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sahara musafir
Joined: 21 Oct 2009
Posts: 22
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 Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:28 pm Post subject: Getting items through Saudi customs |
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I have just accepted what I think is a very nice offer to teach in the eastern provinces and will be moving there in August. This will be the first time in the region for me and my family. Now that it is all becoming a reality, my wife has started scouring the internet to find out about life there.
One thing that comes up on some official sites is that things like stuffed animals and games that involve dice are prohibited. Is this actually enforced? What have your experiences been with both carrying and shipping things there? Can a children's picture Bible enter the kingdom? What about a guitar? I must admit that if my daughter can't bring her precious stuffed monkey with her, this could be a show stopper! I'm wondering if I can survive a two year contract without Settlers of Catan.
Do they really confiscate any of these items? Thanks for your help. |
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Arabian Hawk
Joined: 12 Jul 2009
Posts: 79
Location: Mystical Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:24 am Post subject: |
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You belongings may be confiscated at any time in the Magic Kingdom!  |
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kazazt
Joined: 15 Feb 2010
Posts: 164
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:34 am Post subject: |
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Stuffed animals-no problem. I entered and exited the Eastern Province with my son`s giant purple Barney dinosaur. Stuffed animals are sold in toy shops and mothercare.
DIce and games no problem-sold in toy shops and stationers.
Musical instruments again no problem and Rashid Mall in Al Khobar has a good music shop.
You are allowed to take on bible now for personal use. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:18 am Post subject: |
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Do not bring with you :
paraphernalia for the practice of witchcraft and sorcery
Zionist propaganda
equipment for the distillation of alcohol.
Your stuffed toys and dice games as well as your musical instruments should not agitate the customs men too much. |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:27 am Post subject: |
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The picture bible is the only one that would worry me. Many customs officials cannot read, but they know a picture of Jesus when they see one. If it has any sentimental value, I would leave it at home because it is at least at some small risk of being confiscated....although the risk is probably very small.
Don't freak out over things you read about Saudi customs on the Internet. In my experience,checks on individual passenger's belongings are cursory at best. They are much less likely to search a family with children to any extent at all. |
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Arabian Hawk
Joined: 12 Jul 2009
Posts: 79
Location: Mystical Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| Sometimes the most difficuly ITEM to bring into the KSA is yourself..that is of course....if you don't have a long beard and shaded sunglasses and do not sport a thobe and ghutra!!!! |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| Many customs officials cannot read, but they know a picture of Jesus when they see one. |
Really, Teta Mia, many customs officials can know the picture of Jesus (or Isa (PBUH))!
Just out of curiosity, Teta Mia, I wonder how a Saudi custom official can differentiate between a 'real' and a fake picture of Jesus (PBUH)? And which one, the one with long beard and long hair, or the one clean shaven and short hair? Any clue, Teta Mia?
Because I know that it took a long time for the West to 'accept' (or recognize) that Jesus is with beard and long hair, after thinking that he was clean shaven! |
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kazazt
Joined: 15 Feb 2010
Posts: 164
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Arabian Hawk wrote: |
| Sometimes the most difficuly ITEM to bring into the KSA is yourself..that is of course....if you don't have a long beard and shaded sunglasses and do not sport a thobe and ghutra!!!! |
No quite the reverse. Westerners have little trouble whereas Asians from the sub continent are more likely to get stopped at the border and at checkpoints. |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Check ALL of yer pockets when you leave Amsterdam...even in the clothes that you don't remember wearing! ...  ...
NCTBA |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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Dear 007,
"Because I know that it took a long time for the West to 'accept' (or recognize) that Jesus is with beard and long hair, after thinking that he was clean shaven!"
Can you direct us to the photos? I've always wanted to see a real picture of Jesus/Isa. Hope it's not a passport photo, though. Those seem to always turn out so badly.
My recollection of the many artists' renditions of Jesus/Isa pictured him with both a beard and with long hair.
Indeed, the (now discredited) "images" of Jesus/Isa on the so-called "veil of Veronica" and the "Shroud of Turin" picture him as bearded and long-haired.
http://tinyurl.com/ylyxou8
http://tinyurl.com/ygwxtgn
But perhaps you went to a different church than I.
Regards,
John
Last edited by johnslat on Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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The first few times I entered Saudi Arabia, I lived in fear of the customs search which never happened. I've been here 7 years now, and not one time has my baggage been searched. Which isn't to say it wont' happen - to you or to me - but it's much more unlikely than many people fear.
Like Mia, I think the only possibly 'dodgy' item in your luggage is likely to be the bible. Even then, it would only be detected were the customs officials to do a thorough search of your bags - which as I say is unlikely. These days, they usually just pass your suitcase through an x-ray machine, and what they're looking for is drugs or alcohol, not books. If they were to find your bible they would feel obliged to confiscate it, but it is improbably that you yourself would be in any trouble, particularly as it's your first visit to the Kingdom. |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear 007,
"Because I know that it took a long time for the West to 'accept' (or recognize) that Jesus is with beard and long hair, after thinking that he was clean shaven!"
Can you direct us to the photos? I've always wanted to see a real picture of Jesus/Isa. Hope it's not a passport photo, though. Those seem to always turn out so badly.
My recollection of the many artists' renditions of Jesus/Isa pictured him with both a beard and with long hair.
Indeed, the (now discredited) "images" of Jesus/Isa on the so-called "veil of Veronica" and the "Shroud of Turin" pictures him as bearded and long-haired.
http://tinyurl.com/ylyxou8
http://tinyurl.com/ygwxtgn
But perhaps you went to a different church than I.
Regards,
John |
Well, I am not a follower of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, or His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Orthodox Churches of Russia!
I am a follower of Jesus (PBUH), the son of Mary, until the day of judgement.
"The image of a fully-bearded Jesus (Isa, PBUH) with long hair did not become established until the 6th century in Eastern Christianity, and much later in the West. Earlier images were much more varied. Images of Jesus tend to show ethnic characteristics similar to those of the culture in which the image has been created. Beliefs that certain images are historically authentic, or have acquired an authoritative status from church tradition, remain powerful among some of the faithful, in both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism"
"Once the bearded, long-haired Jesus became the conventional representation of Jesus, his facial features slowly began to be standardised, although this process took until at least the 6th century in the Eastern Church, and much longer in the West, where clean-shaven Jesuses are common until the 12th century, despite the influence of Byzantine art."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depiction_of_Jesus
Jesus is mentioned in the Quran as the son of Mary:
"O Mary, indeed God gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary � distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near (to God). He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.� (Quran 3:45-46)
"�Indeed, the example of Jesus to God is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, �Be,� and he was.� (Quran 3:59)
"And peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I get resurrected." - Quran - [19:33] . |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Dear 007,
Sorry - I didn't realize that your time zone is the 11th century ( or if you prefer, the 5th century on the Islamic calendar.)
Regards,
John |
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