Addressing Adresses

Eyecandy and Sampaguita Pride grew up in Riyadh. Shoegarfreeruby has been here for 10 years. Me? Nearing 4 years. And you know what's odd? We still don't know where we live exactly. Uhuh. Let me explain.

When you ask one of us where we live, we will answer you with "at the back of Nafoura Restaurant" or "near King Fahd Medical City." There's no specific answer. Because like everything else you'll find in Riyadh, KSA, the address/location system is unique and one-of-a-kind.

Folks who are living outside Saudi Arabia, here are a few things you need to remember about an address here in Riyadh.

1. We live in P.O. Boxes. Okay, not exactly LIVE there because we wouldn't fit but addresses are P.O. Boxes. There are no flat numbers, apartment numbers, and street names like normal addresses have. Most of us use the P.O. Box of the companies where we work instead of where we live (houses and flats) because we don't avail of our own.

These are not the usual P.O. Boxes in Riyadh. I hope.

For example, a nurse working in King Fahad Medical City can use this address:

[name]

[department]

P.O. Box 59046

Riyadh 11525

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Take note that you don't even have to specify the hospital or company. The P.O. box number and zip codes are the important things to put there. Most companies and hospitals have their own mail room that sorts and distributes mails and packages. If it was following the Philippine address system, it would have went like this:

[name]

Department of Pediatrics

Room 62, Building 26

King Fahad Medical City

Abdul Aziz Bin Musaed Bin Julowi St.

Suleimania, Riyadh

11525, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

It is longer so having a P.O. box has its own advantages. One disadvantage though of having a P.O. box as an address is when we shop online. Some stores do not ship to P.O. boxes. Sometimes, I have to contact their customer service and tell them that hey, it's all we have here in Saudi Arabia! So I hope stores like that are reading this.

2. Houses and buildings have no identification numbers. They have numbers alright but they're mostly ignored. You will not usually see them in our address. We just know them and would use that to direct relatives and friends who are coming over. I use all prominent landmarks around our place to direct people. For example... here's a conversation I have when ordering for delivery.

Resto Guy (RG): Hello.

Me: Hi, I'm ordering for delivery. Here's my order (blah blah).

RG: Where are you located?

Me: In Dabab St., turn right to Ar Razi St. The street going to Military Hospital.

RG: Where exactly?

Me: Uh, building 25, flat number 3.

RG: Where is that? Near Military Hospital?

Me: Uh, a few blocks away from the hospital.

RG: Blocks?

Me: I mean, not so near. I mean, a little bit. (HUH?!)

RG: Uhhhh...

Me: The building is beside DHL, across Little Ceasar's...

RG: Okay, I will just tell the driver to call you.

It gets frustrating that's why whenever we order for delivery, the father insists that I call. Why does it always have to be me?! Hehe. Of course, that would've been easier if I can speak Arabic or the operator (or the driver) can speak English. Some delivery guys find the right street and just cruise up and down until they find the right building. Btw, that in the conversation is a true location but it's not where our flat is located so please don't stalk. Hahaha. Jk.

3. Street names here are long and winding roads. Imagine saying to someone, "We just live in the corner of Abdul Aziz Bin Musaed Bin Julowi St. and Al Amir Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz St... kuha mo?!" Most popular roads have, thank goodness, shorter names like Olaya, Mecca, and Oruba. Some have nicknames which are totally unrelated to their real names seen on maps. For example, Abdul Aziz Bin Musaed Bin Julowi St. is better known as Dabab St. while Al Amir Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz St. is better known as Thalateen St. The parallel street named Al Amir Mohammed Ibn Abdul Aziz St. (spotted the difference?) is known as the hip and happenin' street of Tahlia. Confused much?

Oh, and if the confusion is not enough, they're also spelled in various ways. Tahlia can be Thalia, Tahaliya, Talia... Takhasussi can be plain Takasusi, complicated Thakhassusi, or longer Takhassousi. Spell them however you like to pronounce them. Go! :)

4. Floors are counted as ground floor, first floor, second floor, etc. It's different from how we count in the Philippines where we consider the ground as first floor and so on. Sometimes there are some buildings who follow that so to each his own. No one said there's uniformity around here. Haha. Thankfully, no one lives in sky-high condominiums with 40 floors. Not yet.

Eeenie meenie miny moo, to what store should I go?

5. Most store signs are in Arabic, especially the ones in the older areas of the city. It makes it more difficult to find the right store for foreigners and expats unless it's a common store for something. Some stores look like offices from the outside and it's upon you to guess what they are correctly. Hope the store keeper or manager speaks English.

And just to remind you... Riyadh is not just a city. It's also a province. So there's a Riyadh City located in Riyadh Province (ArRiyadh). It's like Tarlac City in Tarlac province in the Philippines. There's also a "Riyadh Center" symbolized by a circle with a dot in the middle on most road signs. We don't really know what is within the city center and where it ends but we just take it as this: if you're near the Faisaliah and Kingdom Towers (two highest buildings in Riyadh), then you're still in the city center. Once you get out of range of the two (meaning if you see them in your horizon like needles sticking out of the sand), consider yourself out of the center and into the outskirts.

