Flying Saudi Style

Most people don't ever get the chance to travel to Saudi Arabia, due to the country's extremely strict visa-issuing policy.   However, if you ever fly with Saudi Airlines (aka SAUDIA), you'll certainly get a small taste of what it's all about.  So far I've travelled with SAUDIA a few times, and each trip I marvel at how the uniqueness of this particular country is reflected, simply in the space of an aircraft. You're probably wondering how flying with a certain airline can possibly have any cultural significance whatsoever. Well, here you have it.

The first sign you're not in a typical aeroplane comes right before taxiing for takeoff. A recorded message informs you that you are about to hear a prayer which Prophet Muhammad recited before embarking on a journey, and immediately a deep, stern voice blares through the speakers: "Allah o akbar. Allah o akbar. Allah o akbar". After having established that Allah is indeed great, the prayer goes on for about a minute or so, with most of the passengers mouthing along in unison. Only after having obtained God's protection can the plane leave the ground safely.
During the flight movies are projected on the screen and, by plugging your headset into the armrest and tuning into the correct channel, you can watch whatever is showing. Nothing unusual about that. Of course, the airline isn't permitted to show anything even remotely haram, ruling out romance, unveiled women and probably pork-eating as well. This leaves a pretty limited range of movies. They always show a mini-documentary about Mecca, which I've already seen 3 times, and I've also caught a short animation film with some weird, blobby creatures that wear veils a couple of times. Not my first choice of films, but they help pass the time. What's really remarkable though, is what happens when one of the five prayer times rolls around. Yesterday, for example, I was watching the lame documentary about the Loch Ness Monster they were showing, when all of a sudden the buttons on my armrest started flashing red. Instantly, the hazy images of Nessie gave way to a compass indicating the direction of Mecca, and the mullah's call to evening prayer blasted through my earphones. When I tried to save myself from the cacophony by changing to a different channel, I found it was stuck on this specific one and I had to wait for the prayer to be over in order to listen to anything else. And that is why you should never, ever travel with a half-charged iPod, especially on SAUDIA flights.
Besides that, there's an announcement a half hour before the plane reaches a certain zone around Mecca (no aircrafts are permitted to fly directly above the holy city), so the passengers who wish to pray may prepare to do so. Some of the larger aeroplanes even have special prayer areas for this purpose.
While we're on the subject of passengers, I think it's worth mentioning the type of people I usually travel towards Jeddah with, regardless of the airline. Because Jeddah is the gateway to Mecca, all Hajj* and Umrah** pilgrimes pass through the city, however fleetingly. These people come from  all over the world, even from the most remote places you never even knew existed, to fulfill the journey of a lifetime. It's really an experience traveling alongside African women draped in endless folds of colourful fabric and wizened old men with henna-dyed orange beards, wearing nothing but the two towel-like sheets (ihram)  required for the pilgrimage. Many of these people have never flown before, judging by their disoriented behavior, and I've been on flights that have been delayed up to an hour due to the time it took to persuade them to get out of the seats they have chosen for themselves and strapped into their assigned ones. Even so, their determination to step out of their comfort zone and reach Mecca is quite admirable.
Despite these small oddities, which really don't affect the passenger much, SAUDIA flights are generally enjoyable, and the great quality of Middle-Eastern hospitality is evident throughout the whole thing. From the Arabic tea you are offered right after take-off to the multiple course meals with a choice of three different types of meat and the thick, wooly blankets. On longer filghts you even get a kit containing a toothbrush and toothpaste, a sleeping mask and an extra pair of socks. And all this is just in economy class.  So, all in all, it's a very luxurious affair. Saudis may have many faults, but when it come to pampering themselves they do it best!

* Hajj: it is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, and is a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.

**Umrah: Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year. This is sometimes called the "lesser pilgrimage", or Umrah.

