I'm in Saudi Arabia...

Well, I arrived in Riyadh last Thursday, after a total of 17 hours on two separate jets (Portland to DC was 4 1/2 hours, DC to Riyadh was 12 1/2 non-stop). The week was spent trying to get my biological clock on KSA time (just about there as of this posting) and checking in to the new job here, which took 2 days. Inital impressions:

Internet service - have DSL on the compound that I live on, but limited bandwidth. During workdays, they narrow the bandwidth from 4 AM to 6 PM so it can be used for work. In the past, many of the employees were downloading while they were at work, clogging up the 'tubes for work purposes. After work and on the weekends (Thursday and Friday), service can be slow at times, but workable. The KSA government has filters on the 'net, which block out pron and sites that they feel are "immoral" or decadent (LGF is one that I check out and its blocked). I've called home using Yahoo's Messenger service - the call was a penny a minute, which seems like a good deal, with no monthly fees.

Living accomidations - I live in a small home, which I share with a former Army enlisted guy (Thomas). it has three bedrooms, three bath, living and dining rooms, and a full kitchen. The compound has about 300 employees total, but just a few spouses here, and no families (terrorism is still a concern here). The compound has a resturaunt, two pools, gym, tennis and B-ball courts and bowling alley. "Fellowship" meetings (aka: church) is done on Friday mornings. There is a small shopette, barber shop and even a jewelry store on the compound, but prices are higher that off the compound.

Riyadh - just about all of the buldings here are made out of concrete and brick, with wood used for doors. Marble is used for flooring in just about all buildings. Building colors are varying shades of tan...very few bright colors seem here. The city's streets are layed out in a North to South, East to West orientation, and poorly marked...buildings don't have proper addresses, like back home. Driving here is like NASCAR on steroids...only men drive here and they are in a hurry to get from point A to point B. Air quality is horrible...LA on a bad day is no where near to Riyadh on a good day. Saudis, for all the money they have, live in cities that are third world at best...

I've got more to post....don't want to put anyone on info overload....