The faraway hazy area? That's the outskirts and beyond.

Needless to say, it's confusing to find a specific address here unless they're prominent and famous. It's always been a must to provide maps to a specific destination, especially if we're talking residential. We wonder how ambulances, fire trucks, and police find the places when they get emergency calls. We guess local knowledge really helps a lot. But what if you're new in the city? What if you don't go out as much? What if you rely on Google Map, Wikipedia, and GPS coordinates?

HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY IN RIYADH?

Do it the Pink Tarha style! Tips on the next entry! Hope you don't lose your way before then. ;)

*Click on photo for photo sources and credit. 

§undrenched

Q&A Portion 10

Whew, it's been a long time since the last Question and Answer Portion. We have a handful of questions from our very lovely readers today which we'll try our best to answer. If you're going to ask us what's going on in Saudi Arabia right now, we can just say that it's pretty much normal. And we hope it stays this way. Anyway, let's all keep calm and move on...

1. Where is the biggest New Look in Riyadh?

The biggest branches are in Hayat Mall and Olaya Street. They have two floors and lots of selections! You can also visit other smaller branches in Granada Center and Riyadh Gallery. The Rollasoles we featured in our Facebook page came from New Look and they're located in the Accessories section, together with the wallets and tights, so go before designs and sizes are gone.

2. Which mall in Riyadh has both Centrepoint and City Max?

Riyadh Gallery! It even has Debenhams so that's three department stores in one mall. Have fun shopping! There are Citymax and Centrepoint branches near Sahara Mall too but you need to cross busy streets and intersections to get there.

3. I so LOVE the blog. You guys keep it up! Kudos to all of you! I was wondering if you guys know where to buy/find marzipan icing for fondant cakes? I'd like to practice making fondant cakes but don't have an idea where to get the marzipan icing. Thanks!

Thank you very much for the kind words. We hope you continue reading our blog. As for your icing needs, there's Baker's Rendezvous in Dabab St., just beside Mama Noura. For more baking tips in Riyadh, the beautiful and creative Ms. Nadia of Bake Fresh is probably the best resource person. She'll be offering classes soon so check her Facebook site as well. If you want to ask other bakers in Riyadh and learn more information, here's a link of home bakers in the city from Riyadh Yummy Yummy Guide.

4. Hi, do you know the name of the mobile store somewhere in Sulaiman street?

Unfortunately, we don't even know where Sulaiman St. is. What we do know is mobile stores are scattered all over Riyadh. You can start your search for gadgets in Batha (Electron Center) and Mursalat. For a more convenient shopping experience, Jarir Bookstore and HyperPanda have their own gadget corners and displays.

5. Do you know any Bed&Bath branches in Riyadh? The one in Sahara Mall has already closed.

We haven't seen another branch except the one in Sahara which you mentioned. There are other bed and bath essentials stores. Try Home Centre and IKEA.

6. Hi! I would just like to know if you have any infos regarding King Khalid University Hospital? Also about Taif Military Hospital? I would like to know which one is the best. Thank you.

Hi there! We don't usually give advice in which hospital is the best for you to work in because we don't have a lot of information about hospitals here and it's a huge decision for your career life so we don't want to meddle with that. However, we can just give you an overall view of the places where both hospitals are. The King Khaled University Hospital is the King Saud University's hospital, one of the biggest here in Riyadh. Taif Military Hospital... well, are you talking about the Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital? If yes, then the only difference we can tell you is that the hospital is in the agricultural province of Taif, about 7 hours away from Riyadh. Since both are hospitals under the Ministry of Health (MOH), they're probably one of the best hospitals (as compared to private ones). It's just a matter of the location where you will thrive best: the urban area where it's bustling and hot (Riyadh), or the rural area where it's laid back and somewhat cold (Taif)? No matter what hospital you choose, we're sure there are a lot of Filipinos there to help and guide you. (Of course we're partial to Riyadh because we're here. LOL!)

7. Hi! I love reading your blog. I would just like to know if you have any information about Al Hammadi Hospital in Riyadh? I have a job offer as a nurse there. Do you know any one who works there?

Again, we don't really want to play a big role in a life-changing decision such as your question. We can only give you what we know from our friends who have information about these hospitals. The Al Hammadi Hospital is one of the biggest and best private hospitals in Riyadh. We're not sure how they treat their employees though but there are many Filipinos working in Al Hammadi. Of course, the entry-level salary is not as competitive as the military hospitals.

8. Hi Pink Tarha! Very excellent blog, ladies. I literally spent my whole day yesterday reading through all of your entries. Really informative in a very COOL way! Btw, I just need to ask if you have any idea how much does it cost to have a kitten vaccinated? How much does it cost to get the kitty documented (travel docs, etc.). We are buying an 8 week-old cat with no vaccinations and papers yet. Thanks a bunch!

