The bathing suits look like pajamas. Or those outfits that surgeons wear, especially the solid colors.
Sunburn won't be a problem.
That really does bring it home. Nice post as usual.
Tourism is not going to work…at least not mass tourism. Not the type that will make a significant impact on the Saudi economy. Your interview with this minister just demonstrates how absurd the idea is. Saudi Arabia is too aboriginal to adjust to mass tourism. Additionally poverty is wide spread and consequently terrorism remains a clear and present danger to westerners. This is a fact, that I do not see changing anytime soon.
Also using tourism in Dubai as some kind of template for Saudi Arabian benefit is almost non sequitur. Because Dubai has thousands of visitors every year and earns a lot of money from this, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing for the country. At what point is financial gain more important the societal values? In the U.A.E more and more locals do not even like to stay in Dubai because of the strong foreign influence there. Not only are there many educated foreign professionals who live and work in the country (and do a good job)and who generally have a respect for the host culture but unfortunately there are also many tourists who only care to experience something more exotic while still keeping their creature comforts back home: In Dubai we have everything, from alcohol to mixed beaches...from cinemas to gay sex parties...I guarantee you, Dubai is not an example for Saudi Arabia to follow.
If this interview encapsulates most of what the Minister for Tourism has to say on this subject then it is obvious that the logistics of such a venture has to be thought through more thoroughly.
Anyway exactly what was Saudi doing all this time with its wealth before someone woke up one morning and realized that the Oil will eventually run dry?
Quick question: what is "Umrah?"
LoL. Your bad, you are very bad.
Wonderful interview!
I took a look at the website and, sure enough, most of the women's swimsuits had the same cut, although different colors. To be fair, women's swimsuits in the US in 1900 covered almost as much. What surprised me was one line of swimsuits that had shorts, instead of slacks; yet the hair and neck were still wrapped up.
In olden days a glimpse of stockings
Was looked on as something shocking
--Cole Porter
Off the subject, Muslims often refer to God as merciful and compassionate. It stands to reason that Religious Police should be seeking to promote mercy and compassion among the public. Restrain a parent who is beating a child, for example. Encourage passersby to help someone with a flat tire to push the car to the side of the road and put on the spare. I mentioned this idea to a friend of mine here in the US and he made a wonderfully cynical reply: "Muslims figure that God takes care of mercy and compassion, so they don't have to bother with it." I have a higher opinion of Muslims in general, but how about the RP?
Raging Bee from Wikipedia
Umrah is the minor Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca which can be performed throughout the year. The major pilgrimage for Muslims is Hajj.
Great ironic post - well done
Gee... this sounds awfully familiar...
The discussion about tourist visas for non-muslims has been a topic of discussion for quite some time. I remember seeing something about it in the Arab News nearly every week during the 6 years that I lived there.
Has S.A. decided yet whether or not they will let
jews into the country as tourists?
I thought you had lost your edge while posting from Britain.
Here it is again.
Thanks.
Norm
This is hilarious. Humor is the best way to emphasize the absurdity of Saudi society.
Great blog!
I've been having a horrible morning (builders just left flat, we now have to redecorate - starting tonight
) and your (very) tongue in cheek blog has really cheered me up! I was quite shocked at "Milady", "Beach" and "Summer"! Excellent gym wear tho'! Presumably any lady who dares to wear these will have the acne'd ones closely pursuing them!
Excellent! Thanks.
Umrah is the smaller pilgrimage that Muslims are required to make.
RP: And can the women go topless?
M Certainly not. They must keep their heads covered at all times.
Bravo!!!!
"Umrah is the smaller pilgrimage that Muslims are required to make."
AS, is that kind of like EuroDisney for folks who can't actually afford the real thing in America?
All this fun and abandon reminds me of the year we went to Llandudno in Wales for our annual holiday.
Prime attractions included trying to find a parking space, going to Chapel, a talent(less) show on the pier, haddock and chips, an exhibition of old family Bibles, and trying to escape.
KSA has rather a long way to go, to rival Llandudno....
I'm glad you're back A. You're the one blogger I never miss a day without reading.
That was brilliant, and like the best satire, it was totally on target.
I will however admit to being scared that the Minister for Tourism doesn't have such a broad sense of humour
"Prime attractions included trying to find a parking space, going to Chapel, a talent(less) show on the pier, haddock and chips,..."
Haddock and chips - surely something of which England can be really proud (next to Cod and chips).
Oh, yes, I heard about all this. There is actually a DVD being circulated in the Kingdom promoting the tourism activities, seemingly an award-winning docummercial. Yes, I've had my hands on one of them for a forthnight.
I mean, when there is money to be made involved, the powers to be in Saudi Arabia can develop a surprising sense for perfection and efficiency, with high-gloss magazines and handouts. It struck me as kind of weird.
" a talent(less) show on the pier"
.... as I recall, the winner was a bloke who sang the theme tune to "Rawhide" while hitting himself over the head with a chrome tea-tray to simulate the special sound effects.
Also there was "Mr ten degrees of freedom", who demonstrated how he could remove his nylon knickers from under his trousers, which he never even unfastened. For some reason, the fact that he was able to remove an entire audience from the Happy Valley venue even faster, never received a mention...
Love it!
Thx.
Thx.
Well......I think they may have to get that whole head chopping thing taken care of before SA can be thought of as a tourist destination. There's something offputting about the possibility of being pulled off the street and having someone saw off your head while his buddy is video taping the whole grizzly thing.
Other than that, I cas see some possibilities 
Wasn't there some restriction on single women under a certain age (40/45) entering KSA?
A Saudi associate told me that "this to make sure that when [not if] the woman is raped she does not get pregnant".
I'm sure that isn't quite accurate - but is there perhaps a visa restriction on young women to prevent trafficking/sex trade? And will they lift it for genuine (read "western, wealthy") tourists?
The bathing suit did in fact look like my grandmothers, goes to show you modesty was popular elsewhere, too.
Tina--I hardly think you'd be pulled off the street for a chopping anymore than you'd be hauled into a Kansas courtroom for being a serial killer unless you were one.
Crime rates are pretty low over on this end. So are arrests.
Actually, you should worry more about Texas and Florida. Florida still use "Old Sparky" and they can really ruin your hair (and other parts) then your pics would be all over the net! Electric chairs can be messy.
Great stuff, thanks for sharing.
Just a minor correction, Florida did away with ol'Sparky about 5 years ago. Now we use lethal injection.
Really good site this. Very subtle.
For REAL beachware see this:
http://indcoup.blogspot.com/2005...dern-
woman.html
I have two things to be thankful for tonight. The first is that you're back and you haven't been arrested. The second is that colour 12 is out of stock.
It is great to see you back and perhaps your common sense will be a couterbalance to teh views of Muslims here in UK
that webpage should've been titled 'beach where' rather than 'beach wear'.
The worst person i met in North Wales, was this woman called jackie, she led the new deal, programmes, and was a paranoid, lunatuicm, her husband was beaten up and killed, as he went around insulting people, a good thing too
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