by Linda Pappas Funsch
Special to The Frederick News-Post
During a routine perusal of my e-mail one day last October, it appeared without warning: "...(i)nvitation from Dr. John Duke Anthony to Saudi Arabia." As I opened this cryptic message, the meaning of those words slowly, amazingly unfolded.
I was incredulous. After a lengthy career as a student of the Middle East, having lived, worked and studied in many countries throughout that region, here was an invitation to visit the one country which had persistently eluded me: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a land integral to the history of the area and, in a post-9/11 era, a country shrouded in mystery and beset by controversy. I could hardly contain my excitement.
The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) had identified a small delegation of educators to travel to Saudi Arabia for a 10-day study tour. Founded and led, since 1983, by famed scholar of Arabian and Gulf studies, Dr. John Duke Anthony, the council's mission is directed toward improving American knowledge and understanding of the Arab world, in an effort to “bridge the gap” between cultures.
During our time in the Kingdom, we would be hosted by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry as well as by Saudi ARAMCO (formerly the Arabian-American Oil Company).
Seeking to maximize the experience of observing the culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia, the group would travel across the vast Arabian territory: from the coastal city of Jeddah, Bride of the Red Sea; to the modern capital of Riyadh; to the fabled Empty Quarter, the world's largest desert expanse. Our travels would take us deep into the Eastern Province, home to one-quarter of the world’s petroleum reserves.
Along the way, the delegation would interview scores of national policymakers and industrialists, educators and students, journalists and poets, and healthcare specialists, exploring a variety of topics ranging from modernization and reform to domestic and foreign policy issues.
After accepting this unique invitation, preparations for my Arabian adventure began in earnest. With visa formalities completed, there were volumes of required briefing materials to devour on the history, politics, economics and cultural mores of Saudi Arabia.
Yet, perhaps the most difficult question of all remained: "what to pack?"
On the matter of wardrobe, clearly this would be a very different sort of trip, as the abaya, or black, long-sleeved, floor-length garment, would constitute the primary article of clothing. Worn in public by virtually all Saudi women, foreign visitors are encouraged to observe this cultural tradition as a gesture of respect in a foreign land. In addition to the abaya, a head covering, or hijab, would complement one's ensemble in the more conservative parts of the Kingdom. Clearly, my normal purveyors of apparel would be of little help here. Solution? The Internet, of course, where I soon discovered that in cyberspace one may choose quite easily from among a variety of the latest Middle Eastern fashions.
Destination: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is an enigma.
Picture, if you will, a country one-fifth the area of the continental United States, with no natural water resources: no rivers, no streams, not even creeks running year-round. At the same time, this is a country with unimaginable mineral resources lying deep below the earth's surface.
Imagine a country containing regions where extreme temperatures preclude the possibility of normal human habitation; on the other hand, this same land, home to three Abrahamic faiths, has given rise to a succession of rich and varied civilizations.
While an ancient land, Saudi Arabia is also a relatively new country among the world's community of nation-states. Founded in 1932 by a tribal leader who united several bedouin clans, the country's national banner bears his name to this day. It is a monarchy whose king, as guardian of the sacred lands of Islam, holds the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques," which has implications reaching far beyond its shores.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a country bent on modernization while, at the same time, determined to preserve its rich cultural traditions.
Prior to our departure, our delegation of 10 educators, all Middle East specialists, met for the first time at the offices of the National Council in Washington for an intensive day-and-a-half-long briefing session with diplomats, oil executives and trade representatives.
Finally onboard Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight #34 on Thanksgiving evening, it became clear that this would be no ordinary long-distance flight; for, while we basked in the relative luxury of the Business Class section, neither "adult beverages" nor movies would be offered during our 13-hour flight ... in keeping with Saudi customs. Instead, we enjoyed repeated cups of cardamom-infused Arabian coffee and fruit juices while viewing, on the screen ahead, details of the flight's progress.
Intermittently, a graphic image of the aircraft would appear, indicating the relative direction of Mecca. For those believers who wished to participate in the Islamic prescription to pray five times each day, an area in the rear of the plane was prepared ... complete with prayer rugs.