Wee, another cat lover like Eyecandy! A cat vaccine usually costs 80-100 riyals ($25) in pet shops. As for the documents, when your cat is vaccinated for the first time, the pet shop vet usually just gives you a card that serves as your cat's document. That's what we know so far. Eyecandy goes to the Pet Village in the old airport road but we heard that it closed recently. You can try Life and Nature Pet Center in King Abdul Aziz Road (0505444905) and Riyadh Veterinary Clinic near exit 7 (+966-1-456 - 8736). We don't have personal experiences on these shops though. Thank you very much for reading our blog and loving the entries. :)

So there you go. We apologize if it took us a few weeks to answer your questions. We'll be faster next time. Ask and you shall be answered! :)

How to Pay Your SSS and Pag-IBIG

Hi Filipinos in Riyadh, are you an SSS and PAG-IBIG member? Do you even know what these are?

I'd like to elaborate but I'm not an expert in these things. I just recently found myself sorting out my SSS and Pag-IBIG membership plans because I know I need to.

When I was working in Makati two years before I went to Riyadh, my employer was in-charge of my SSS and Pag-IBIG contributions. They get automatically deducted from my salary each month and I didn't have to do a thing... except obtain the SSS and Pag-IBIG numbers online, which is a one-time thing. When I went abroad, I completely forgot, okay ignored, my contributions because it's such an effort to pay it and I wasn't really thinking clearly that time (tantamount to saying I don't want to have an idea how). Now, I realize they're important for all the right reasons. Maybe I need a loan? Maybe I'll retire soon (like 30 years soon, hehe)? Maybe I just need a back-up plan? It's been almost three years since I ignored them and I didn't know where to start because one, I did not have any document with me that states what my SSS number or Pag-IBIG number and two, I'm abroad. I decided to act on it.

I started with the SSS. I spent an entire day browsing the SSS website looking for answers to my "case." Okay, maybe it was just an hour but not finding a concrete answer in the site frustrated me to the point of giving up. But I'm not easily swayed by frustrations. Rightttt. So I did what I should have really done first: check their international branches. And hallelujah, I found email addresses for their Riyadh branch. I emailed sss_riyadh@digi.net.sa and sss_riyadh@yahoo.com (dalawa para sigurado) to ask how to pick up from where I left in my contribution and how to go from there. Being a government agency, I did not expect a prompt reply (because I'm biased like that and I've suffered countless waiting hours in some government agencies just to process papers and clearances). Surprisingly, I got a reply asap and the help that was provided to me was beyond my expectation. I didn't know it was that easy. If only I had known, I should have continued paying since I got here. So since I don't want you to suffer the same late realization I had, here's what you have to do to pay your SSS. (These tips are for OFWs and their dependents in Saudi Arabia.)

1. Your SSS number is your lifetime number. It can't be changed and it can't be doubled. You should only have one SSS number. If you already have one but have forgotten it or doesn't have any documents that has it, then you can email . (I apologize to Mr. Danny Calape, SSS representative to Riyadh, KSA, if his email address gets clogged because of this advice, hehe) to ask for an update on your record of contribution.
2. If you don't have an SSS number yet, you can get it directly from the SSS website.
3. SSS are paid by schedules. It doesn't have to be monthly though. You can pool your money to pay two or three or more months per visit to payment centers. You can also pay in advance.
4. The amount of contribution depends on your choice. Here's the schedule:


5. To pay, visit any branch of Skyfreight, Telemoney Center, or Tahweel Al Rajhi. In short, visit Batha. You'll find all three there. Hehe. Although of course, to avoid the crowd there, here are other branches: Skyfreight (not mentioned in the website is their new branch at Abu Bakr Ar Razi St., Suleimania, near the Military Hospital [RKH]), Telemoney, and Tahweel Al Rajhi.

Those are just some tips and guides. And since I'm probably just babbling, the first step is actually all you need regardless of what your question is. Email Mr. Danny Calape. I'm sure he'll be happy to help.

As for Pag-IBIG, there's also just one step needed. Email Mr. Philip Raymund Salem at balian_boy@yahoo.com for your questions. I know you;re curious but please don't ask him why he's email address is like that. Hehe. Jk. To answer your basic questions, though here's a simple step-by-step on how to enter the Pag-IBIG Online Membership Registration (Pag-IBIG 1 Program):

1. Visit the official website of Pag-IBIG Fund at www.pagibigfund.gov.ph.
2. Click "Member Services."
3. Click "Online Membership Registration."
4. Click "Register as a New Member."
5. Click "Continue."
6. Enter the code shown.
7. Click "Proceed."
8. Fill out the needed information. (Answer all blanks marked with *)
9. Click "Submit."
10. Click "Print MDF."
11. Submit the printed MDF to the Pag-IBIG representative at the Philippine embassy through a. submitting personally or via an authorized representative or b. send a soft copy of the MDF to balian_boy@yahoo.com.

