April, 2014 I had the fortune of travelling to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. My heart quickened when I thought of leaving on a plane in Canada, and arriving into the ‘unknown’. Or, what’s more accurate, arriving into a country that was, as per Western media, dangerous and unstable. Although that’s not entirely wrong, I found myself in a country rich in culture and history, with some of the most generous and hard-working people I have ever met.The experience shattered many of the misconceptions I had prior to arriving in country, and the biggest thing I discovered was how incredibly naive I had been.
I arrived nervous, terrified of patriarchal backlash, and imagined myself confined to the compound for the duration of my stay. I will admit, there were a couple of times that I felt my paranoia was deserved. For instance, upon landing in Dammam, I was – along with an older Indian couple – held behind customs while hundreds of other were allowed through – our passports being held by customs officials. After a 10 hour flight, and anxiety building by the minute, I burst into tears. I’m not really sure what the issue was, but eventually they let us through, and my parents were waiting on the other side.
The pictures that I have included in this post offer a glimpse into Saudi. Or, rather, my interpretation of the country. I have not included the ornate palaces (a.k.a. single family dwellings) that speckled the city scape like ants (giant, golden, opulent queen ants with 10 ft concrete gates) – in sharp contrast to the mud brick dwellings in the smaller towns. I do not have any pictures of the night market – a bustling mecca of cheap clothing and candies; swarmed by hundreds of vehicles, families, and Arabian horses. I don’t have any photos of the roads; 3-lane highways that would suddenly, and chaotically, turn into 8 lanes (sort of? utter chaos), with vehicles driving on the shoulders, and several on the sand to accommodate rush hour (The most remarkable thing I found was that during these times, the drivers stayed so calm. Stoic, even). For the most part, speeding past the country side did not allow for the clearest shots.
Although I have attempted to include pictures of the character of Saudi, I was unable to include the warm experiences that I will forever hold close to me. For example, a kind woodworker (who finished/created/imported some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces) from Afghanistan, who invited us (4 women) into his shop with open arms, offering us dates and tea. Or, a working Muslim woman in full abaya and headscarf, with a stunning diamond ring. I complimented her, and she remarked, “I have to find ways to feel glamorous!”. We are one and the same. I hope that with what I have included, you are able to let go of a few of your own misconceptions of this incredibly diverse country.
On the weekends (Fri-Sat as per only a few months ago…) hundreds of young Saudi men attempt flight over these massive sand dunes. From what I saw, most of the time was spent digging each other out. Exhilarating for sure, but I feel I was white-knuckling my camera just watching them.
April was a lot cooler than the true summer months, and so this beautiful fountain along the shoreline was not yet filled. I could just imagine how it would look in summer.
The country is a melting pot of expats from around the world. Pakistanis, Indians, Canadians, Australians, Filipinos – all working in land so different from their own.
I’m not sure what happened here, or what it was at one point. The sun ruins a lot of things very quickly. This was across from some of the main shops.
Behind this man, are 400+ different perfume oils. From local, to the best-selling (even in the Western world – Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, etc.) he had them all! My favourite, and apparently a very popular scent in the Middle East, was Mumtaz.
A gradient of Camels on the side of the road. Good timing for us.
One of my favourite parts of Saudi Arabia were the stray cats. SO MANY CATS. I made it my mission to photograph all the angelic little creatures I saw. I made a valiant effort to keep them out of this post (2 isn’t bad), but could resist a couple. It’s hard to see, but underneath the driver’s side door is a cat. As my Dad was filling up for gas, my stepmother and I were snapping away. This man ran over with a cheeky grin and posed for us. As much as I love the cats, he made for a more memorable pic. Also, note the Simpsons-esque tire pile in the background.
In truth, the picture before this didn’t really have a cat. So I’ll count this as one. As with most strays (much to my dismay, but maybe not to my health) I couldn’t get too close. This little guy was missing an eye, but as you can see, had the most incredibly vivid green eye.
No. 2. Calico in flight. So. Cute. This was outside Al Ogair Beach. To the right is a market place that was built in the first thousand years B.C. The first picture in this post is a snippet of the ancient souq (market).
The tide was out, and left these boats stranded on the beach. Coupled with the downcast day, I found it a bit ominous and eerie. Fortunately, I was unable to capture the scent. Oceans, man.
The village of Tarout is home to a portion of Saudi Arabia’s minority Shiite population. This area is frequented by demonstrations calling for the end of the Sunni monarchy. Tension was pretty thick in this area, but was probably the most favourite place I was able to visit. In the above photo, to the left, is a black flag – a prominent symbol of dissent. Also, the Statue of Liberty. As opposed to the more conservative Sunni areas,Tarout had a significant amount of graffiti and public art.
This mosque is in Tarout. We arrived during prayer time, so most of the people were inside. I’m not sure if it was the dismal day, or the political unrest in the air, but the teal provided a striking contrast.
These two were of my most memorable experiences. Walking past the mosque, the older man was coming out, and insisted we follow him to his shop. All the other shops in the souq were closed, with the shopkeepers in prayer. He unlocked his shop, and ushered us in. He had the kindest and wisest eyes I have ever seen in my life. Shortly after we arrived, his son (presumably) arrived with this little guy – the shopkeeper’s grandson. Surprisingly, the little cutie is 8 years old. Giggling, and clinging to his father’s arm, his father motioned that he wanted his photograph taken. After the little boy had seen his photo, he was even happier. My heart melted a lot.
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Beautiful //Janne
Your writing is so real. Simple words that paint vivid pictures.