the little guy to arrive. As I get closer to the due date I reflect on some of the darndest questions and comments I have received from people during my pregnancy. Never in my life have I heard so many comments, advice, or questions. When it comes to babies/kids, people can be are very opinionated, innocently clueless, or just nosey. Here are a few things I have heard from time to time, and what the "grumpy cat" in me wanted to reply.



*If you are one of the people I have quoted, please don't take offense. This is all in good fun.

1)"Why are you so tired?"
Maybe because I have a baby inside that is draining all my energy. I'm a retaining water and weigh 35 lbs more than my average weight.

2) "You're using your pregnancy as an excuse."
It's not an excuse, now shut up and bugger off. You are clueless.

3) "Do you sink to the bottom of the pool when you go swimming?"
I actually float better, thank you.

4) "You're getting SO Big."
Yes, I know, but can you please say, "you look great, pretty or sexy" instead, thanks!

5) "Do you plan on breastfeeding, giving birth naturally, using regular or cloth diapers?"
I'll tell you, but then I don't want to hear your opinion on XY or Z.

6) "What kind of sleep schedule routine will you use for your baby?"
I don't know, but he's definitely going to Harvard.

7) "Ha, ha, ha...if only you knew how much your life will change."
Duh! I know how much life will change. This is the reason I waited 18 years to have children.

8) "You're living in a dream world if you think it'll be that easy."
You're lame. It's OK to dream. I believe we all do it sometimes.

9) "Well...you may want to rethink doing that, or purchasing those items."
Yes, all knowing. You should get the mother of year award.

10) "You should have sex as much as possible to induce labor."
Now that's living in a dream world.

First Baby Shower

On Saturday, Aug. 24th my sweet friend Rozy hosted a beautiful baby shower for me at her house. My heart on that day felt truly thankful and blessed for the friends I have made while in Riyadh. Wish my family and friends abroad could have attended and been part of this important time in my life. We all had a great time talking, sharing ideas, eating and playing games. Lucas received so many gifts; clothes, toys, books, diapers, etc...I had to request a temporary dresser from the embassy just to fit all the gifts. Now I am organizing the nursery for his arrival (5 weeks from now).

Bidding Season Again

Here we are once again; bidding season. The list came out the first week of August with at least 100 posts to choose from. Out of the 100+ available cities around the world we had to narrow it down to Billy's allotted amount, 15 . After a few weeks of researching as well as trying to be realistic on our bidding strategy, we at least have 13 cities picked. If we get any of our choices during the first bidding cycle it will be a blessing.

We would like to stay overseas at least for another tour, but the competition is high. In my husband's section there are more people than available posts overseas, which means, politicking, waiting in line and taking turns. Fortunately, hardship posts always have low bidders. This means we will once again bid on some hardship places in hopes that this tactic keeps us overseas. Unfortunately, this is a way for us to remain overseas, unless Billy decided to do a year unaccompanied tour. Then he would have priority when it comes to bidding for a top notch spot, but there's still no guarantee, plus it's not the route we want to take at this time.

We have until October to submit our bids. By mid November we hope to know where our next home base will be come summer 2014. Maybe it'll be another hardship post, such as Kinshasa or Abidjan; a US field office for 2 years, or if we're extremely lucky Singapore or Pretoria. I am maintaining an open mind and will be happy with whatever outcome.

"Babymoon" in Doha

I had never heard of a "babymoon" until getting pregnant. It's pretty much a trip you take with your husband to relax, unwind and indulge before the sleepless nights, constant diaper changes and feedings begin. Since I am almost 8 months and didn't feel like traveling for more than 5 hours in a car or airplane, we chose Doha, Qatar for our 4 night getaway.

Beach at Intercontinental Resort and Spa

This trip almost didn't happen for us because a week before our trip the embassy issued a travel ban. There was a terrorist threat and it forced the State Department to make a decision to close 19 embassies in the Middle East and Africa region. This included the embassy in Riyadh. For 6 days we were quarantined in our residential area. There were restrictions of going into the city, as well as, traveling, which meant no Doha. We called our hotel and canceled our reservations. 