Easy, yes? Wait, you need an Internet Explorer to proceed with the registration so I suggest you use IE. And a printer should be at hand to avoid any inconvenience. And please, be patient. Payments can be made through the Pag-IBIG representative at the Philippine embassy and at Skyfreight branches. There are more information available like payments and loans which we can email you if you need it. Otherwise, email Mr. Salem for all queries and concerns.

Visit the SSS website and the Pag-IBIG website for more information. Read especially on the section where they discuss the benefits of paying these. You might need the inspiration and the force to make this a monthly habit of yours. :D

Lusin: An Armenian Deluxe

IMAGINE ARABIAN SUNSETS meeting the European flair. Think of the aroma of a bustling grill amidst a palatial rendezvous. Discover and have a taste of a culture that has long been subdued. That is how I experienced the newly opened restaurant in town called, Lusin.

The Opening Soon sign beside The Noodle House was up for quite some time and it was to my delight to find that it was finally open for business! Lucky for me I had the chance to peek in before the actual opening which I featured previously here. This time around, I was able to check out more of the fantastic view that this restaurant had to offer:

The maroon-like colors showered by the bright yellow lighting reminds me of an Arabian sunset and yet the sparkle of gold accents and brass interiors brings about a certain "bling" of the 21st century.

The veranda is still hoping for some touch-ups during the time I visited, but at this point, I could honestly say that standing from this view, it looked simply marvelous.

Sitting in the restaurant during the soft opening, I was not sure what to expect. Outside, the sign read, "Lusin: Armenian Cuisine" - but I wasn't anywhere near familiar to what Armenian food really is. The good thing is that the manager and crew were hospitable and kind enough to introduce us to what Armenian food is all about. Starting off with our drinks, we were offered the Pomegranate juice - which we were told, was the national fruit of Armenia. It's color is also

the binding theme of the restaurant, and you will notice that the crew's uniform is also adorned with this symbol. Too bad I wasn't able to take a photo of both the juice and the men in uniform but I can assure you that both were delicious and a delight to look at.

:)

Let's move on to the starters shall we?

We were paraded with an exquisite line-up of all the kinds of dips one could imagine. Now, I am a Filipina and I naturally did not grow up to homegrown Middle-Eastern cooking despite growing up in Riyadh, therefore from here on end, do take into consideration that I have more of an Asian-tempered palette. Nevertheless, I am a hummus lover and being exposed to at least four different kinds of hummus (or at least I thought they were hummus) was indeed, beyond my imagination (and consumption):

Some Khubz bread to wipe off the hummus with. Note: Bread is "refillable."

A parade of starters. From Top to Bottom: Itch - Traditional Armenian burgul red salad with parsley. Yalanji Grape Leaves - Stuffed grape leaves served with Armenian matzone yogurt. (Four sets of dips to be identified in next photo) Mohammarah (The red one) - Traditional Armenian red pepper paste with grated walnuts. Taboulah - Traditional Lebanese Taboulah from parsley, burgul and tomato and lastly, Beetroot Salad with sesame cream.

Clockwise from Top: Mutabal - Traditional Lebanese grilled eggplant mashed with sesame paste, (Forgot the name) but it's practically hummus but with bits of meat in them; Hummus - Traditional Lebanese style; and Tajin Samak - Cold slices of fish fillet with sesame paste and onions.

Now from this set of cold starters, I must say that in general, they all tasted delicious. But what stood out for me was the Mohammarah and the Tajin Samak. The texture of the pepper paste coupled with the right amount of sour and a kick of the spice worked wonders with the Khubz bread. Also, it was my first time to try the Tajin Samak and it tasted like an Armenian counterpart to our version of a tuna salad, if I may say so.

As for the rest, the Taboulah was freshly made and the Mutabal and Hummus were richer than the usual ones I'd have on a regular basis (i.e. a weekend snack from our local diner). Like all fine restaurants such as these, it was obvious that the choice and quality of ingredients does make the difference.

Although, I wish I could say the same for the hot starters (featured below), for me, they were okay. But it isn't something to rave about. I would rather order another round of Mohammarah and Tajin Samak.

Cheese Bourak - Fried pastries stuffed with cheese.

Beef Bourak - Fried pastries stuffed with minced beef.

As we were enjoying the starters, I could already catch a faint smell of the grill coming from the kitchen as the crew were preparing to serve the main dishes. It's a good thing that I was preoccupied with the good conversation I was having with my family that it was just a matter of time that another parade of plates invaded our table.

The main course:

Mixed Platter of Shish Taouk and Meat Kebab garnished with grilled pepper and tomato.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Kebab in Cherry Sauce

If I am not mistaken, I believe this dish is called "Manti".

It has meat-stuffed pillows of ravioli, blanketed by rich yogurt cream.

