The morning after a night with Sid & Rose 16/07/09

I thought when I woke this morning with a bit of a head ache that it was dehydration. I was probably right, but for the wrong reason. John, along with Lyn and Naomi, invited me out to Khobar's Jasmine Compound. It is a much larger compound with the residences being villas rather than apartments. They are much bigger and still only have a few people living in each one. This does leave a little empty space. A particular one, that from the outside looks like any other villa, has been converted to a 'speak easy' I do not exaggerate. No signs on the door. Entrance by ticket and strict word of mouth invitation. Music, dance floor and home brew in 3 flavours.

The longer you stay in Saudi, the more ice you add to the drinks, and the less soda you add to the local beverage. As a first timer I tried the white without ice. It is served in a highball glass as 'stemmed glasses' would be very difficult to bring into Saudi. Anyway the beverage was sweet with a soft bouquet on the palette and subtle after taste. I.e. it was the local grape juice with baker's yeast. I could not bring myself to trying a red. It looked more like Cat's piss and as a Milawa connoisseur , this would cross the line. John had a red, but he has been here 6 weeks. Perhaps the red improves with time.

I decided to get the second round. John's purchasing instructions were clear. A red with ice and two whites with ice and soda. At the counter it was all a bit more complicated. Empty bottles of all manner have been set up around the top of the shelves with measures. The beverage vat is filled continuously from the plastic bottles it is made in. Getting the red was easy as it is the only red coloured drink available. However the whites proved a little more difficult and I ended up with Sid's. Thank god I got the soda and ice, because Sid's taste is little more than Metho. It is blindingly strong and bitter like…I am imagining sucking on a medical swab. Perhaps that is the base ingredient. We danced to great music including Neil Diamond, American Pie, Monty Pythons always look on the bright side of life, yellow submarine, all the great disco tunes. I suppose it is a genuine reflection of the age groups more common it Saudi. It is not a place for the young as this bar is the only type of entertainment on a Western or European style. Some of the bigger compounds have more than one bar. Our compound here at Chez Abdulrahman however would be impossible to build a bar. The Filipino tried converting the tent (entertainment) room into a weekend gathering place. It apparently worked for a while, but they had a Valentines party theme night and the heart shaped posters around the hospital were culturally offensive and the whole thing was stopped. Now the tent sits empty except once per year for the Hospital awards night.

Well anyway, back to the 'cafe', I have not named it or the compound (until I edit after Saudi). But the outside looks like any other villa. Inside is an entrance room with security doors to keep the sound in. The large door is in case of a police raid which would give time to get out the back. The entire down stairs has been converted. One lounge is now a dance floor with smoke machines and laser lights. It really is very good. The two larger lounge rooms have been set up with seating, coffee tables and a few stools, the 'cafe' is like an island resort décor. Lots of sea grass walls and timber face masks around. Mirrored back wall with displayed bottles of all the drinks you cannot buy. On the back of the bar are two old style glass water jars with taps at the base. Similar to what you would see it a hotel dining room to serve juice. One with clear liquid (chardy) one with red liquid (rose). The dining room has a pool table and room for a small food server if you have a party. Downstairs toilets and the entire place is owned and run by a Saudi national.

The best part about the place is that the signs saying "be good or be gone" really work. There is a huge amount of trust to be shown. If any person left there staggering and got caught outside, the place would be shut, probably by the Mutawa (religious police). So people really know when to stop, and there is no feeling that a fight is about to break out, because if you invite someone, you are saying this person will BEHAVE.