So, Tom, What Junk Food Do You Eat?

Ramadan is coming up in September so the stores are selling special products. During Ramadan, Muslims fast during day light hours and then celebrate during the evening. To break the fast, they enjoy a fruit flavored drink. Vimto (not shown), Towt, and Tono are three popular products used. They are concentrated syrups added to water (or bubbling water or other liquid). It is very sweet. Vimto has a web site www.vimto.co.uk where you can Shlurple the Purple and read about the health benefits of their product.
Frito Lay has some flavors we just can't get in the US. Vine Leaves. The bag states it "is a traditional Mediterranean tasty dish for all occasions. Rich in several important nutrients, vine leaves can also be savored along with yogurt." If you have had Greek grape leaves (dolmades) stuffed with rice (and/or lamb), there is a suggestion of that flavor. To me, it tasted tomato-ey (even though there is none), vinegary, olive-y. It wasn't bad and I may have it again.
This, of course, is Indian-based but quite popular here in Saudi. Again, the flavor is not strong but there.

Maybe Frito Lay should sell an international flavors pack.

New Apartment

The first apartment I was in was temporary until the Fluor apartments were ready. The first one was provided by Sipchem and is for a married couple.

This new apartment is half the square meters with no floor to ceiling windows or balconies, which I miss. I am fortunate, though, to have a single and not have a two bedroom to share with someone who may smoke, be noisier, or messier. The gentleman next to me smokes and comes through the walls or HVAC ducts or some gap I cannot find. This photo is how the living room was arranged when you step into the apartment. The sofa is long enough to nap on. The TV is flat screen which is nice. I have been watching the Olympics when I am home before and after work and today, Friday. The dining room table is right there.

Take two quick lefts and you are in the kitchen. The cabinets and drawers are about 3 inches shallower so dishes and boxes (aluminum, saran wrap) don't fit. Microwaves are not provided because they are considered unsafe here.

Step out of the kitchen and take a left and you are in the bathroom. The hand sink is in front of the toilet and the washer/dryer are to the left behind the door when facing the toilet. You can get a lot of business done in this one room!

Step out of the bathroom and left one more time and you are in the bedroom. I walked to the far wall and took this photo. You can see the refrigerator door down the hallway. The bed is a regular; in the first apartment it was a king. i do have a reading light and am reading "Blood and Thunder" by Hampton Sides. It is about Kit Carson and America's manifest destiny to the Pacific.

Contact Info - Just in Case (revised Aug 8)

Mail address (for envelopes):

Murjan Village
Apt F19 - Woodbury
Post Box Number 11721
Jubail Industrial City, 31961
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Street address (for packages):

Murjan Village
Apt F19 - Woodbury
Fahad Road (Highway 2)
Al-Khafji Street, Fanateer, Jubail
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

It is recommended to use DHL, UPS, or FEDEX that have package tracking systems. One person here used USPS priority postal service and has received 1 out of 3 boxes. The 2 missing boxes had tracking numbers but their whereabouts is unknown.

Fahad Road (Highway 2) is the road that runs east-west and parallels the water. Al-Khafji is the nearest cross street to Murjan Village. Fanateer is the neighborhood we are located in, kind of like The Plaza or Highland in KC. Jubail is the city. Jubail is located in the Eastern Province (which is not part of the address). And Saudi is a monarchy family name in the area of Arabia and hence the Kingdom.

Murjan Village phone number (from USA):

011 966 3 347 7777 extension 235

The phone system is like a hotel system where you dial the main switchboard and then the extension.

During daylight savings time, Jubail is 7 hours ahead of the East Coast so noon in Greenville is 7:00 pm here.

On Skype, my search name is olander11.

Travel Route

This is one route we take some mornings to work. We vary it per Fluor rules.

There are several layers of security. once off the main highway, we first proceed through a checkpoint manned by the Saudi Marines complete with rifles and side arms. Trunks are opened. We navigate through concrete barriers past a bunker with machine guns.

The next stop is at the jobsite gate. This is run by a different group. Supplementing them are more Marines in another camoflauge house.

After work, returning back to the village, the car bottom is inspected with mirrors and the trunk is opened. There are concrete barriers and steel gates to slow the traffic. The opposite lane has tire puncture spikes.

The bay side of the village has a barrier to slow/stop boats. Rumor has it that there is a laser detection system like in the movies. At each end of our beach is manned and gunned observation tower.

We feel very safe and have not had any problems. It is reassuring that the Saudis protect their visitors so well.

The Weekend

I have been wondering if it is the weekend if it is one day long. It is better than no days off.

Last night Alex D. had his birthday party. He is the Process Control System Lead for the client. He had his party catered outside of the Murjan Village restaurant. There were about 20 people including Alex' wife, her sister, and another wife. Alex provided all the food and adult beverges, grain and grape varieties. The breeze died and it was very hot. We ate after the sun set and had grilled steaks, bar b q chicken, bar b q lamb chops, potato salad, cole slaw, other salads, vegetables, and desserts. It was all very good. Most of the people there were from South Africa and most were instrument engineers like me. There were a few of the client higher ups there. Of course I forgot my camera. I left at 11 pm exhausted.

So I have this photo instead to show the next day.





I didn't have a cuerveza for this shot. Those are some ugly hairy legs!

Independence Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I celebrated July 4th in a foreign country. What a reminder of the freedoms we have in the USA. We have freedom of press, religion, and the pursuit of happiness. We also have the responsibilities to exercise these freedoms for good or bad. There was no law stopping me from coming here. There is no law forcing me to attend church or mosque. No law to stop me from criticizing or complementing the government. I have a voice no matter how small. There is no law to stop men and women from interacting.





Today, some of us gathered on the compound and remembered our heritage with a multi-cultural feast of buffalo wings, chili con queso, grilled rib eye steaks, mesquite smoked chicken, potato salad, bar-b-que beans, corn bread, apple strudel, and water melon. We listened to Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, Neil Young, and other distinctly American music.





A view of the Arabian Gulf. It was quite beautiful. The water was green though the picture show it as blue. It was only 111 degrees F when I took this picture.





I took my first swim today in the Gulf. The water is very salty and I could float effortlessly. When getting out, the water evaporates very quickly making you quite cool. About 10 minutes later you have to get back in because it so hot. I was reading a magazine in the shade and the paper was noticeably warm.

Sunrise

It is 88 deg f at 5ish in the morning.















And here it is!















And one more with different setting.