 

Manama Moments

Last week I was in Manama, Bahrain. Manama is a very popular destination amongst Saudis, because it's something of a libertarian zone very close to home. Just a short plane ride, or a few hours drive and they have unlimited access to all those pleasures they are denied back in the Kingdom: from the most innocent things, like cinemas or western clothing for the women, to alcohol consumption and commercial sex, it's all there for the tourist to enjoy. According to the local taxi drivers, weekends are a bit of a nightmare for them, as thousands of Saudis flock into the country, many of them on their worst behaviour. However, this isn't to say that all Saudis go to Bahrain looking to get wasted and sleazy. Plenty are just there for a breath of fresh air, so to speak.

My family and I probably belong to the latter category of tourists. It was really nice being in a slightly westernised, liberal environment, while still getting some insight into the Middle-East. I found Manama to be something in between Dubai and Jeddah. Despite its best efforts and even with its plethora of entertainment venues, Manama is less flashy and cosmopolitan than Dubai. Thanks to a lack of a substantial amount of western tourists and expatriates, the city has managed to preserve a great part of its cultural heritage, but it's not as, well...primitive, as Jeddah. The streets aren't littered with rubble and trash, shops aren't obligated to close for prayer time, women in mini skirts are no big deal. I'm thinking it's probably easier for a westerner to adapt to life in Bahrain, but again, Saudi Arabia makes for a more authentic Middle-Eastern experience.

Anyhow, here is my "Best of Bahrain" list: 

• Al-Fateh Grand Mosque

This was the first time I had ever entered a mosque, since in Saudi Arabia infidels like me are barely welcome within the perimeter of one. The Al-Fateh Islamic Centre though, welcomes all, Muslims and non-believers alike. Entrance is free of charge and we had our own personal tour guide, who not only filled us in on information regarding the mosque, but was also eager to answer questions concerning any aspect of Islamic faith.

The mosque itself is simultaneously simple and an architectural beauty. As the name suggests, it's very spacious, being able to accommodate about 7.000 worshippers at a time. We were lead through a courtyard with marble floor, into the main prayer room, which was virtually bare. There was plush wall-to-wall carpet, a pulpit, from which Islamic scholars deliver sermons, and a niche in the marble wall, which indicates the direction of Mecca. Other than that, the only ornament was the elaborate chandelier imported from Vienna. I don't know about other mosques, but in Al-Fateh I found that there's this incredible serenity, making it an ideal place to pray and reflect upon oneself.

After a general tour of the mosque, we sat in the main prayer room with our tour guide and engaged in a spirited conversation about Islam. He seemed anxious to eliminate any misconceptions we may have as westerners exposed to constant negative propaganda about his faith, and he answered all our questions, even the ones meant to challenge him, in a patient and straightforward manner. I can't say I agreed with everything he said, but this discussion definitely helped me gain a better understanding of Islam and the Muslim way of thinking, and that was the point of it. All in all, the visit to Al-Fateh Mosque was a very valuable experience, one I truly enjoyed.

• Manama Souk

Like pretty much any city in the Middle-East, Manama has its own souk. This one happens to be a bit different from Jeddah's. The "concept" is the same, of course: several blocks of shops with the merchandise displayed out on the street. On the outskirts of Manama's souk though, there are many stores selling souvenirs, your typical "I <heart> Bahrain/Manama" T-Shirts, magnets, shot glasses, whatever, the type of thing you would have no chance finding in Jeddah, as there's really no tourism. Well, except for the millions of Hajj pilgrims, but I've never seen an "I <heart> Mecca T-shirt. Which is a shame really, I'm sure they'd be big sellers around here. Anyway. Some parts of the souk in Manama are a bit touristy, but as you progress further into the heart of it, things change completely, and you get to see Manama's huge Indian community. Arabic gives way to Hindi or Punjabi, abayas to saris, and within a few minutes you feel as if you've stepped into a neighbourhood in India. The stores in this part of the souk cater more to everyday needs, selling pots and pans, tools, colourful clothing and fabrics. There are also plenty of sweet shops, where you can buy delicious Indian treats like jalebi or gulab jamun. I always like visiting this sort of local market, because that's where you really get to feel the vibe of a place.

