Truly Saudi

Here are some things that I have personally only ever seen in Saudi Arabia...

A German tour bus company called: Hitler

A faucet bed side lamp...pretty cool eh!

This is a book dispensing-vending-machine! I've never seen it anywhere else.

book vending machine

I can't for the life of me figure out what the Arabic means, so i don't know if this is just bad translation or if it's an actual condom storage room. 

Too bad, I'm riding a bike with a briefcase in one hand which has a camera in it, and I'm smoking with the other hand! 

The malls are so HUGE here that there are NEGATIVE floor levels!

 Good to see some environmental consciousness :)  

 Saudi Money (Riyals) 

A cute sculpture near the sea coast guard. The coloured fish are très joli!

Another wonderful sculpture, by the sea. 

One of the largest TV screens in the world. It plays commercials all day long. As if drivers are not distracted enough! 

 Camel scenery as you drive from city to city.

Sylvester Stallone made an appearance in the kingdom! 

Mother and baby matching jelbab. I rather like the emerald green. 

Finally, this you will definitley only ever see in the kingdom of saudi arabia. The road to Makkah or Madina, have these "for muslims" and "non muslims" signs up. 

Pigeon Padgent

There's a myth here, some choose to believe, that if you look at a small pigeon in its nest, it will die. I was told this upon showing a colleague some pictures I had taken of a baby pigeon in my windowsill. Several others joined in to tell stories about how this myth is 'true'! When I asked if maybe it was because they touched the little birdie or interfered with it's nest or perhaps they scared the mother off too many times for her to return. They assured me that no, it was only by looking at the baby bird that would cause it's death. Naturally I couldn't believe this. But it did make me check on the little pigeon to make sure she was still alive. Here are some progress pictures of the little pigy. 

As you can see...she seems to be doing good. In case there is any truth to this myth. I only peek in on her every 3-4 days and get a couple of snaps of her. Man they grow fast. 

[Update June/15/2012 Birdie is still alive and well, looking a lot like mummy over there!]

                                                            -quizzical look- Who you?