things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Having been here for a bit now I was wondering if there are a few things to do about here that I have overlooked so far. Filling in time off has become a bit of a chore, so aside from going to Malls so far I have gone these places..[complete with rating :thumbup:]

The edge of the world ..cliffs on the outer reaches of riyadh where the plateau ends and drops down to the desert below. A solid 7/10 for a bit of an off road jaunt then some pretty decent views of the cliffs.

Hidden Valley does what it says on the tin. One for the terminally bored I think 3/10. Only gets a 3/10 because I am sure there is worse out there but I havent experienced it yet.

DQ embassy nights..getting drunk with your work colleagues and various liggers on. First night 8/10 on a sliding scale thereafter as the faces and stories remain the same each subsequent time...

Old Riyadh lots of mud huts and old (relatively) palace bits. Whats so different to modern Riyadh I hear you ask? Well they couldnt quite stack them as high back then ..interesting nonetheless 6/10.

Batha Market on a thursday night, the hustle and bustle and smells of Riyadhs very own little calcutta/manila. Surgically attach your wallet before going there, although outdoor this one is not for the claustraphobic..you'll know what I mean if you go. The philipino end has a few decent and fairly authentic asian restaurants worth the food posioning risk. 7/10 worth it for the experience.

Reem racetrack way out of town, has a carting track, motocross track and proper (smallish) race track. Always seems empty but you can sometimes get free passenger rides in the racetracks own cars. 8/10 worth it for the spin.

western compounds with bars (no names under pain of death) worthwhile way to spend a relaxed evening with a few (home)brews and the ubiquitous sid. Getting on the list and the security can be a pain but a good one a month jaunt, if you are not living there already. for atmosphere think all enclusive spanish sun holiday feel. 7/10

Kingdom tower restaurant on the 77th floor, reasonable food high prices. Better to go for just an afternoon tea. Skywalk on the 99th well worth a look for the 25 riyals, see the vastness of the city. 7/10

Various hotels and restaurants places where a single man can entertain a single lady, hmm well they do exist. 9/10 depending on the company :p


I am sure there must be some more...so add away below please :thumbsup:

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

was pleasantly surprised by Dirab Golf Course - 9/10 for golfers, less for non-golfers I guess

summer in comparison to the gulf coast 10/10 - no humidity life can go on

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I prefer the Faisaliah Tower restaurants to the Kingdom Tower ones. Better food, lower prices.

The carting track is great fun if you can get a group to rent it out with.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

To the Op, I think you have summed up most of things which are available quite well.

The compound I lived on with most of the other staff I worked with, we used to have impromptu 'drop in' sessions - movie, pizza, home brew - which were fairly low key but socially, probablly the most enjoyable part of living there for me.

There are other embassies to try and get in to (particularly the US embassy).

In addition the MoD compounds are good.

There was a compound which used to do quiz nights, but I can't remember the name (was about 6 years ago when I was there).

But yes mainly:
Shopping
Desert
Embassy do's
compound bars

The three years I spent there (Riyadh) were 3 of the best years I have had.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Good list, thanks -im sure this will fill my weekends until back home in November.

as im sick of seeing the same people at work and after, anybody looking to join me for the edge of the world or the Reem racetrack?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

so anything else to do there too

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Not really.
weekend away/drive to Bahrain? Scuba diving in Jeddah?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Why doesn't that surprise me, you grumpy old man.:)

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Wow, I have lived a sheltered life here and only experienced a trip to the Lovely Bartha. After surviving that, it's just work / sleeep and reverse the same in my non compound apartment.....Groundhog Day :confused:

There are only so many movies and mall runs that one can take :eek:
What with the Holsten Apple and Orange Juice, I'm living the dream !!!

Someone help me to break the cycle please......and no, going home is not an option for my mortgage at this time.

Arthur ;)

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Ok, this topic is old enough but out of my experince in Riyadh I can say * in such a conservative closed saharian environment where Black and white colors reflects the mentalities of all inhabitants the best thing to entertain your self with is : Watching TV ...

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

^ load of shite.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

hmm seems you cant edit the original post .. anyhow to futher add.

some sports:

Riyadh Rugby Club based in Salwa compound on the thumamah road.

Riyadh Gaelic Football based in the British school.

As someone who is now about to leave Riyadh I can say i was lucky enough to work with a lot of ex-pats and get dragged into their social circle but I understand how easy it is to settle into a rut here and just basically exist to work.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

That's not just a problem in Saudi mate. It happens all over the world..

