Finally….. My First Golf Trophy!

            Finally while playing my third golf tournament at Dirab Golf and Country Club since working in the Kingdom, I won the trophy for Ladies Longest Drive!   My golf drive stopped shy of 150 yards! I have been trying to achieve this feat since I began playing the game in 2011! Today, was definitely a thrill of victory!

I have to thank my first golf instruction, Ivan from Korea who through an interpreter told me he did not care if I can hit the ball or not. He said my form is more important and basically that is what we worked on for 10 weeks. Also, many thanks go out to my friend and co-worker, Jay who through repetitive instruction and time spent at the driving range reinforced Ivan’s teachings. I was always told while learning to putt, “if you tap the ball too hard or too soft, the ball will never make it to hole”….thanks Tony!

There are several golf courses in the area. Dirab Golf and Country Club (+966-011-812- 6671 and +966-53-500-1896) is about an hour west of Riyadh. The place is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by mountains in a distance and from the sun’s reflection; they appeared to be just like the sand,…red clay in color! There are eucalyptus trees that really set the tone of the grounds for this course; tranquil and green, really! Dirab one of the two grassed 18 hole courses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, nestled in picturesque Tawfiq valley. The course offers a driving range and putting greens. Nine of the eighteen holes is floodlit for night time golfing. The club also offers tennis, swimming and horse-back riding activities as well.

Another 18 hole course is Riyadh Greens, considered the “Pearl in the Desert”  (+966-55-739-9900 and +966-54-069-5527). It is a large course like Dirab; 18 grassed holes of golf, but also have state of the art facilities. The grounds are beautiful with a huge spectacular clubhouse.

             Arizona Golf Resort (+966-011-248-4444), which opened in 1994 and is located on a compound enclosed within a high perimeter fence. It is a 9 holes course and it is not unusual to see gazelle and deer watching you play golf. There is a clubhouse, pro shop, riding stable, and petting zoo.   Looking for something to do in the Kingdom, try your hand at playing golf!

All the best, GMarie

Teaching English in Saudi Arabia……

I have been contacted through my blog by teachers for middle and high school as well as university level who have had some apprehension and concerns regarding their transition from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia. Once here, they encountered obstacles with obtaining a visa, igama or just trying to get their family member to accompany them on their assignments. I typically direct them to the U.S. Embassy website or tell them to research the internet and see what other bloggers may have experienced and to see if they may be able to offer some advice.

Thanks to my friend Ethel, a university teacher here in Riyadh, who passed on to me an interesting yet informative article which makes for some important reading.  This document may assist those that want to potentially pursue a teaching career in Saudi Arabia and may eliminate some of the frustration while transitioning to another country’s way of doing business. 

Click the link, read and heed:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/saudi-arabia/768382/yoderja/guide.pdf

            As always, do your homework before venturing off to another country. There is more in store than just learning about their culture!  

All the best,

GMarie

Palmeras Mediterranean Restaurant, Riyadh Saudi Arabia

I have frequented several of the fine dining restaurants in Riyadh but the one the stands “head and shoulders” above the rest is called Palmeras Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant. Riyadh, with it countless restaurants and a variety of fares, introduced its first Spanish-Saudi restaurant last April. Palmeras, situated in the heart of Riyadh on Khalid Ibn Yazid Ibn Muawiyah Al Olaya (+966 11 464 1977), specializes in delicious Mediterranean cuisine prepared by Spanish Chef Ramon Dios and his assistant, Endre Pocz.

Notably, from the front door, Palmeras has a distinctive architecture and decor that is state of the art Andalusian design accompanied by it warm ambiance.

Once seated, I was ready to eat but Palmeras' menu offers quite a few  choice entrées.  I finally decided that my pallet was set on having the Jumbo Shrimp al Josper  for the main course and fresh Spinach Salad  for my appetizer. My friend Chris decided on the Green Salad on Cheese Basket as his appetizer and chose the Charcoal Grilled Lobster as the main course.  All food selections were indeed delicious! The shrimp and lobster was fresh, succulent and grilled to perfection! You cannot go wrong with the Spanish Sangria. It was the best I have had in a long time! The portions were just right, so having desert was tempting but out of the question!

                         Palmeras serves lunch and dinner and can accommodate families on the top floor and individuals on the ground floor. 

Palmeras Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant; synonymous with a delicious variety of foods and professional staff who are attentive to your elegant fine dining experience. Give them a try….your pallet will thank you!

