Another amazing dinner out

Well, another evening here in Jeddah. Our weekends are Thursdays and Fridays. This evening Leslie and I went out with our friends Lou and Rob to a Turkish eatery, just a few  blocks from the compound on Hira street.

Hira is probably my favorite street here in Jeddah. It's in walking distance, has an amazing variety of shops and eateries. Everything from lamb hanging in a butcher shop window to electrical supply shops brimming with lighting and connectors and the like.  But I digress...

Back to the Turkish food... split a schwarma chicken platter and bread with goat. Yes, goat. It was all awesome. The bread was amazing and we topped it off with some Turkish coffee. Leslie's first shot of real Turkish coffee. You could stand a spoon up in that stuff. It was great.

Another good evening in the desert near the Red Sea. 

Overcame my fear of open water...

I actually went snorkeling with Leslie in the Red Sea today. Not just a little floating around in the protected cove, but out beyond the netting in the Red Sea. Right to the edge of, and occasionally over the shelf.

It was one of the most amazing things I have ever done.

To look down that wall of coral into the abyss is breathtaking to say the least.
The colors and types of fish are mind boggling. The colors of coral and the clarity of the water... what an amazing experience, and I can pretty much do it every weekend for free if I want to!

Here are some of my favorite snaps from today. Leslie was using her new underwater camera for the first time. She did a great job. We were with our friend Randy (from Minnesota as well) who is a teacher at the base where I work.

Very cool day indeed.

Thumbs up from the intrepid rookie...

Our friend Randy with the dive gloves on for coral contact. Good to go!

Leslie and I ready to explore

The variety and color of fish and coral seemed endless. And again, looking down the wall of coral off the shelf and into the oblivion below was amazing and humbling. The following shot was taken with the "Underwater Mode" on. We found out about that camera mode while on our way back... bahahahaha...

Still, all good

I have always had this fear of water. Mostly a fear of what lives in it. Of things big enough to eat me. Today was a milestone day to be sure.

This is looking down off the shelf!

Very cool colors and fish... Some fish are tough to spot. Masters of camouflage...

Find the fish? (He's lower center in pic.)

Lots of cool places to explore. We snorkeled for about an hour.

 

Places to go, things to see.

Pretty amazing trip and I fully plan to go back and do it again soon. Randy graciously invites us along, and we gratefully (and happily) accept. Just another day in the desert.

Night out with the boys in Jeddah

Had a great night out with some guys from work. One of the guys (Rami) was leaving for a new job and they had a little going away gathering for him. It is a rare thing as a Westerner to be invited to something like this and all three of us in our office were honored to be invited. I will personally miss Rami. He is a very gracious man with a good sense of humor, an infectious laugh and is pleasant to be around. Rami, you will be missed.

Me and Rami

Saudis are a nocturnal people, so we did not meet until around 9 PM or so this past Tuesday evening. We met on the Corniche near a tributary of the Red Sea just 20 or so minutes North of our compound. It was a small public park with a handful of grassy areas. When we arrived there were a few guys already there. There were several rugs laid out on the grass, pitchers of Moroccan tea and Arabic coffee, some local pastry munchies and such. The Saudis have taken pastry to an art form and amazing pastries are available everywhere you turn.

Party Central!

We really did savor the moment.

Three Westeners, Steve Long to my right and James Maloney to my left

The Moroccan tea is a very nice green tea with a special mint in it and it tastes simply amazing. It it pretty sweet, but not unbearably so. Arabic coffee is ground cardamon and while I like it, let's just say that it's an acquired taste.

Party Central. Tea, coffee, cell phones and food.

Boys will be boys. Some things need no translation and everyone had a great time. Lots of laughter, some story telling, and all in all, a great visit.

No translation needed... Horsing around is universal...

At around 10 or so, the food arrived. Three huge bowls (3 foot across easy) arrived chock full of rice, veggies, chunks of liver and in the middle, a rather large piece of  roasted goat. No flatware needed here. You grab your hot sauce, pick your spot in the bowl and dig in with you right hand. I watched a couple of the guys and got the technique down pretty good. Ate until I was full. When I looked around the bowl, I realized I was easily the lightest eater there. I thought I was doing pretty well but I barely made a dent in my section of the bowl. The other guys had craters in their sections where rice and veggies once laid... They teased me a bit about being a light eater... no worries... I gave it right back...

After the meal, we washed up and the cards were broke out and a couple of serious card games were started. Even though I had no clue what they were playing, there was plenty of friendly banter and chiding just like any card game anywhere else in the world.
 

Something akin to hearts, but I never did get it.

Around midnight we had to leave, but we knew from experience that the Saudis were just getting warmed up. I was back home and in bed by 12:15 and at work by 7 that same morning. Wednesday, I spoke with a couple guys who were there and the earliest that any of them got in was 3 AM! Talk about nocturnal...

All in all, a great night and a rare chance to be a part of something special here.

Good times in the desert!