On the 7th day there was a meeting and the travel ban was lifted. Thankfully the ban was lifted one day before Eid, which coincidentally was when Billy had asked for time off. Eid, is the last day of Ramadan and it's a one week holiday in Riyadh; the embassy is closed during this time. That very day Billy re-booked our hotel, found a pet sitter for Dante, and we were off the next day. Doha is only a 5.5 hr., by car from Riyadh, so we decided to drive. 

Downtown Doha

It was a little surreal for me to be in Doha because for almost 4 years my dad had lived there. Unfortunately he's on the other side of the world living in Brazil now. It's just kind funny how things happen sometimes. 

Our trip to Doha was purely to relax and spend time with each other. If lounging in the pool with lemon/mint coolers was all we did then it would have been perfectly fine with me.The weather was extremely humid and hot, so during the day we did hang out by the pool and drink coolers, but in the evening we explored and had great food (Thai, Mexican, Syrian and Seafood).We visited the souq, the grand mosque, the Islamic Learning Center, Katana, and a few other places in the city.

Souq Waqif

The day before our departure we pampered ourselves with a 2 hour massage and a fine dining experience at the "Fish Market". I even had a glass of red wine with my dinner without an ounce of guilt. It tasted so good! Some time in January we'll be ready for another trip. Only it will no longer be just the two of us traveling. We'll have a little sidekick by the same of Lucas Mateo tagging along with us for a while.

Over the One Year Mark

July 22 marked our one year anniversary here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A year into Riyadh and my thoughts and attitude have changed slightly about this post.

It's definitely an interesting yet bazaar place to live. Every day, I continue to learn something new about the Saudi/Arab culture. I don't regret coming here because the experience I am gaining is something unique and will always cherish. I may not agree with all the rules, and at times I get frustrated, but I respect the Saudi culture and the people here. They are genuine with strong values, trying to hold onto it's culture as globalization keeps taking over this region.

In the beginning everything was a novelty, but after a year of going to the malls, the souqs, grocery stores and the good restaurants there's not much to else to do. I now find my life to be very confining here. One reason I find is because women can't drive and I must rely on the embassy's motor pool or on my husband to go everywhere. There is no public transportation I can take, such as buses and metros. There are taxis, but the embassy advises us against it. Wearing the Abaya doesn't bother me too much because it's convenient, but I don't feel it should be mandatory for women to wear. Prayer 5 times a day has become a bit of a nuisance because everything closes during prayer and it makes it very difficult to go out during the day. I miss movie theaters, live concerts, music on the radio, festivals, entertainment, parks, and women and men sitting outside together having a cup of coffee.

On the other hand Saudi is an extremely safe place to live. Crime is very low because of their harsh punishment laws. All the material things I need or want can be found here.The grocery stores are always stocked, and there's even a commissary, but sometimes that's not enough. 

Thankfully, Billy and I have built good friendships here and that has been a true blessing. During the day I keep myself busy going to the gym, taking Arabic classes at the embassy, cooking, baking and hanging out with friends. Billy picked up tennis again after a 4 year hiatus and he is loving it. We have to get creative with our time here, and some how we make each day count. In October our baby arrives and I am sure he will also keep us busy. Soon enough it will be time to move and restart life again in a new location. That in itself can get a little redundant and challenging, but that's another story to tell.

State Side or KSA?

For some reason one of the hardest decisions I have had to make while being pregnant is whether to have the baby in the US or in Saudi Arabia. There are both pros and cons, but the more I think about it, it seems more logical and less stressful for me to stay in Saudi Arabia. Don't get me wrong, I would love more than anything to have the baby in the States. There are days I say to myself, "I am changing my mind". Maybe it's  because there are many people giving their opinion on what they would do, which then makes me doubt my original decision. Plus, it would be nice to take a 3 month break from Riyadh and be in beautiful San Diego, Ca. But once I am in California, I know I will miss Billy's presence, especially during the last month of my first pregnancy. Of course, he would fly to San Diego a couple weeks before the birth and stay 4 weeks after, but if I stay here we're together during the entire experience and not 10,000 miles away apart.

