Mad As A Hatter

Morning all

MB is hoping his latest post finds Crossers uplifted and in high spirits. Back home the St Patrick’s Day festivities are finished & looked like HX land had a blast.

MB left KSA last weekend. Said Maa Salama to friends & acquaintances and wished them well.  They wished same to MB. Gave MB a gift or two, treated him to a few lunches in the days leading up and shook his hand. MB now in Dubai. A new adventure. Time moves on. The twists and turns of life.

MB was driving down a Dubai street early morning few days back. Day or two after arrival in UAE. Happened to notice a Western lady dressed in smart trousers and a short-sleeved top. Her long blond hair was blowing in the morning breeze. MB’s immediate reaction was one of concern. She will get arrested for dressing like that in public – no abiya (burka) or hijab (head scarf). And certainly no niqab (face veil).  She will end up serious trouble with the Religious Police. Shock. Is she completely & utterly mad?

And then a moment later MB realised that it was actually MB that was losing the plot. MB’s brain was still in Saudi Arabia, but his body was in Dubai, UAE, where almost 200 nationalities live together in peace and quite. Where you can attend your church of choice or no church, and you can wear whatever clothes you wish within reason. So the Western lady looked like most Western ladies in Dubai. Respectably dressed as she headed off to her place of work and nobody was offended. And no Religious police stopped in their car to accost her. So she just continued on her merry way. And MB thought to himself – get a grip man. Relax that brain. Chill.

So that’s what MB has tried to do for last few days. The brain is now almost de-Saudied and adjusted to the new environment. But MB is guessing that two years in any environment conditions the brain and it takes a little time to get the head totally straight. So maybe few more days required.

And for the above reason MB is making a shorter than normal post this week. But as usual MB will give you all some awesome pics.

First up are 2 shots to explain what Hijab & Niqab actually look like (from Google, not from the more extensive MB library). And then MB follows up with few shots he took on his final night in Riyadh last weekend.

Muslim Hijab

Muslim Niqab

Night shots from Riyadh (quality not great, stormy sandy night, shot through the thick dirty rooftop glass)