Shain in Arabia!

Saudi Arabia – land of sun, sand and burqas. That’s how I picturised this foreign land. I now realize that I was perhaps being a bit too categorical. I haven’t seen the sun in the past two days that I have been here. No, I wasn’t apprehended by the religious police the minute I landed and thrown into jail. Nor have I been overburdened with work such that I cant get out of office during the day time. It’s been two overcast and cold days here so far. And its really cold. And here I thought that since I was going to desert country, I wouldn’t need my jacket. Result being – I go to the nearby Malayalee restaurant for dinner in my jeans and sneakers, with my formal black blazer. Neither was sand anywhere to be seen. Instead in its place you have sprawling shopping malls and other kinds of buildings for miles around. There are some buildings which look like toy castles. And there are some other buildings which defy definition. I haven’t been able to make out what these are because the signs are largely in Arabic. There is one interesting sign though..it says “Services for Women” (ahem). Which brings me to the third of the trinity-women.

Frankly, I haven’t seen many women here yet. I haven’t seen them walking on the streets, I haven’t seen them driving cars. I saw one particular station wagon though- there was this Arab guy driving it, and it had four hooded women sitting behind. I tell you, there are a few sights yet in this world (and not just that beautiful woman walking down the street like Salma Hayek in Desperado) that can halt you in your stride and cause you to think whether you are not really seeing things. It’s early days yet I know, but compared to where I was just two days back, this place seems like the desert it was meant to be. But yes, it is true what they say about women having to be covered fully by their black flowing burqahs or abeyas. But I caught sight of some faces in a telephone booth I had gone to. They are beautiful. Very beautiful. Fair skinned, hands done in elaborate mehndi, one of them was blonde! She must have been Lebanese perhaps. But it doesn’t matter. She was beautiful. Couldn’t keep looking for long though. You never know when and where the religious police are. And what they can probably catch you for! Talk about forbidden fruits – that’s what women are here.

I should tell you about my flight to Riyadh. The last time I flew an international flight was in 94. So I was taken aback by the sheer size of the jet. The seats seemed to go on for rows. But that wasn’t what I wanted to tell you about. I flew by Air India. If you have seen those old TV ads for Air India, you would be picturising a beautiful smiling face, the epitome of Indian hospitality, her hands folded in a namaskaar. Get a load of this. The first air hostess that I saw was dressed in a churidar(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I am sure that she would make a very good traffic police officer. She was asking each of us for our boarding passes, and was busy extending her hands in the direction of the seats. As though we couldn’t read! Hell, she even asked one passenger if he could read!!! Whither the heartwarming welcome? Whither the reassuring and charming smile? AND WHERE THE F@#K WAS MY NAMASKAAR????? It’s not about beauty mind you. It was about everything else. The food lived upto its rumoured reputation of being lousy – it was cold and tasteless. I enjoyed the butter the most. Thankfully, the movie display was working. For one of my unfortunate colleagues who had flown earlier, even that wasn’t there. There was one redeeming grace though and that persuaded me that perhaps hope still floats. Natasha – air hostess with Air India. Somewhere between fair and dusky, orange bindi, a similarly coloured saree, slim, but not thin, an occasional smile ( that happened only when I asked her something..and I had to do that twice!) and the best part of it was, she was sitting right across me. I was in one of the first rows, and the flight attendants have their seats right opposite. I watched her as she sat waiting for the flight to lift off, I watched her as she sat talking to Traffic Police Constable who unfortunately (for me) was also sitting opposite, and I watched her as she made those familiar announcements. As I left that wretched flight 4 hours later, I tried hard to retain her picture in my mind.

But bah!! That wasn’t possible. The minute I landed at the Riyadh airport, I saw women in black and that’s all I have been seeing, whenever I see them that is.

It’s not all bad though..Riyadh has its bright side. And you know where and when that’s coming…right here, but not right now…

Ciao…

Shain