If we were at a post where medical care was not up to standard I would go back to the US, no questions asked. Health care in Riyadh is actually very good, and I believe I will be well taken care of here. My doctor is Western trained and has been in practice for a little over 15 years. The hospital I will be delivering at is comparable to the US, plus there's a NICU on the same floor should any medical emergency with the baby occur.

Like I stated before it's a hard decision to not have the baby in the US, but staying here is what makes me more comfortable. It may even make for an interesting story for Lucas Mateo to tell his friends, he was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After all, he will be entering into a life in the Foreign Service, which I think is exciting.

It's Been A While...

I haven't posted ever since our Vienna trip, so I don't even know where to begin. We've done so much since December, but the biggest and most exciting news of all is that we are PREGNANT! Yes, after 18 years of marriage we decided to take the plunge into parenthood. We found out the wonderful news in January, 2 weeks after our trip to Austria. I am now 23 weeks along; almost half way through. We are having a baby boy. Most recently we went to London for a prenatal exam and saw our little boy on ultrasound once again. He is exactly where he should be at this stage, and the doctor didn't see anything abnormal.

At times it seems surreal that I am pregnant. For the longest time the thought of being a mother rarely crossed my mind. I was content just living life and doing what I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I wasn't sure if we would ever want to have children. While here in Riyadh the feeling of starting a family increased. Guess that biological clock finally starting ticking for Billy and I. So, in October we started trying because we felt it was the right time. I know a lot of people say, there's never a right time to have a baby, but for us feeling like it's the "right time" and planning was important.

Billy and I have been married a long while and during this time, we've done a lot as a couple. We've accomplished goals, traveled, experienced life, and have had a lot of fun doing it. Our relationship continues to be strong, which is something extremely important to me. We are in a place in our lives that we know we will be completely devoted parents. If for some reason we can't make it to a party, hang out with friends, or travel on a long weekend, it's OK because we've been there and done that. We're not going to be hermits, but our focus now is to share our life with this little baby, who is growing inside of me and is truly the extension of our love.

I am thrilled to start this next adventure with my husband, our dog Dante, and our baby boy. I feel blessed to be at a place in my life where I feel 100% sure that we are ready for this. Of course we are scared and know there will be challenges ahead, but our baby will be loved, well taken care of, and our relationship will flourish even more because of him.

New Year's in Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

We couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary and NYE. From the Schonbrunn to the Belvedere Palace, symphonies, concerts, museums, as well as endless shops, cafes and restaurants, Vienna captured our hearts. How could it not? It is the birthplace of Mozart, Strauss and Freud, plus the Hapsburg's, who ruled Austria for over 6 centuries. Their legacies still lives on after all these years. So much so that once the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, they played Mozart and the Viennese waltzed. It was so romantic that we began waltzing (pretend style) as well.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Every day during our stay we bundled up in layers and walked the narrow cobblestone streets towards a new attraction. Of course we always made time to stop at a cafe for a famous apple strudel or sachertorte accompanied by a melange. At night there was no denying the gluhwein (warm red wine) which is sold on almost every street corner. It does help to keep one warm when walking in the cold. I also have never seen so much sausages being sold in my life. Along side the hot wine booths there are endless sausage stands, which you can't seem to resist. Austrians may very well be the biggest consumers of pork in the world. 

Apple strudel and a melange.

Before arriving our thoughts were to include a day trip to Budapest and Bratislava, but we discovered quite quickly that there was no way that was going to happen. We really wanted to take our time in Vienna and see as much as possible. If we were to include 2 other cities we would be cheating ourselves. We kept it simple and chose to go to Bratislava because it was only an hour away, and the old city would just take a few hours to see. Budapest would have to wait for now.

Celebrating our 18th Anniversary at 821 Cafe

Old Town Bratislava

After 7 days and 6 nights in Vienna we headed back to Riyadh. I must admit that it was hard to get on the airplane. We simply had the best time there. We heard from many people on how fabulous Vienna would be, but I took it with a grain of salt. Now having seen it with my own eyes I agree, Vienna is magical and a beautiful city full of culture, rich in history, and very progressive. The more I travel to Europe the more I fall in love with it. Maybe we'll get posted there someday, but for now short trips like this will suffice my soul.