I don't know how I was still able to down any of the main courses seeing that I was already stuffed with all the appetizers we had. Nevertheless, the scenery of grilled meat was too enticing to ignore. Out of all the main courses we had, I just have to give a standing ovation to the Grilled Lamb Chops. (clap, clap, clap) It was tasty, soft and such a simple dish that was made elegant in my mouth. Second place would have to go to the Kebab in cherry sauce as I have never tasted such fine pureed cherry so far in my life. The fine-ness of the sauce meshed well with the coarse, ground meat. I can't say that there was anything special with the mixed platter of shish taouk and kebabs, although it would be a safe choice for those with a less adventurous inclination when it comes to food. The Manti, for me, was a bit on the sour side - as it should be. However, sour taste is not particularly my soft side.

I didn't think we had enough space for a desert round, so my family and I settled for a shot of what they call "White Coffee."

It is actually a herbal tea made from orange blossom water. We were told by our waiter that it aims to help one's digestion, particularly after a heavy meal. It may look like a shot of vodka to you, but it's not. :P The scent is calming and holding the warm glass with your fingertips is actually relaxing.

As we were getting ready to leave, the restaurant was already packed and most of the guests were Saudis and/or Middle-Eastern. I can tell that the restaurant was off to a promising start. In general, the ambiance of Lusin is nothing short of luxurious and I believe that it is best to put in your reservation before heading there. It may be easy for most people to assume that the food they offer is similar to other Turkish or Lebanese restaurants, but as the name suggests, they have dubbed it as "Armenian Cuisine" and thus it is the Armenian experience that awaits you at Lusin -- a culture that is as ancient as Rome and Arabia and yet, not as known to the world.

No Lusin, Thank You!

For reservations and inquiries:

LUSIN

2nd Floor, Centria Mall,

Olaya St., Riyadh

T: 01-293-9800

E: info@lusinrestaurant.com

Their website is currently under construction but can be primarily viewed at: http://www.lusinrestaurant.com

The Top 5 Malls in Riyadh

We're introducing a new section in the blog where we list five favorite any thing. Just the Pink Tarha ladies' choices orayt? Feel free to add yours in the comment boxes. :)

For the first entry in this section, we write about something dear to our hearts (lol). Since we're still high from shopping, why not write an entry that involves our favorite past time?

One of Riyadh's allure to women is its being a major shopping destination, especially during the sale season. The mall is the main destination of women who are seeking respite and therapy from all the day's work (or non-work). The mall is the oasis, the first refreshing frontier in the ongoing life of Filipinas in Saudi Arabia. It's wide, air-conditioned, and the displays are endless and dazzling! Filipino men can settle for Batha but we women can hold our fort in Riyadh's huge malls. The Pink Tarha lists down our five go-to malls in the city with their matching pros and cons.

1. Riyadh Gallery
This mall located at the end of the King Fahad Road tops our list. It might be far to a few but we say it's location is just right. Not too near and not too far. The distance is compensated by the King Fahd Road, which is a relatively wide highway with little traffic. But the most important reason is that it's a one-stop complete mall. It houses three of our favorite department stores - three! - Debenhams, Centrepoint, and Citymax. It also has a famous one-stop beauty shop, Sephora. Eyecandy says it also resembles a Manila mall the most (say Trinoma) because of its wide space and nature (albeit faux) landscape in the center. The coffee shops are rightfully (and tastefully) placed in the nooks of this mall garden. The lack of in-house branches of popular restaurants is compensated with a brightly-lit, colorful food court with interesting eating stalls that we like. E likes Indian Garden in the food court which serves a mean Chicken 65 while Mary likes the no-fuss pasta at Pastalita. Overall, Riyadh Gallery is the Pink Tarha's main retreat.

Shop with nature in Riyadh Gallery (photo from here)

Pros
Relaxing ambiance (nature landscape in the middle)
Department stores (Centrepoint, Citymax, Debenhams, Sephora)
Popular brands (New Look, Zara, H&M, New Yorker)
Specialty stores (Konad for nail art and Stokes for funky kitchen tools)
Hyper Panda
Huge parking lot
London cab
Huge amusement center

Cons
Far location (at the end of King Fahd Road)
Death-defying high escalators
No in-house restaurants

2. Granada Center
Surprisingly, even if Granada Center is far from the city center, we are placing it in second because of a somewhat unique reason. Granada Center is probably the most men-friendly mall because most of the brands here carry their line for men. Like Topshop and H&M. So it's a pro for our fathers, husbands, and brothers. Pro for us too because they become more willing to drive us around. We also consider its distance a breather from the grinding, busy city life. It also proves to be an advantage because we still find our sizes here, especially during the sale season. Granada Center is like a walk in the park. It's spacious but not too huge to enjoy a stroll. It also has the must-go-to stores in our list like H&M, River Island, and Debenhams. Also, we don't encounter the muttawas here as much compared to other malls (not that we're hiding from them).

