Test your Knowledge of Saudi Blogs

The Test Your Knowledge of Saudi Quizzes have been very popular with the readers. I have decided to make a monthly quiz that I will post at the end of each month. These are a little more challenging, but all of the answers can be found in the posts I made in September 

Enjoy the quiz:

 Saudi Quiz – September 2008

Sarah Palin in Saudi Arabia: May I call you Abdullah?

As I advised in an earlier post which I wrote, I managed to stay up and watch the Vice Presidential debate last Thursday (0400 hours Friday, Riyadh time) when it aired.  I wanted to see the entire debate, uninterrupted and without any commentary as can happen when segments are re-aired later.

Was it only me or did anyone else have an uneasy, sick-like feeling when at the very beginning as the two candidates enter, Governor Sarah Palin is clearly heard as she is greeting Senator Joe Biden to say “And may I call you Joe?”  Am I the only one to see that as an inappropriate remark and both a political and cultural gaffe?  Can you imagine her coming to Saudi Arabia and meeting King Abdullah and in her sweet girlish voice she has mastered so well and with that little wink, leaning in close to King Abdullah and saying “And may I call you Abdullah?” 

I know that as a candidate she is trying hard to relate to the American people and as such uses her phrases of  “gotchas,” “darn,” “you guys,” “Joe six-pack,” “soccer mom” etc., but is that the right image to portray for the second most highest position in the United States of America?  Was I in the minority as an American citizen upon hearing those phrases felt I was being talked down too?  What is her expectation of an average American citizen?  Does she think we live in mobile homes or apartments with our feet up on a plastic couch swigging beer from a bottle as we wonder…”golly gee, what’s on tv tonight that does not tax my poor lil ole brain?”

Can you picture her coming to Saudi Arabia and in discussions at the highest level with “Abdullah” making a remark like “well darn, you guys are just too much.  Maybe we should settle this over a six pack.  Or better yet, since you boys like wild game, come on to my big state in Alaska and we’ll go out together and shoot some caribou.”

She is no doubt a maverick and one who has probably been very lucky to date to not land herself in hot water yet.  But I think she is floundering in political quicksand and sincerely hope that such a candidate will never make it to Saudi Arabia and represent the voices and views of America.

Women’s Garments of Saudi Arabia

When a woman chooses to wear old and traditional dresses of Saudi Arabia knowledgeable Saudi women can easily distinguish by the style, cut or type of embroidery where the dress originated from.  The traditional dresses of women in Saudi Arabia have distinctive styles, colors and patterns.  There is such a difference that a friend of mine even produced a book in January 2000/Shawal 1420, entitled “Women Garments in Al-Qaseem.”  The book begins with a brief forward by the author explaining the uniqueness of womens garments from Al Qaseem.  The rest of the book is page after page of photos of the differing style dresses being modeled.  Each dress has a caption which identifies the fabric of the dress, what it would be worn for as well as the age of the garment.  The Saudi seamstresses are very talented and many of the dresses have fine exquisite embroidery.  To accompany and showcase the style of the dress, the model is photographed wearing the dress in surroundings consistent with the date and time the dress was popular.

 

Every woman coming to Saudi Arabia should take advantage and purchase a ladies thobe.  The long loosely flowing garment comes in all types of materials and styles.  It is a dress that can be worn universally and not limited to within Saudi Arabia.  Depending on the style chosen the ladies thobes come in every day way, night time wear, evening wear and wedding wear.  During the Eid holidays which follow Ramadan and Hajj it is typical for women to wear their best ladies thobes and go pay respects to family and friends.