It was an emotional farewell as my good friend Richie kindly drove us to Toronto to catch our Lufthansa flight to Jeddah via Frankfurt. The flight was good as business and first class flying is not hard on the soul, although our future holiday trips will likely be by enjoying cattle class. We were picked up dutifully at the Jeddah airport by a representative of the hospital and whisked through customs and immigration, to be dropped off at our apartment with our key. This was now Wednesday evening, just before the weekend. Hence TGIW, meaning Thank God it's Wednesday, being the equivalent of Friday, as the weekend here is Thursday/Friday. Clearly arriving on a weekend, in a strange country, with its own unique customs, and not knowing anyone, was a challenge to our psyches after our emotional departure, leaving family and friends. Fortunately before the weekend ended we ran into Mark and Ruben, an American hospital administrator and a Brazilian Italian surgeon, who also worked at the hospital, and joined them for dinner at a local Indian restaurant - yes good curry. That was the beginning of realizing again the tremendous comraderie that develops amongst expatriates in a foreign land, analogous to sailors in a foreign port. Since that time, of only three weeks ago, we have now met many kind souls who have opened their arms of friendship.
Jeddah is an interesting city, the most cosmopolitan and liberal city in Saudi Arabia. It has been a seaport and fishing centre for over 2000 years. It has been the gateway to Mecca for over 1000 years. It is now populated by over 3 million people, of many nationalities, with both the very modern as well as the more historical buildings and features. But importantly for us it sits next to the Red Sea, more on that to come. At present the daytime high temperatures sit close to 40 deg C with nightime going down to about mid 20's C . And yes it is sunny every day, with rain being a rare event. Winter months, yet to come, we understand will result in temperatures dropping by 5 to 10 degrees - January should be nice!
Both Joy and I have been busy getting all the appropriate documentation completed as well as getting oriented and established in a new hospital setting with new procedures, policies and people - yes a challenge at times.
Well enough of this meandering and verbeage, at least until the next Blog.
Joy in the living room of her new home - before the decorations.
The first weekend after a long plane flight - hard to believe "near beer" from the grocery store would have such an effect! We subsequently discovered grape juice.
Up and about in our new galley.
Now after a few more decorations - our shipping arrived and a trip to the rug souk. Art hangings by Richard Bain and Doug Marr - familiar?
Out and about in one of the "newer' parts of old Jeddah.
Ah ha, there is gold to be found - but only for looking?
Ah yes more practical items for possible purchase.
Walking further into the old town of Jeddah.
Contrasting images in the old town.
Fortunately many of the older buildings in old Jeddah, many made with coral, are being restored.
The new Jeddah has developed a beautiful corniche that runs for miles along the edge of the Red Sea with many lovely buildings, this one a large mosque, along the way.
In addition along the Corniche, and at various spots throughout the city, particularly at traffic roundabouts, there are many statues (including two Henry Moore statues).
Fishing from the shore of the Red Sea just off the edge of the Corniche.
A contrast to the number of luxury hotels being developed along the waterfront.
And of course the number of luxury stores and modern malls spread throughout the city - a city of contrasts, the old and the new, after all this is the country where much of the world's "black gold" comes from.
Yes, there are also private beaches on the sea, where expats can spend some of their leisure time. This one had nice white sand, the requisite palm trees, warm clear water, an artificial island close to shore to swim to, and rentals for kayaks and Lasers for dinghy sailing - life's tough in the big city (a 40 minute drive from our apartment).
It's been a tough day at the beach in mid October - off to work tomorrow.
That's a brief introduction to our first three weeks in the Kingdom. Clearly a land of contrasts with a number of misunderstood notions from the world outside.
Stay tuned.