So where are you going next?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

yeah true but its very easy to slip into here, too easy. anyhow further to my begging in the jobs thread it seems my skills are somewhat required at the moment. so in the next week or so i think i shall be having my final exit visa from here. :thumbsup:

i wont say where for now so not to jinx myself but yes still in the middle east. all to be revealed in 10 days or so :eek:

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

you're right of course, and i think the main difference is that in saudi you feel like you don't really have a choice whereas in the real world people are too lazy to get out and do stuff and prefer to sit at home surfing t'internet and watching tv...

sounds good. good luck with the escape! looking forward to hearing your next destination..:thumbsup:

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

This is quite handy to a nube like me. Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

you are welcome :thumbsup: i have left now since last week but if there is anything else I can point you in the right direction possibly

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I am just wondering why some people get very offensive when someone articulate his spontaneous opinion..

Allegedly, there is no remarkable tourism industry in where I am now except for the pilgrimage rituals....so my preference would be enjoying the very simple entertainment tools....^^

that`s it...

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Hey weasel central , I think your pretty lucky to have access to the social events that goes on in the compounds, and at the DQ embassy's. Your living it large particularly living in Riyadh!

I attended the Salwa compound last Christmas & it was pretty well organized, the food that they had offered wasn't all that though. Anyone attending any halloween parties that can invite me to, or any social event for that matter. I could definitely use a little breather from my same daily routine, work, shopping, and dinning.
I'm pretty thirsty to socialize and mingle with new faces, especially with female ladies, if you get my drift.. (coughing) i'm dehydrated here.. I need to mingle in Riyadh ;)

please email me at [email protected] if you have any hook ups for me, I would really appreciate it, cheers!

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

sorry man I cant help you any further than that really, I am no longer in Riyadh. All you can do is just try and get involved where ever you can and slowly broaden out your circle.
I am sure there are a few here on this forum can introduce you to some new clubs or stuff like that:thumbup:

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I bought a motocross bike a few months back. I go out to the desert most weeks with a group of friends. Great fun. There's also a pretty good mx track just outside Riyadh too.

Forgot to mention - A lot of quad bike riders in Riyadh too!

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Anyone remember "The Dogs Bollocks" entertainment establishment in Rawdah, it was on the go in the late 90's....

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I went out to the track in Reem once (the mx track) with a friends bike, I didn't have one in Riyadh, but the track was shit to ride really. It was more like a super cross track and too narrow and the jumps badly formed/dangerous.
Dangerous coming from a motorcross rider! but you know what I mean too easy to get hurt on. (former A rider btw)
I had heard of another track but never got the chance to go out to it. Where was or is it?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Could I just pop in to say a heartfelt "Welcome Back" to this thread, after an absence of exactly seven months.........

And someone asked about a compound quiz night? The best one by far was at Najd.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Hi all,

sorry for "hijacking" this thread but did not find another place to ask: I am stuck in Ryadh for this Sat/Sun and I urgently need to watch the Champions League Final tomorrow. My hotel TV seems not to help, are there any "bars" or whatsoever we the final can be watched with english commentary?

Thanks for any help!

Carlos

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Watch it in any coffee shop, most of them will be showing it.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Ok, I will try so, thanks.
Carlos

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

went to the "new town" coffee shop, arabic commentary but besides that nice. Great match by Barca!

Best
Carlos

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Some other stuff:

We go motorcycling to the north of Riyadh on a Friday morning, the wadi roads are great. 8/10, no police or cameras or traffic at 7 am, dropping to 1/10 if you come off, no NHS or paramedics to sort you out.

Mountain biking round the DQ perimeter track. 17 km and a 4/10 because it is exercise.

Camping outside Riyadh with a BBQ and drinks. 8/10, always good. The organised camps at Thumamah Park can be a laugh.

Shogun restaurant at the Raddison is great.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Tell me more irich? :)

Lots of motorcycle riders out over that way on the weekend. Good stuff. Are you a Harley, Tourer or Sports bike man?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I ride a Ducati Multistrada DS 1000, used to have a KTM 450 and I organised a Desert Rally here back in 2008 and 2009. That was a laugh.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...dh%20300/4.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...Modelsmall.jpg

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

Nice looking KTM, looks like the enduro model, but no lights?

btw I was always curious why people rode mx bikes in the desert, they seemed to be geared way too low for that type of riding and overheated too fast. Or do they fit fans, or some other modifications?

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

You change the sprockets to suit the sand. The enduro bikes are better, I had the KTM 450EXC, not the one shown in that pic.

I had fans fitted to the radiator, the only problem was that they would run on after the bike stopped and could drain the battery if you were in a lot of 'stop and start' sand.

One of the waypoints on the Rally:

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...x/DSC06421.jpg


Yours truly:

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...s2004x/6-1.jpg

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

looks good, just not good enough to endure saudi again for !:D

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

About that hand gesture in that last photo............... I've ratted on you to the police..........

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

I can relate to that. This has been a long stint.

Re: things to do when you are dead in Riyadh
 

... so I am dead bored and I tried it all ... last 5 years.
Anyone who wants to help this 38 year old Belgian bloke into the fun part ...
DQ / Compnd ?

PM available, hope this results.