•  Bahraini Pearls

In a different part of Manama's souk you'll find Gold City, a mini-mall with stores that sell mainly (you guessed it) gold jewellery. Gold isn't what attracts the tourists, though. It's Bahrain's most famous heritage item, the genuine Bahraini pearl. We ventured into one of the many jewellery shops that sell them, where the shopkeeper proudly presented us with a selection of gorgeous pearls, some of them no bigger than a grain of rice. He eagerly explained to us how pearls are formed: when something, ie a grain of sand or a piece of shell, enters an oyster's soft inner body, the creature, irritated, starts coating the foreign object with layers of a smooth, hard, crystalline substance, called "nacre", thus forming the pearl. There has always been an abundance of pearls in Bahrain's waters and the pearl-diving industry was thriving on the island long before oil was struck. Today, the pearl is mostly a national icon, with little economic importance. Now pearl-diving "expeditions" are often carried out by tourists decked out in snorkels and fins, and plenty of them actually find their very own Bahraini pearl to take home. 

Dubai Days, Pt.I

These past few days, I spent in a very different part of the Arab world, one that is familiar to most westerners, as it is one of the world's leading travel destinations. Dubai.
Dubai is truly a remarkable city, especially considering the fact that, within mere decades, it has transformed itself, from a quiet coastal settlement to a bustling metropolis. The discovery of oil in the region was, of course, key to this incredible growth and prosperity. However, the insightful leadership decided not to rely solely on oil revenues, which wouldn't last forever, by investing in creating a quality tourism destination. Within approximately 30 years, modern Dubai emerged, exciting and culturally diverse, a true cosmopolitan city.
Having said all that, Dubai wouldn't be on my list of "must see" destinations, the reason for this being that it is a bit too superficial for my taste. Its iconic towers, massive shopping malls, theme parks, extremely luxurious hotels and  a wide variety of leisure activities, ranging from skydiving to yachting, have practically "buried" the region's Islamic and Bedouin heritage, creating an enormous playground for the wealthy tourist. Hints of Dubai's heritage can only be discerned  in  things such as the plethora of  mosques in the city or the traditional attire of the few locals(locals represent only 8% of Dubai's population, the rest being expatriates and migrant workers).
Even though Dubai is not "must see" material and quite lacking culturally , in my opinion at least, it would be impossible not to admit that I had a very enjoyable time there. After all, it is a city with the capability to satisfy the entertainment needs of any tourist, very different from Jeddah, where fun is kind of difficult to come across.  Here are some of my favorite things from my trip to Dubai :

* Burj Khalifa , "At the top"

The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, rises 828m above Dubai and has 162 floors. With this height, even New York's famous skyscrapers are dwarfed by comparison. This architectural wonder was built to resemble the desert flower Hymenocalli.
Visitors can take the "At the top" journey, to the floor-to-ceiling glass observation deck on the 124th floor. There was a very long line and airport style security measures to wait through, but it was entirely worth it. Crammed into one of the building's 57 lifts along with 10-15 more enthusiastic tourists, the ascent took just over a minute to complete, before we exited to a stunning view of Dubai landscapes, city, desert and ocean.   Walking around the observation deck there is barely an inch of Dubai that goes undiscovered. Surprisingly, I wasn't able to see the trademark of Dubai, the Palm Islands, which was a bit of a disappointment. The rest of the view made up for it though, and being so high above the world gives you a truly amazing feeling.

The view from above

* Dubai's Dancing Fountains

Located in front of Burj Khalifa,on the Burj Khalifa Lake, Dubai Fountain provides a spectacular show of lights, water and music every half hour during the evening and twice around midday. Music starts playing and the performance begins, with great jets of water shooting out of the fountains as high as 150m. Twisting and turning in different patterns and combinations, following the song's rhythm, they seem to be dancing like synchronized swimmers. Colorful lights are projected across the water adding to this magnificent sight. The technology behind this performance is incredible. The fountain's "dance recitals" are extremely popular and huge crowds gather round it before every show.