All the best,

 GMarie

Talia, My Canine Companion

             This past November 21st, Talia (Tally) turned 2 years old! In my past couple of posts, I blogged that pups were found by the base veterinarian. Initially, I was told that Tally was part Saluki. But another fellow blogger, Duncanerd (www.duncan-saudicanaandogs.blogspot.com) dropped me a line and informed me that Talia was actually a Canaan desert dog. After viewing his blog site and seeing his dogs, without a doubt, Tally was indeed Canaan. 

The Canaan breed, originally from Israel, is the oldest dog that dates back to biblical times. The Canaan story is not that much different than the Salukis’. I located a website where you can compare one breed to another (http://www.comparecanines.com/dogs).  According to the website, Canaan shed more than Saluki.  Canaan is more tolerant of other animals, though not tolerant of strangers. Canaan is highly intelligent and has better trainability. They are boisterous and independent compared to the Saluki. Canaan is less susceptible to cancer and eye problems than the Saluki but is prone to hip dysplasia.

  

Tally, in the beginning was very aloof, but has grown to be guarded of strangers and aggressive towards anyone who comes near me. There are only certain people who she will let approach.  She tends to be annoying at times with the barking but she is just protecting her domain. When she is bored, which is often, she commands my attention by pushing her head into my arm so I can massage her. When I am not around and if she can get hold of something, like a pillow or rug, she will destroy it. When I arrive home, the guilt is obvious by her expression that she has gotten into something!  

Tally loves to run so she makes a good jogging companion and she loves to chase and retrieve a ball but will quickly let you know when she’s tired and you can chase the ball yourself!

She has recently made a friend and his name is Choncho! The two, when together, are totally inseparable! Tally has really turned into a great canine companion and protector and as previously posted, she has definitely been a welcome addition to my life.

All the best,

GMarie

Baboons at Heet Escarpment near Ar Riyadh

              It is Eid Al-Adha in the Kingdom.  Eid (solemn festival) al-Adha (feast of sacrifice) is an Islamic festival to celebrate the willingness of Abraham to follow Allah's command to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to Allah, before Allah intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead. During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham's trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel or goat. 

 Due to the Muslim holiday, we were off from work for a week, so some of us got together to go feed the baboons on the Heet Escarpment near Ar Riyadh. We brought bananas (of course!) and some fruits and Doritos! The Hamadryas Baboons, native to the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, live in the canyons and within the folds of the cliffs. The ride was about 20 minutes by highway but the trek up was rough and hilly but well worth the experience.  

             Once we opened the food and start throwing some of it over the cliff to get the primates' attention, it did not take the baboon family very long, with the male dominant in the lead, to discover that there was free food to be devoured. Within a short while we were literally surrounded by at least 20-30 baboons of all sizes! I was a bit apprehensive to move away from the vehicle to get some photos but soon realized that the hungry pack was paying more attention to their dinner that its spectators. Some of the males were horsing around and fighting each other for food while the baby baboons either played or held on tightly to their mamas. But for the most part, the baboons just ate quietly and when there wasn’t any more food, they just hung out until we departed their habitat.

            Another great outing in the Kingdom but remember safety first in your speed while climbing the terrain and use your vehicle as a barrier between your group and the baboons. 

 All the best,

GMarie

Bowling in Riyadh

Besides shopping, dining out or just simply having a cup of “Joe” at one of the local coffee shops, activities are pretty limited in Riyadh. Riyadh, which is probably one of the strictest of the other Arab countries, prohibits dance clubs, bars, movie theatres or performance venues. Alcohol is banned as well as socialization of genders that are not married. There is always the presence of the Matawa (religious police) who enforce the rules in accordance with the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

I was a bit surprised to find that Riyadh had bowling alleys. I immediately got a group together to partake in the sport that is enjoyed by millions of people in more than 90 countries worldwide.  We headed to the Intercontinental Hotel (+966 11 465 5000) located on Maather Street, Al Mutamarat in Riyadh. The hotel has a 12-lane bowling alley.  Four of the lanes are segregated from the other lanes and designated as the Family Section. This area permits the women to bowl without an abaya. I am not a big fan of the separation of the genders but, “when in Rome do as the Romans do!” 

It had been a while since I have been bowling but my skill quickly returned and I was able score a 127 and beat the others in Game 1!  I didn’t fare as well in Game 2 but everyone had a good time and looked forward to returning for another evening of fun.

Other than the Intercontinental, a bowling center can be found at the Ritz-Carlton on AlHada Area, Mekkah Road (+966 11 802 8333). Bowling……another fun activity to do in the Kingdom…..Saudi Arabia!

All the best,

GMarie