Riyadh May 7th - a day off!

Thursdays and Fridays are the 'weekend' here in Riyadh, so armed with a bottle of water and my trust cap (and long-sleeved white shirt) I set off to hail a cab... but even before that some takes my quirky eye....

What a colour for a Jag!
The ONLY time I've EVER seen this colour is on a blancmange
Oops didn't notice the police in the background at the time
They can be sensitive about cameras

The taxi driver didn't recognise "National Museum" or "Musmak Fort" but he DID understand "Fahad Road" and "left", "right", "straight". When I know those three words in Arabic, I will scoff. But not yet...

So we go south along King Fahad Road which I'm sure goes right past the museum and thence the Fort, but it wasn't really easy to see anything from the 'freeway' so after I thought we'd gone far enough south, we left that main road and turn west and north. I recognised nothing, but ever the optimist thought I'd soon find my way by my innate sense of direction, a vague rememberance of the map on GoogleEarth, and the fact I'd been there before...

I leave the taxi (only SR24) and hit the street. I'm hip, happening, and my feet are warm. I purchase some plastic sandals with the name Master (I'm easily impressed) and some lovely marker pens. I didn't have a green one last week and I always like to do certain diagrams in the same colour. Says a lot about me, probably.

I changed into them and bag my trainers/socks. I'm blending in like a native of the area. Admittedly taller, more blond, more pasty-white, more western...

My feet are blending.

I pop into another shop and peruse various things and get two pairs of cuff-links for £1 each. Bargain! (And a little surprise for Someone if it still seems OK when I get it back).

Then I begin my adventure and head north (as far as I can determine it). It's not really a problem because I could always keep hailing cabs until I find a driver who knows where the Museum or Fort is... but I like to walk if I can. It's just good to have a back-up plan...

The shop with the blue sign is where I bought my sandals and marker pens
(looking west)

A side street (east)
Well, you have to, don't you?
Who else is going to take it's picture? Hmm??

Looking south back down the street... bye bye shops!!!

A flyover rises to the north

There it goes!
Looking north heading out of that street
Do you think the residents of that flat often have pictures taken?

Walked quite a way north...
Looking behind to the south

Walking ahead north
It's rather quiet due to midday prayers

Another big hole in the ground... with a little hole in it's centre!

THAT building I recognise from GoogleEarth - it's quite distinct

Let's carry on that way...

A nice row of pots - a little greenery in a shaded street

Ohh. A fort-like building. But not the right one. It's too small

That blue/beige tower is near the National Museum slightly to the north

- excellent landmark - we're on track!

It's getting nearer!

Khaldia Towers... so now you know :)

I LOVE this building, don't you?

The Dukes of Hazzard County have outwitted Sherriff P Coltrane again...
Boss Hogg wouldn't get through immigration with that name, obviously

The back of that building.
Marvellous...

Nice cooler covered walkway - if only I had a better hat.

Wait a minute! There's a military outfit store just ahead on the left...

Oh yes! I don't care if I look like Tomsk.

It's covering my head, ears and neck
Got a few admiring looks, I can tell you

Al Musmak - the fort

...the one the taxi-driver had no idea about

Basically it's not open when you have a day off, and if you did you'd have to be in a family

No wonder they call it a fort!
It's impregnable

After this there was a lot of wandering around the market place and Chop-Chop square, and I found the gold/jewellery shops... I will return there after work one evening, when it's cooler - and it's open! Then I got a taxi back to the hotel and rested - and chilled - literally.

In the evening I went to the bookshop for a few random items then dinner at Paul Roma's. My timing meant that after eating I waited 20 minutes in the encroaching darkness as the staff went outside as it was prayer time. Last visit they just stopped serving. Now it is more strict and they have the LEAVE THE BUILDING with customers sat locked inside. Health and safety would never allow that in the UK whatever else.

Looking back north at Kingdom Tower after dinner

used to be a 'cutive'?

Can I have another P please, Bob?