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boundforsaudi
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 243
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 Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:13 pm Post subject: Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter |
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I got this from a travel brochure:
Diplomatic Area: Beautifully landscaped with a number of parks. A footpath surrounds the area, which meanders through quaint grottos and gardens complete with sun shading and interesting water features. On the western side the footpath overlooks Wadi Hanifah with its many palm groves and farms. Very pleasant for evening and weekend strolls. Families are allowed to enter on weekends to have picnics.
I may take a job near the diplomatic quarter, so I'm wondering how safe it is for a white American male to be jogging or biking alone on this path, shall we say at about dawn? Anybody know whether that would even be allowed? Anybody hang out there and know the rules? Thanks. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Just pausing to get over my giggles at the "estate agent-ese" of the description of the DQ...
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| I'm wondering how safe it is for a white American male to be jogging or biking alone on this path, shall we say at about dawn? |
Never tried it myself, but I would say it's perfectly safe.
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| Anybody know whether that would even be allowed? |
Your problem would be getting into the DQ in the first place. As you might imagine, the DQ is one of the most heavily guarded areas in Riyadh. Anyone who enters, whether on foot or in a vehicle, will be questioned by a security guard, and you may not be allowed to enter if you don't have a "good" reason to be there. As always in such situations, much depends on the individual security guard on duty, and the mood he happens to be in. If you're living or working there, or visiting an Embassy, you'll have no problems, though you might have to do a bit of talking to convince them to allow you in to jog at dawn. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
| Just pausing to get over my giggles at the "estate agent-ese" of the description of the DQ... |
I had just been waiting to 'hear' your response to that one... 
(we are all dying to hear about the 'quaint grottos' and 'interesting water features' - in fact... how about photos...)
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Actually, compared to the bland - and at times ugly - cityscape of Riyadh, the DQ is actually quite well-designed and easy on the eye. However, talk of "meandering footpaths" and "quaint grottos" is a little bit OTT, to put it mildly. |
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boundforsaudi
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Posts: 243
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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Cleo? familiar? Did I miss the grotto?
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:00 am Post subject: |
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Perhaps that's the "grotto" in the first link?
Must say I had a giggle: did they go around the DQ rounding up folks to pose in those scandalous photos of mixed gatherings? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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I tend to be used to families picnicking together. Is that not mumkin there?
You must wander over next Friday afternoon and see... or wait till it's cooler perhaps. Not exactly weather for a picnic yet.
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Sure, you do see families picknicking together in public, but I've never once seen this happen in the DQ. Also, most of the families who do this are Saudis, but given that the women in this pic all have their faces uncovered, it seems unlikely that they are Saudis too.
And sue it's picnic weather: just don't spread out your rug on the grass until after midnight! |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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Midnight picnics... hummm... perhaps Riyadh is more interesting than my pre-conception...
It looks as if it is Arab expats rather than Saudis actually now that you mention it... |
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Sand Trapped
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 2:40 am Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
Never tried it myself, but I would say it's perfectly safe. |
Perfectly? Wow, that's quite a claim to make for KSA, especially when it relates to safety for westerners. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:19 am Post subject: |
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| Perfectly? Wow, that's quite a claim to make for KSA, especially when it relates to safety for westerners. |
Well, I meant "perfectly safe" rather loosely, because obviously if you're being strict with your choice of words, nowhere and nothing is "perfectly safe". The roof could cave in on top of me as I write these words for example....
However, I would say you're extremely unlikely to come to any harm jogging in the DQ. Certainly I have never heard any stories which would cause me to think of it as being in any way dangerous. Regarding "safety for westerners", how many joggers or pedestrians have been targeted in the past year? |
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