Far but worth it (photo from here)

Pros
Department store (Debenhams)
Popular brands (Topshop, H&M, New Look,)
Brands for men (Topshop, H&M)
In-house restaurants (Steakhouse and a Turkish grill)
Carrefour
Entertainment center
Huge parking lot
London cab
For women only food court area

Cons
Location
Limited variety of stores
Limited eating stalls in the food court

3. Sahara Mall and Hayat Mall
We decided to combine these two together because once you're in one, you can't help but go "ober da bakod" to visit the other. And you can also go to Sahara Plaza, the home of Zara and La Senza's liquidation stores. If not for the ongoing construction on the roads surrounding these malls, we could have placed it in the number 1 spot. But times and places have changed. The traffic in this area is a killer and you'll waste precious minutes in the surrounding intersections, U-turns, and detours. Also, it was a breeze before to cross the road to go from one mall to the other but now that a fence has been installed in between, the walk outside is a strain (unless you enjoy walking like we do... sometimes). Overall though, Sahara and Hayat offer a huge variety of brands and stores combined. What you can't find in one mall, you can find in the other. You can buy everything here from your clothes, groceries, books, cellphones, and appliances. It's a one-stop gigantic shop... which you can reach after having a headache from the road hassles.

Shoppers' [twin] delight (photos from here and here)

Pros
Location (near the city center)
Popular brands (Hayat: New Look, Zara, Lacoste, Al-Sawani, Paris Gallery | Sahara: MNG, H&M, Miss Selfridge)
Lots of food court choices
In-house restaurants (Hayat: Tony Roma's and Applebee's | Sahara: Fuddruckers, Cafe Ceramique)
Supermarkets (Hayat: Dabube Hypermarket | Sahara: Tamimi Market)
Sahara Plaza
Jarir Bookstore and Best Electronic Store
Entertainment centers

Cons
Major traffic in the area
Long detour in between malls
Always full parking lots
No London Cab

4. Kingdom Mall
Though we love this mall for the unique brands it carry, we find the stores very limited. What we love though is the ladies floor where we can step out of our abayas (which curiously, we keep) and relax with other women who love shopping and having coffee. We are also catered by women who know our wants and needs and whom we share the same interests. What goes on in the ladies' floor is our own dirty little secret. Lol. However, the prices are somewhat too high. Salon services cost twice or triple than salons outside. Kingdom Mall has an upper-class clientele and this mall gives off that ambiance. The food court, though, feels otherwise. The available eating joints are scarce and not as varied as other malls. One major point when being in Kingdom Mall is the opportunity to go upstairs and visit the Skybridge where a glass wall is the only thing that separates you from a panoramic view of Riyadh.

Go luxe! (photo from here)

Pros
Location (city center)
Luxury brands (Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Tiffany and Co., Saks Fifth Avenue)
Luxury hotel (Four Seasons) and restaurants (Spazio, Quattro, The Grill)
Ladies' floor
Spacious, wide, brightly-lit areas
London Cab
Skybridge

Cons
Limited variety of brands and stores
Only 1 in-house resto (Planet Hollywood)
Attacks on women outside the mall were 'reported.'

5. Faisaliah Mall
We love Faisaliah Mall but it doesn't offer as much as the other malls. It is the nearest mall to our work and home but we only find ourselves drawn by the food court which has our favorite food (Subway, London Chips, and Samurai). We also love their selection of desserts (Cheesecake Factory, Baskin n' Robbins, a cookie stall, etc.) Their food court and Water Lemon have a nice view of the Olaya Road. It has a nice array of familiar brands like MNG, Zara, and Promod and has the only branch of Juicy Couture in Riyadh. It is also the home of upscale department store, Harvey Nichols. When done shopping, going to the view deck in Faisaliah's globe is a must. For SR25, you get a nice 360 degree view of the city and limitless number of photos using your camera (Kingdom's Skybridge prohibits the use of mainstream cameras; only mobile phone's).

Shop and dine with a view at Faisaliah Mall (photo from here)

Pros
Popular brands (MNG, Zara, Promod, MAC)
High-class brands (Juicy Couture, Coach, Roberto Cavalli)
Department store (Harvey Nichols, Al-Sawani)
Good variety of food court choices
View deck
Ample parking space in the basement

Cons
Busy intersection of Olaya and Thalateen Sts.
Filled parking lots outside
No London Cab

There are still a lot of malls in Riyadh and we cannot count the possibilities of fab finds and experience. These five, however, are our go-to malls but we also visit Panorama Mall (for their amusement center... lol!), Al-Akaria Mall, Al-Nemer Center, Othaim Mall, Khurais Plaza, etc. but not as frequent. If you have raves and rants on the malls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, do let us know in the comment box.

Happy shopping in Riyadh!

Mayhem in Metropolis

What else can you see inside a Riyadh Mall? An amusement center. Yes, amusement centers, just like a mini version of Star City and Enchanted Kingdom. And we're writing an amusement center experience. You might think we only took the children of our acquaintances in one and then write this experience from an onlooker point of view. Well, you see our dear readers, there are a lot of things we do for this blog. Crazy things. Like riding rides. In our mid-20s. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In our abayas.

Let the madness begin...

