Fruity Beers

This one goes out to Erin, my former roommate and co-fruity beer lover! Erin is happily back in North America and in just 4 days time I will be too!

Al Faisalia

This is taken from the cave park; a sort of park located on hospital grounds that actually has a pretty nice view if you turn your back to the giant construction site and close your ears to the noise of the jackhammers. The tower in the picture is the Al Faisalia building and I have heard that it was built by the king's son to impress his father. The king's other sons, not to be outdone by their show off of a brother, quickly responded by building the Kingdom tower about a kilometer away. Both buildings house opulent shopping malls, offices and fancy restaurants at the top. On special occasions they also light the buildings up. On Saudi's national day last year the Faisalia was lit up all in twinkling green lights - clearly they were unaware that it looked like a giant Christmas tree! How haram!

Mocktails

Alcohol being completely forbidden in the kingdom doesn't stop most places from offering a delightful assortment of mocktails... You can always order a mojito or a piña colada but rest assured it will simply be juice with a sprig of mint or a piece of fruit in it. Another favorite is Saudi champagne, which is sparkling apple juice with a veritable fruit salad in it... It's actually pretty good!

ID

Goodbye apartment key, goodbye ID badge, goodbye Iqama (Saudi resident permit), goodbye Saudi nursing registration! This makes it all feel very official!

One week to go!

Playground

I can't say I really ever play at the playground in our apartment complex, mostly I just complain about having to live in a family building with scads of children riding their bikes around in the halls!

Just 8 days till I leave!

Pool Party

It really is quite the life here... I can't complain too much! We've got a pool and a gym and no bills or rent (mind you our apartment is a bit lame with its pink carpet and ancient furniture, still, don't look a free apartment in the mouth right?) The pool has given us many a relaxing afternoon under the desert sun... That is when it isn't full of sand from the latest sand storm!

Packing

I know there are still 10 days left... but I'm already packed! Of course I still have heaps of paperwork left to do - it turns out it's a more complicated process to leave Saudi than it was to come here! But my flight is booked so mafe mushkila ("no problem" in Arabic, we hear it all the time!)

10 days to go!