On a lighter note, I thought I'd write a quickie about things you don't see back home.
How's this - I filled the kids' bath up with water entirely from the cold tap, threw in two trays of ice cubes, and they still complained it was too hot.
The refrigerated swimming pool's chilling unit seems to have broken yesterday or the day before. The water will be uncomfortably warm by tomorrow.
The boys' first day of school is on Sunday. They won't be taking the bus - it costs about $1,500 per child per year.
People are commenting on how fair the weather's been - it was really hot last year. Tomorrow it's only supposed to get up to 102 degrees!
I have seven different flavors of fresh fruit juice in my fridge: apple, grape, strawberry, watermelon, passion fruit, orange, and pineapple. I hear the carrot juice is great too.
You can walk around the corner and get fresh hot pita bread from the bakery, five pieces for a riyal (that's about 30 cents). The juice stall next door is where you go for carrot juice.
You can also walk around the corner to the neighborhood grocery and get all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies, herbs and whatever else you might need for dinner tonight. But the eggs are risky - they're not refrigerated in the truck.
All those saloons you see the signs for? They're barbers. Don't ask for a beer. Do ask for a facial.
Ladies, when you're in the public restroom, keep looking in stalls 'till you find one with an actual toilet...
It's best to enter the roundabout at full tilt, if at all possible.
That driver in the left lane probably wants to turn right. Don't expect a signal.
You'll have giant SUVs passing you on the right in a residential neighborhood, but when the parking lot gridlocks no one leans on the horn. You get hand gestures that (they tell me) aren't offensive - they mean "chill out!" I don't think road rage happens here. They drive like fiends but when the traffic is bad or there's a crash, it was the will of Allah. Accept it.
If you need your car washed, go to the mall. Come on, you were going there anyhow. There are guys in the parking lot who'll wash your car while you shop for 10 riyals.
Rush hour is 8 pm. Parks and playgrounds are lit well into the night, and still busy after 9 pm.
I'm sure I'll think of more, but these are just the things that have struck me in the last few days.