There's a new mall in the intersection of Takhasussi and Tahlia Streets. It's hard to miss because it's the biggest building in this part of the city. Also, at a certain angle, the building looks like waves and is fitted with glass windows. The Panorama Mall's interiors are wide and clean. You can even do cartwheels without interruption for a few good minutes (or until spotted by the guards). Almost all shops are now open. The food court too. The Panorama Mall is the newest hangout of the Pink Tarha ladies, particularly Trader Vic's (a review coming up!). But it was an experience in Metropolis, the mall's amusement center, that was etched (forcefully) in our minds. The experience was hysterical and crazy!

We were attracted to the colorful amusement center. We were too shy to try the rides at first because we're not sure if ladies are allowed. We haven't seen our type (20-somethings and in our abayas) have a go at it. It does seem pretty awkward in our imagination. But because we love our dear readers and we want to bring you every possible 'good' and new things in Riyadh (also to channel the inner children in us), we decided to ask the men in charge of the rides if ladies are allowed. They said we should come at an earlier time when there'll be fewer people around. And that's what we did. We returned.

When we did, we had our game face on. We were hellbent on trying every ride available to us. We went to the concierge and bought a pass card which sells for various denomination. We got the SR100 card and picked our first ride...

The Apollo.

It seemed like an innocent ride and the children who went before us seemed to have a good time. What could be so bad about flying a smaller version of EK's Fly Away (one of my favorite rides in EK!)?! What's so bad about being thrown round and round in the air? Well, everything!

This is the Apollo in motion.

Eyecandy and I rode one carriage each. The ride started out slow but the next thing we knew, we were flung in the air in an instant! There was barely enough time to react and adjust. And then the carriage we were on started going up and down too, like in an Octopus ride. It was fun at first but it got dizzying the next. When the ride was finished, our shouting stopped but the cursing began. Lol. We were surprised at how the Apollo shook us. It could've turn into a puke fest. Fortunately, it didn't. Unfortunately for us, we realized that this is not our thing anymore. We're too old.

To pacify ourselves, we decided to play at the arcade. We picked a random shooting game and went at it.

Determined to gun down the zombies of The Silent Hill.

On the way to our next ride, we spotted this "perya" looking game where you throw the ball and hope it falls into one of the marked circles. It's SR10 for four balls.

Perya game. :P

I holed a ball on the first try and I won this:

Yey! A pink leopard for a Pink Tarha!

The other ladies also won their own stuffed toy after the second try. I decided to name this pink toy "Jamaica"... Why? Well, it's in honor of the next ride:

E and S at the Jamaica.

This is more innocent-looking than the Apollo because you just have to sit down and the whole "bench" will go in circles. Again, we were stupefied by the force. No time to react as the beast goes on and on in a clockwise motion. If not for the handle bars that were keeping us in place, we could have been thrown to the roof and beyond. Actually, we were losing control of ourselves; our bodies swaying in and out our seats and our legs beating hard. We were shouting our lungs off. It was embarrassing because those who were near the ride (or okay, almost everyone in Metropolis) were looking at us. Yeah, we know what they were thinking but we kept on shouting louder as the Jamaica went for its counter-clockwise spin. Akala namin tapos na! When the ride was over, Eyecandy couldn't even reach the nearby bench anymore. She slumped at the railing of the Jamaica and refused to move. Our hair were flying in all directions.

What's more embarrassing though is watching two kids, as in teeny weeny little kids, thoroughly enjoy the ride while we looked beaten at the bench nearby. Bummer! We are sooo old! Lol.

We needed a break from the madness so we ate at the food court first before going to the last ride for the evening (and probably our last ride in Metropolis ever!). We forced Eyecandy to join us at the 4D Cinema even if she was threatening to beat the crap out of us if she'll go dizzy in there again. We assured her that we will just sit down, put on special glasses, and watch a mini movie in a large screen. No need to scream death threats. Lol. We forgot to mention the part where our seats move in relation to the movie and that special effects like a swoosh of air will be felt physically. She got dizzier after. :P

We did not bother with the other rides. We were done, through, finished, kalas! But for those who are interested, there's the Drop Tower and a huge, inflatable slide. Also wall climbing and ice skating. There's even a barbershop for the kids. We're sure kids will enjoy Metropolis. Obviously, we adults had a grand time humiliating ourselves. Hahaha. We'll take it easy from now on. We're not going back unless we'd like to air our angst and frustration through valid shouting and cursing.

We'll settle for this na lang.

So even if we turned out to be such wimps in the Metropolis, we found out that hey, ladies can actually "enjoy" the amusement centers in the mall. They're not for men or for children alone. Also, we found out that once in a while, it's okay to give in to madness. You'll never know what's in store for you.

§undrenched

PS. If you happen to be in Metropolis the same time we did and saw our antics, NOPE, those ladies were not us, lol remember that we're more poised in real life. Heheh. Do join us in our next crazy adventure! :P

The Janadriyah Festival

We've been name-dropping the Janadriyah Festival (Jenadriyah) in some of our entries and we haven't featured it yet. It's high time we do so, don't you think? (Blame me for procrastinating.)