* Dune-Bashing

This is one of the things you absolutely have to do if you ever find yourself in Dubai, or any place with an abundance of sand for that matter. There are many agencies in Dubai which organize "dune-bashing" expeditions. We opted for an evening expedition, so, round 4 'o' clock, a driver in a white Hummer picked us up from our hotel and drove us to the desert about 30' away from the city. Upon arriving we were greeted by a convoy of more white SUVs from the same agency. The driver gave us a few minutes to take pictures, while he released pressure from the tires. I took this opportunity to remove my shoes and walk in the sand. It was pure bliss. Soft and warm, I sank into it almost up to my knees. Never before have I encountered sand with such lovely texture. Soon, we were in the car again, ready to start "bashing the dunes". We raced up and down incredibly steep dunes, kicking up sand in our wake, rolled along the top of others, jostling terribly in the back seat, until, with an abrupt swerve, our driver sent us speeding down again. At certain points the car was practically moving on two wheels, leaning so much that, if the window were open, I could run my hand along the sand. It was excellent! Slightly terrifying and immensely thrilling, a great adrenaline rush. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who suffers from motion sickness though. After about 40' of "bashing", our convoy gathered at a "Bedouin" camp, created by the agency, for supper, shisha smoking, camel riding and a variety of other activities.

This post turned out quite longer than I would have liked, so more on Dubai in the next one!

Getting there

Before I begin, you should know this: I don't like airplanes. It's not that I'm afraid, I just don't feel  very comfortable in them. I'm not entirely sure why that is. After all, I have done a lot of traveling by plane, in general. It might have something to do with that smell you get in airplanes, a combination of artificial breathing air and plastic meals. Or maybe the fact that I can never get any sleep, even during a red-eye flight. Or perhaps, the thought that airplanes are essentially huge metallic birds carrying humans through the sky at altitudes where if anything goes wrong everybody will surely plummet to their deaths. So yeah, planes are a source of discomfort for me. Usually. However, this particular flight was so smooth I forgot to be tense.
 

My family and I flew from Eleftherios Venizelos airport in Athens to Istanbul, and from there to Jeddah, using Turkish Airlines. It was my first time flying business class and I must say, it was really something else.  Istanbul's business lounge in which we sat during our layover was incredibly luxurious. It included not only a large buffet, a bar, free Wi-Fi, a small library and a pool table, but a piano and Mac PCs for passenger use, as well. The biggest perk of flying business though, are definitely the reclining seats. For the first time ever, I managed to sleep 3 consecutive hours on a flight, a proper deep sleep, none of that half-awake, still alert of my surroundings nonsense. We also had access to individual screens, on which we could have watched a variety of films, TV shows, cartoons etc. My only complaint is that the flight attendants seemed to have trouble understanding and responding in English. Either that, or they were very unprofessional. I requested a blanket and pillow upon entering the plane, as mine was the only seat lacking them (typical..). I received my blanket after take-off and after having asked twice more. I ended up sleeping without a pillow as I was too tired to bother. All in all, I think flying business class was worth its money (c.1.300 Euros per passenger), and I would certainly do it again if I had the opportunity.

When we finally reached Jeddah,  two things struck me : the first was the metamorphosis of my fellow female passengers, from modern women wearing designer jeans and blouses, to seemingly very religious Muslims concealing their faces and bodies in layers of black. The second thing, was the humidity, a kind of humidity that feels as if it's possible to slice through it with a knife. I was expecting both, but they still made an impression on me. 

Later, during the car ride from the airport to my new compound home, I got my first glimpse of Jeddah. I must say, it was a bit disappointing. Tired and disoriented, as I leaned my head against the window and looked out, the thought that crossed my mind was "this place is a dump". Streets covered in litter, grimy storefronts, ugly works of "art" in random places, construction site debris everywhere. And not a soul in sight, except for a few beggars. I was disappointed, certainly, but I'm sure that there's more to Jeddah than this. After all, I come from Athens, a city that at first glance seems extremely ugly, and quite dirty as well, but holds extreme beauty, if only one knows where to look for it.