Tuesday night at the Breakers

Made it to Palm Beach fine. Monday had plenty of sun but Tuesday was rainy. Deborah is spaing while I teach.

To Cumberland, then to Palm Beach

The Shelties perform tomorrow at Caleigh's birthday party in Cumberland, then we'll drop them at Luciles for a week.

Sunday Deborah and I leave for a week at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. I'm working for five days, and she is spa'ing for the whole time. I have Saturday to play a little golf, I hope. We return to TRH Sunday Sept 4.

Hurricane Katrina hit well below Palm Beach, on it's first landfall, so we think the Breakers is OK from that. Hopefully Katrina won't cause too much more trouble as she crosses the Gulf and pops out somewhere else for her second landfall.

Friday Afternoon - Puppies Back Too

I picked up the Shelties from Lucile's today, so everyone is back at TRH now!

Thursday Afternoon - Home Again

Dammam to Amsterdam to The Rock House - got home around 3pm today.

Tuesday Night at Al Rashid Mall

Visited another mall tonight. Found a blue box place and remembered "anything in a blue box is OK as a gift".

Tuesday Afternoon on the Blog

I had to delete some comments from my Blog today - because it got spammed. I didn't want any of the stuff they were selling. But, maybe spam comments are better than no comments at all, which is what there are now.

Anyway, I've restricted comments to registered users of Blogger, which was the setting on prior trips, so that shouldn't be a problem or keep Cumberland or TRH from posting comments, you'll just need to logon to Blogger to do it. You've done that before --- about three trips ago!

Anybody there???

Monday - Coffee at the Office

Today I saw how they make coffee in the office. Someone brings coffee or tea on a tray twice a day - that's nice. I missed that today, so was just wondering around and found the coffee room

There is water in a big metal pot sitting on a stove, and they add a spoon of instant coffee to a paper cup and fill it up from the pot. I think it's Maxwell House, could be Foldgers- 'cause the jar is not marked, and I don't think Gevalia delivers instant coffee here. I didn't see where the water comes from or how it gets into the pot - but I have not been sick yet, so will keep drinking their coffee!!!

Sunday Evening at the Holiday Inn

I seem to be in a rut here = sleep, work, workout, work, sleep - with some eating in between. I don't know if that's good or not, but it seems to be the trend. Three more days, then a flight out at midnight Wednesday to TRH.

Here is the website of the client I am working on in Dammam - FMQ Company - and here is the consulting company in Riyadh that is sponsoring me here - HNC.

Dhahran Shopping Mall on a Friday Night

Let me tell you about a shopping nightmare. Imagine a hugh shopping mall - with a Super Walmart (called Geant here) as an anchor store. And it's the Friday after Thanksgiving or the heaviest shopping day before Christmas - except more crowded. And except that:

• Everyone has shopping carts - not just in stores, but in the mall itself - everywhere
• They have mini-shopping carts with tall flags on them for the kids - I think they are designed for racing.
• The kids can also rollerblade and skate inside the mall.
• There are bicycles with training wheels for the kids too.
• There is a skating rink - and on it all the kids wear helments and knee, elbow and wrist pads - but they don't have to wear those in rest of mall or inside the stores.

It was like thousands of Caleigh's in one small space!

I was there from 6:30pm to 8pm, and all the stores closed twice, for 15 minute prayer times. The Saudi men went to prayer, somewhere, but the women and kids stayed in the hallways and common areas of the mall talking on cellphones, drinking coffee and racing bikes and carts. You are not allowed to take pictures or else I'd have some good ones. Everyone's phone does have a camera on it though - but they can't use them indoors I guess.

I bought some water, some almonds and some bananas from the Geant store and some chicken from Popeyes. I got a SR 5 (about $2) coupon from Popeyes, so I may have to go back. But this time, if my hotel driver had not showed up and taken me away when he did, I might have been arrested for abusing some kid.

Friday Afternoon at the Holiday Inn

Still here at the Holiday Inn in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Had buffet breakfast this morning for first time - pretty standard omlets, hashbrowns and bacon - beef bacon, since nobody has pork here. Worked some then went to gym and pool - about 110 degrees outside, so even the pool water is hot!

Workweek starts tomorrow, Saturday - it's the weekend in the US, but not here. I think there is a golf tournament this weekend though, so maybe we'll get some television of it - the afternoon in the US would make the TV here sometime after midnight -- maybe I'll just wait for the coverage in "Arab News" www.arabnews.com the next day.

I'm working here thru Wednesday, and leaving around midnight Wednesday. Glad I wasn't flying back thru London Heathrow yesterday - I'd still be there!

I've decided there must be nobody reading these blogs anymore, since there are no comments to it. It's unlocked so anyone can leave a comment!

Thursday Morning at the FMQ Offices

It's the weekend!!! And I am in the client's office working!! But, so is everyone else -- seems like there is only one weekend day in Saudi and it is Friday.

I went to a BBQ at Saudi Aramco last night - kabobs, lambchops, chicken, and Budweiser N.A. beer. I thought the N.A. stood for North America, so it was an imported beer, but I was told differently.

I'll be going to the Dharan Mall around 5pm today to see what I can see. I'm not at the office tomorrow - I'll be at home in the HI instead!

Monday Night at the Holiday Inn

Well, they closed the US Embassies here for two days this week because of some type threat - so said the US government. But the Saudi government says nothing is going on. Who knows!!! I'll just work and stay in my HI.

I did go to a grocery store tonight and bought popcorn (popped!), peanuts, and dates (yes, dates). Ummmmm.

Friday Night at the Holiday Inn

Made it to Saudi around 9pm Friday night - another long trip! Got two more little house ornaments from KLM. I'm gonna have a real collection before long - that makes 4. Tomorrow is first workday of week, so I need to get used to the Saturday - Wednesday schedule again. I'm +7 hours from TRH time, and sending this via email to my blog so don't know what time it will show as posted -- but its 10:30 pm in Saudi as I send it.

Friday Morning in the KLM Lounge

I'm in Amsterdam airport on my way back to Saudi Arabia. I should be there Friday night, to be met at the airport someone from my "home" for next two weeks - the Holiday Inn!