Bye, Bye 2012

Billy as Santa 

In little less than a week from now we'll be saying good bye to 2012.What a year this has been. Last year around the same time we were jumping for joy about our assignment: Riyadh. We hit the ground running in 2012. From finishing up our post in DC, visiting family and friends before moving, packing, shots, paperwork and more paperwork to relocating to the other side of the world with our dog Dante. Then getting settled in Riyadh, unpacking, meeting new friends, establishing a new routine, learning to accept and adapt to new customs. Ahhhhh...let me take a breath. Yes, 2012 has truly been a wonderful year like many years before. We have a lot to be thankful for. We are blessed to have each other and our family who love us unconditionally.

As 2012 comes to a close we'll end it with a bang. Billy's 10-day vacation starts today. We've been invited to 3 separate parties which we'll attend all of them. On Christmas morning we'll begin the preparations for dinner at our house. Our guests this year are the sweet MSG's at post who are all single and away from their families. We'll have a sit down traditional Christmas meal with turkey and all the fixings, homemade spiked eggnog, and the usual pies (apple, pecan and pumpkin). There's going to be a lot of eating, drinking and socializing within these next 48 hours, but it doesn't stop here. On the 27th, Billy and I take off on an early flight to Vienna, Austria where we'll celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary (Dec. 30th) and New Year's Eve. We are so excited! To be in Europe during this time of year with the love of my life is going to be magical. We'll be able to walk every where, see a concert, check out a museum, and sit at a cafe with a glass of wine. This all gives me butterflies.

2012 you have been more than kind to us. May 2013 be just as gracious. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all our family and friends. We love you very much. Cheers!

Sultanate of Oman

We heard from many foreigners living in Saudi that the key to happiness here is to travel every 2-4 months. We took their advice and booked a 6 day trip to Oman, the neighboring country to the southeast of Saudi Arabia. It was an easy 2 hour direct flight from Riyadh to Muscat, the capitol of Oman. We arrived at night around midnight so it was very hard to get a feel for the city. The next morning I opened up our bedroom curtains and our view was this...

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat, Oman

In Muscat we visited the Sultan's palace, the Grand Mosque, the very famous Muttrah Souk, and a few other places including the Opera House. One great thing was seeing my friend and her husband who were assigned to Muscat. It was truly a delight to reunite with her, and finally meet her other half. After a couple days in Muscat, we rented a 4x4 and ventured northwest into the the scenic Al Hajar mountain range of Oman, which are the highest in the whole eastern Arabia. We stopped for the night in the quaintest B&B in the little town of Jebel Akhdar. This place had the most amazing endless views of the mountains. The B&B had a very Omani/American southwest spa style look to it. Not far the from the hotel there are also endless trails and wadis to explore. There are also a couple remote villages where the locals prefer to live off the land. They welcome tourists to visit, but don't want to be photographed. Spending a couple hours in the village of Al Ayan was an amazing experience for me (I truly love seeing things like that). I could have spent our entire 6 days at this location.

Views from the Sahab Hotel, Jebel Akhdar, Oman

Next day we started our trek down the mountains to the Ash Sharqiyah desert region for a modernized Bedouin style camping experience at the Arabian Oryx Camp. After a 4 hour drive we were literally in the middle of the desert in between huge sand dunes. We checked into our air conditioned tent with a full bathroom (no roughing it on this trip). There was a big group of people starting to get ready for the trip to see the sunset. We hopped into one of the camps Jeep and headed towards the top of the dunes to admire the sun descend into the desert sands. This was a spectacular sight. The sun rays; yellow, orange, red and with shades of purple lingered beautifully in the desert sky, until complete darkness took over. We now could only hear the desert wind and feel the granules of the sand blowing against our skin, as we sat around the camp fire eating our traditional Omani dinner under a full moon.

