Yesterday, it seems that our local call to prayer became louder, longer, and uncut. They use a recorded muezzin here, so over the last few months 1.) the volumed seemed to have been turned down and 2.) we got used to the same call every day and slept right through it. Unfortunately, the ~5:24AM Fajr call goes on long enough now to break into our unconscious minds and rouse us from sleep. Hopefully, we'll get used to this, too. (Guests, bring your ear plugs!)
Speaking of the call to prayer, I was in Riyadh last week and realized that they use a live muezzin at each mosque. They begin the call at slightly different times, so the call ripples out across the city. Very atmospheric.
And speaking of atmospheric...it rained in Riyadh Tuesday all day! I thought, this would be a miserable day in Oregon, but being incredibly rare, it wasn't so depressing in this part of the world. They closed the schools since the city has no drainage system. Riding back to my hotel, there was standing water everywhere. The high Tuesday was 55F, so I was grateful for every layer including my abaya!
I didn't do much outside of the sort of bubble of the hotel and the Diplomatic Quarter during my visit, so I didn't experience the unpleasantness of the religious police. In the end, I didn't need to cover my hair, but did wear the abaya outside of work. I got to visit a private university, but that was my only external trip. Not sure I got (or want) the full experience of the real Riyadh.
I did get to have dinner with friends and meet their baby girl which was really special! And I met some library colleagues and got a fuller picture of the biblio-scene there. Good stuff!
Speaking of the call to prayer, I was in Riyadh last week and realized that they use a live muezzin at each mosque. They begin the call at slightly different times, so the call ripples out across the city. Very atmospheric.
And speaking of atmospheric...it rained in Riyadh Tuesday all day! I thought, this would be a miserable day in Oregon, but being incredibly rare, it wasn't so depressing in this part of the world. They closed the schools since the city has no drainage system. Riding back to my hotel, there was standing water everywhere. The high Tuesday was 55F, so I was grateful for every layer including my abaya!
I didn't do much outside of the sort of bubble of the hotel and the Diplomatic Quarter during my visit, so I didn't experience the unpleasantness of the religious police. In the end, I didn't need to cover my hair, but did wear the abaya outside of work. I got to visit a private university, but that was my only external trip. Not sure I got (or want) the full experience of the real Riyadh.
I did get to have dinner with friends and meet their baby girl which was really special! And I met some library colleagues and got a fuller picture of the biblio-scene there. Good stuff!
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