To catch a thief...

I know it's not right to find amusement in cultural differences, but when I saw this in the paper yesterday, I did chuckle.

If you need to read past the headline and picture, you should go away and never come back here again.

Even the cars are watching you...

Here in Saudi, they have a reputation for keeping the wayward in line. Although less prevalent than in the past, the Muttawa patrol the streets ensuring the strict application of Sharia law.

You've all heard the stories of women getting a swift crack across the back of the legs with a cane and being sent home if their abayas are too short and flash too much ankle.

But today I saw something I was quite unprepared for... even the cars are now fitted with devices to detect unusual behaviour. This shipping label was on a new car which pulled up beside me at the lights on my way to work this morning...

I'm in trouble.

Spooky Saudi weather?

At about 4.30pm yesterday when I was half way home from work, this enormous sand storm blew in from the north. Visibility dropped to about 100 metres and I could actually hear the sand blasting against the windscreen. I got home 5 minutes later and had to dash from the car to the house, spitting sand and dust out.

Then the sandstorm was followed by an incredible electrical storm with patches of heavy rain. I tried to catch it on camera, but wasn't quick enough. This was as best as I got...



Another friend in Riyadh at the time described it as "Spooky". Dunno about that but it was certainly bizarre.

The sand and dust blew in again today. This was the view up my "street" on the compound.