The Cradle of Islam
From the moment we landed in the cosmopolitan port city of Jeddah, it was clear that we had traveled not only over eight time zones but, further, into a culture which, on the surface, sports a cultural veneer very different from our own.
Once inside the King Abdul Aziz International Airport, the terminal was adrift in a sea of figures in white and black. Saudi men were clothed in traditional white robes, their heads draped in flowing scarves, while their female counterparts donned loose-fitting black garments.
As the gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, Jeddah is often the first stop for Muslims arriving in Saudi Arabia to make the hajj, or pilgrimage. With 1.3 billion adherents, the Islamic faith calls upon its believers, from every corner of the earth, to make this sacred pilgrimage to the very cities which gave rise to Islam almost 1,400 years ago.
Logistics for this international event can be daunting. This is evident upon arrival in this ancient city as the airport has special terminals designated for those hajjis preparing to observe this sacred pillar of Islam.
As we in the West have been reminded repeatedly of late, the soil of Arabia is their Holy Land.
The oil patch
Proceeding on to the capital city of Riyadh for a welcome, if brief, overnight respite, we departed at sunrise toward our first destination, Dhahran. Flying over hundreds of miles of vast desert expanse, we arrived in the Eastern Province of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf. It was here that, in 1933, the first concession agreement for hydrocarbon exploration was signed with Standard Oil of California. Five years later, one-and-a-half miles beneath the earth’s surface, oil was discovered in quantities sufficient for commercial extraction.
Saudi Arabia currently leads the international petroleum market, with 25 percent of the world's proven reserves. In addition, the country is endowed with very substantial deposits of natural gas. Headquartered in Dhahran, Saudi ARAMCO, the world's largest integrated oil company, is solely responsible for the operation and management of the Kingdom's oil and gas fields.
Located at the crossroads of three continents and several strategic waterways, the security of this essential resource, both in terms of supply and demand, is a perpetual source of concern for both buyers and sellers. Indeed, the very issue of the free and unfettered flow of petroleum from the Middle East has, in recent years, fueled much speculation concerning political and military activities in this volatile region.
As the Kingdom's second largest employer, after the national government, Saudi ARAMCO provides housing for several thousand employees and their families at its giant corporate headquarters in Dhahran. Here, just miles from the Persian Gulf, this compound more closely resembles a suburb in southern California than one in the great Arabian heartland. Western dress is the norm for Saudis and expatriates alike; children ride bikes, while women jog along the tree-lined streets of peaceful neighborhoods. This is the city that oil built.
Our delegation toured the state-of-the-art, highly automated EXPEC Center where supercomputers allow a handful of technicians to oversee the production of billions of barrels of oil over an area of 1.5 million kilometers. We watched in awe as we entered "mission control" where, on a curved wall display, measuring 10 feet high by 220 feet long, ARAMCO engineers deftly monitor the flow of 12 percent of the world's daily oil production, regulating pipeline flow, and directing supertankers at the touch of a keyboard.
Guided through films and exhibits, most of us were amazed to learn that petroleum does not exist in underground "lakes," as we had imagined, but that it is extracted from porous rock, a laborious and expensive process involving highly sophisticated technology.
The Empty Quarter
Before leaving the Eastern Province, our National Council delegation was treated to a particularly special detour, aboard ARAMCO's small Dash-8 airplane, to the world’s newest, and one of its largest, oil production fields.
Shaybah is located deep in the fabled Empty Quarter, Arabia's vast desert expanse, which, at 250,000 square miles, measures twice the area of Texas. Lying just 20 miles from the United Arab Emirates, the prized extra light crude that lies beneath the red sands of Shaybah was discovered in 1968. However, this valuable premium grade could not be extracted profitably until a revolutionary new technology in the 1990s known as "horizontal drilling" was introduced.
Shaybah is a remote, desolate, but strangely beautiful place. We gazed in awe as the sun set over the burnt, undulating dunes of the Empty Quarter. The sand of Shaybah is renowned for its unusual red hue. Always the tourist, I eagerly joined in as my colleagues collected this unusual find in plastic water bottles ... a very special souvenir destined for North America.