The following day we made a pit stop in the beach town of Sur and took the coastal route to our final destination; The Shangri-La's Al-Waha Resort and Spa, 15 minutes outside of Muscat. This resort is tucked away with the breathtaking views of the sea and the rugged mountains that surround the resort. Our last night in Oman was spent sipping drinks and taking long walks along the beach. Before checking out the next morning we made sure to make time for one last dip in the ocean and soak in the sun.

Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat, Oman

Oman was truly amazing. It still feels very untouched by globalization, and not touristy. I believe it's one of the best kept secrets of the middle east. The country is calm, not too touristy, and the Omani's are always smiling and very helpful people. Our time there was wonderful and memorable.

4 Months Into Saudi

Life here in Saudi...where do I start? I would say so far we have been adapting pretty well. We've made friends fairly quickly within the embassy and expat community. As for having Saudi friends it's been a little challenging, but I have made one girlfriend. Despite all the uprisings around us, Saudi still is a fairly safe country. Hopefully it stays this way here. I do find life at times to be a bit constricting and confined. In my opinion we tend to live in a bubble within the diplomatic quarters. We'll never really know how it feels to live among Saudi's. Especially since we're only here for 2 years. 

The culture shock sneaks up on you very gradually here. It's not like moving to Guinea, Africa where it smacks you right in the face. Riyadh is fairly clean, it has many malls, shops, restaurants and activities. Most expats or government workers from abroad all live in very westernized compounds. In my opinion it's the confinements of living in compounds (which some people never leave during a tour), the segregation between men and women, women not being able to drive, and a few other nuances here and there that makes this a "hardship post". 

Segregation starts with many functions being for only men or women. When you go to a restaurant there's the family section, where women and married couples can dine. Then there's a partitioned off section just for single males. Coffee houses, such as Starbucks, fast food joints are the exact same way; separate entrances for women and men. Some stores at the mall do not allow single men to enter, and during weekends single males may be banned all together from entering the shopping mall. Even at weddings the men and women have separate parties. 

Driving is something I dearly miss. The freedom of going somewhere, when I want to go, and explore on my own term is complicated here. One, I depend on a male driver, which sounds nice, but it involves having to plan things in advance and coordinate around prayer times (5x a day), as well as pick up times for the kids at school.  Two, even with Billy, I can not drive. I still depend on him to drive me around (which he doesn't mind). Third, there is no public transportation system. The only public transport they have are buses for the service workers who come by the hundreds here to work from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, etc...The "Muttawa", the religious police also make sure to enforce their rules. A couple times, I've been stopped for not wearing my headscarf. It feels a little weird having grown men not making eye contact with you and saying in a stern voice, “woman cover your hair”.

Even with all I've stated, I don't regret for a second in coming here, and I feel fortunate to be living abroad. I am discovering this place to be mysterious, intriguing, yet contradicting at times. The experiences I am gaining are priceless. Although it's not always easy, I find what works best for me is to not play into the comparison game. I also remind myself that I am in a different country and I am a guest here in the Kingdom. I use common sense and try to respect their beliefs. Despite the cultural and religious differences I still find people to be the same wherever I go. In general, most of us want: respect, health, food, shelter, love and happiness. Maybe I sound like a big hippie right now, but I believe what I say to be true. 

A Very Short Season

Turns out our softball season ended before it even really started. During practice Billy caught a line drive with his left hand which fractured his 5th metacarpal. Who would of thought softball was such a rough sport? He ended up having minor surgery and staying a couple days in the hospital. Thankfully there was no need to transport him to London for the surgeon here came highly recommended.

A week after this happened I started to have GI issues and have been asked to take it easy for a month until my inflammation goes down. It's looking like I will need to have surgery in Riyadh in the very near future too, but I'll cross that bridge in a month. We've now been officially indoctrinated into the Saudi Health Care System and we feel confident in saying it's comparable to the States in many ways. Guess there will be no need to order those tight spandex, cleats and a glove after all.

When in Riyadh, Play Softball!