Janadriyah Festival is a national heritage and folk cultural festival. Located 45 kilometres outside Riyadh, Janadriya plays hosts to the cultural festival annually. Traditional activities, including folk dances, camel races, arts and crafts exhibits as well as poetry readings are showcased for the entire duration of the festival—it lasts for two weeks and is organized by the National Guard.

Last March, our social club at work offered a trip to the Janadriyah Festival. Since we've long been curious about this annual grand event in the Kingdom, Eyecandy, Mary and I signed up for the trip. We boarded into the coaster and left around 4:30 in the afternoon. We didn't know that Janadriyah, the place, is far. We were in the road for one hour. That includes the traffic we encountered in Mecca Road. We closed our eyes for a while and by the time we opened them, we were already seeing camels in the roadside. Lol. Probinsya na yata.

An oasis has been formed in the middle of the desert to accommodate the event and we can already say that the place was packed even before we got to the gate. From the road, we already saw jet planes doing an aerial show; smokes of different colors were coming out of the planes' tails. The first thing we noticed when we got off the vehicle was the presence of the muttawas (religious police). There were quite a number of them manning the entrance so we had to pull our tarhas (veils) out and cover our hair. What welcomed us was a sea of people in black and white and several mud buildings housing different exhibits.

First up was a makeshift horse stable featuring some of the best Arabian horses. We imagined them riding off into the Arabian night.

What a stud you are.

We went inside the Ministry of Agriculture's exhibit next and found out that there were organic products in the Kingdom. (Yey for me who's currently in my use 'organic' phase.) There were organic vegetables, fruits, and oils.

A huge aquarium with gold fishes welcomed us into the Ministry of Agriculture's hall. Organic extra virgin olive oil.

We asked this Saudi to be in the photo with us because it's been one of our goals ever since: to have a picture with a local. Hehe. (E and M with our friends)

Some plump oranges, which they gave for free

Our fave crustacean.

In Saudi Arabia, you can actually have dates. We mean these dates.

Because it's nearing prayer time when we left the exhibit area, we went to the jam-packed eating area where many fast food stalls were assembled for the festival. There's Herfy, Kudu, Cone Zone, etc. We chose to eat this:

Cabrito's roasted chicken, yum!

More people flocked the place when dusk settled in. There were a couple of Filipinos but we rarely saw them during our entire stay. That's okay coz we think we pretty much blended right in. Just look at Mary here:

M in her pink black tarha.

While some of our friends are still eating, R and I braved the crowd to watch what we really came for: the Al Ardha, Saudi Arabia's national dance.

Ardha is a type of folkloric dance performed by the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian peninsula. It was traditionally performed before going to war, but nowadays is performed at celebrations or cultural events, such as the Janadriyah festival. The dance, which is performed by men carrying swords or canes, is accompanied by drums and spoken verse.

The drums of Ardha were used to declare war.
Now, the drums are used as an accompaniment to recited poetry.
In this dance, swords are wielded as part of the national and official celebrations and the re-pledging of allegiance to the authorities.

Dancing! Woot!

We can't help but sway to the beat of the drums and the chants. It was fascinating to see the locals dance. The women in the crowd were also dancing and hooting. We never saw them do that in public; not until this event. We spent a good 20 minutes watching in awe. Having the chance to watch the Ardha made the Janadriyah experience so worthwhile.

We walked and walked after. Again, blending right in with the crowd. How crowded was it, you ask?

There are days for family&women only and men only.
Always check the schedule when going to the Janadriyah festival!

And this is only a part of the wide, open space. We couldn't do a panoramic shot of the entire place, sorry.

We entered one more exhibit hall and saw the Bedouin crafts and livelihood:

This quite scared us at first, lol.

The Bedouin way of life is so rich in culture and tradition. Even their dresses were rich in colors, fabric, embroidery, and beads. Their earthen ware are intricately done too.

Making a fish net. The man explained how they use this trap to catch fishes. It's genius!

We just walked around a bit because we had to go back to the coaster at 8:00. What do you think is the Eiffel Tower doing in Saudi Arabia?

This is where the exhibit of the French embassy is.

There were more people inside that well-lit, gated palace. Too bad, we ran out of time to check it out.

We groaned at the mere 4 hours we have to enjoy Janadriyah. We missed a lot of exhibit halls and we also didn't catch the camel races, the mizmar dance, and the carrot cakes, which are said to be distributed during the festival. :P

All in all, the Janadriyah experience is really one of a kind. We got to see Saudi Arabia in a different light. Despite being a desert, the Kingdom is also rich in culture, tradition, and heritage, just like the Philippines. This year, we became a part of the more than one million visitors who attended the festival. And there goes one ticked off from our to-do list in Saudi Arabia.

Parting shot:

E and M posing at the huge oud burner before we went home.