This magical interlude ended as dramatically as it had begun as we settled down to a sumptuous bedouin-style feast. Seated on the floor over traditional hand-loomed carpets, we savored our dinner under the dazzling desert sky, listening to the poignant strains of a famous Saudi poetess in our midst.
A modern capital of contrasts
The next stop on our Arabian adventure was the modern city of Riyadh, sprawling capital of a 21st-century kingdom. By Middle Eastern standards, Riyadh is very young indeed.
Located in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, it was little more than an isolated desert outpost until 1902, when a young, charismatic bedouin leader, Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, seized Musmak Fort, effectively securing control of the city. This victory would mark the beginning of Ibn Saud’s efforts to prevail among several warring tribes, a dream which he realized 30 years later with the unification of the Kingdom which bears his name.
A new capital by most standards, the design of this nation's political epicenter was patterned after that of Altanta, Ga. Riyadh is a city of formidable contrasts. The interior of the King Khalid International Airport boasts attractive gardens, fountains and state-of-the-art amenities. Remembering that we are in Saudi Arabia, however, signs everywhere remind us that there are strict prohibitions on drug trafficking, with even stricter penalties.
Modern architecture dominates the skyline of Riyadh as late-model automobiles jockey for position in the congested streets below. Towering hotels and futuristic skyscrapers of every imaginable design fill the city. Yet, from within the confines of one’s hotel suite, equipped with the latest internet technology and flat screen television, the cadences of the local muezzin (crier) fill the airwaves, calling the faithful to prayer. For that purpose, prayer rugs are provided in every room.
"Would you like fries with that?"
Fast food establishments abound. Imagine seeing Burger King, KFC and Chuck-E Cheese's, among other familiar eateries, along the highways and byways of this conservative capital city? They have, however, a unique Saudi flavor, as we noted the inclusion of curtained sections in such restaurants to provide for private family dining.
In addition, there were signs posted throughout these establishments, reminding customers that food will not be served during prayer time.
While there are currently no public movie theaters in the Kingdom, cell phones, laptop computers and satellite dishes are omnipresent. Western entertainment is standard fare. As we drove to an official meeting one morning, the sounds of Kenny G.'s clarinet wafted over the radio. Each day, Oprah Winfrey and other popular U.S. talk show hosts vie for first place on Saudi television, as do music video broadcasts from Beirut which, by comparison, render their American counterparts positively prudish.
In the public sphere, women comport themselves with customary decorum, covered in the traditional black abaya. Yet, within the private sphere of their homes, that garment is removed in favor of contemporary fashions purchased at any one of the numerous shopping malls, featuring international designer clothing to suit every taste. It would appear that the range of options for the Saudi consumer is infinite.
Welcome to our home
The hospitality of the Saudis is legendary. Many local customs are derived from ancient bedouin traditions. Among these tribal customs, borne of desert harshness, is the solemn obligation of a host to provide food, shelter and protection to strangers and guests for up to three days. No questions asked.
A guest in an Arabian home or office may expect to be treated to continual offers of food and drink. In our experience, we noted that the hosts would refrain from partaking of these delicacies themselves until the honored guests were sated.
Many Saudi homes, of both old and more recent construction, draw their inspiration from traditional bedouin and Arab architecture. The reception rooms of newer homes, such as some we visited in the Eastern Province and Jeddah, are often built in the style of the diwan, or tribal meeting chamber.
Here the seating is arranged around the perimeter of the room in the form of low benches, furnished with assorted cushions and pillows. Arches, domes and extensive use of antique objects d'art complete the unique ambiance of these residences. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves immersed in hours of casual and unhurried conversation within this relaxed and inviting setting.
While construction of modern buildings is proceeding at a furious pace in the major cities of the Kingdom, respect for the integrity of historic sites is a growing priority. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Jeddah contains many buildings which are being preserved and restored for future generations.
In this ancient port, named after the primordial mother of mankind, Eve, a dynamic commission oversees the protection and promotion of these visible links to the past. Touring the Nassif House, in the ancient quarter of Jeddah, was ample testimony to the Saudis' determination to protect and preserve their national treasures.
Part 2 of this series: Profile of a Kingdom.
Copyright ©2006 by Linda Pappas Funsch
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