I don't know how this happened, but it did. When we arrived in Riyadh we heard about a softball league which was starting up soon. Of course I had no interest in signing up. Softball has never been my thing. Last time I played the sport was in PE class in high school. Little did we know that the coach for the team would be my husbands boss, so of course Billy signs us up. Before our first practice, I tell Billy, "I will just go and see if it's something I even want to commit to". After all, there are practices and games, and I know the team will depend on its players.

Our first practice turned out to be a lot more fun that I thought it would be. Good thing I'm well coordinated and I didn't make a complete fool out of myself. I was able to catch most of the balls, and hit the softball more than a couple times. Maybe I'll be nominated for "most improved" player of the season. After all, everyone else including my husband are far better than I.

Needless to say, I caught the softball bug. Yes people, we are now officially on a coed softball team in Riyadh. We'll be competing against the different military branches that are stationed here. We've had two practices so far and our first game is coming up some time this week. Now I have to look the part; I see tight pants, cleats and gloves in my near future. Our "Patriots" jersey will be arriving soon. I've even asked the only other girl on the team who played softball in COLLEGE to give me some pointers. We'll see what this season brings. It's all in good fun, right? At least I hope so.

A Day at the Edge of the World

96 km northwest of Riyadh lies the magnificent sight of the Edge of the World. Here the cliffs of the Tuwaiq escarpment drop away giving splendid views over the plain below. We left bright and early from Riyadh with a small convoy of 2, 4x4  Toyota's, and a couple of drivers who knew how to get our group of 7 safe and sound to this spectacular place. Even with a GPS it would have been pretty hard for us to go solo the first time. Finding this place is a little challenging because it's off the beaten path. 

We drove for a good hour until we veered off the road onto gravel and sand. There were no signs or markers telling us where to go, only tire marks on the sand. We passed several camels out in the dessert. The only time I had seen a camel was at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. Now here they were just out in the wild traveling in packs. 

We also saw goats being herded by the man below, who waved at us after I took his picture.

Long haired goats enjoying the shade.

Goat Herder

After a half hour trek in the desert we reached the Edge of the World which is part of the Tuwaiq escarpments that runs 800km from the south to the north central region of Saudi Arabia. There are many narrow valleys and wadis. The panoramic views are endless and the cliffs are breath taking. But watch out for your step, because one careless move could be deadly.

View of the valley from the top of one of the cliffs.

Edge of the World back drop

We spent a couple of hours exploring the area, hiking from one mountain peak to another. Once the sun started to warm up we got back into the SUV's and found a nice shaded area to have a picnic. Each one of us brought something to share so we had a wonderful array of yummy foods to chose from. Next trip out will probably be an overnight one, but we'll have to wait until the weather cools down some.

Breaking the Rules in the Stall

Up until yesterday it was Ramadan and one of the rules during this time is: no eating in public until Iftar, which is after 6:30 pm. Mid morning a girlfriend and I decided to go pick up our new Abayas, go to the shopping mall then head to the grocery store. I left the house having only eaten a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee, which is the not the greatest sustenance. At least not when you're in Saudi during Ramadan. Most restaurants, food courts, cafes are closed during the day because it's illegal to eat in public during the month of Ramadan. You can't even have a glass of water in public.

Of course, I walk out of the house not prepared for the day ahead. By the time we get to the shopping mall, my friend and I are literally thirsty and starving. Plus, we still have to go grocery shopping, and you know how that is when you're hungry. As we're walking in the mall we miraculously see a bakery ahead and it says "OPEN". The smells from this place draws us like honeybees to the honeycomb. Before Iftar, we can't just sit at the cafe, order a nice hot pastry with a cup of coffee and eat. No way! You must take it to go and savor it later in the evening.

Our game plan starts to unfold. We order 4 croissants with cheese and a couple drinks to go. We head into the ladies bathroom and walk into one of stalls together. Thank goodness the bathroom was empty when we walked in. The doors to the stalls were of  regular size, so no one could sneak a peak. We locked the stall door, opened up the to-go box from the bakery and had a nice little lunch next to the toilet. We were both laughing on how crazy we looked. I only wish I had pictures to post.