11/28/11

Leisure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

By Milan Dukan


Saudi Arabia is a country which is situated in the heart of Western Asia; it has a strong economy because of the oil production in the country. The country has one of the best per capita income ratios in the world and so people there are generally rich, and they have a high standard of living. Thus, people have a lot of money in their possession and often have a lot of free time as well. They always look for different kinds of leisure activities that they can enjoy from time to time.

Almost all sources of entertainment like arts, cinema, films, theater, casinos, clubs and pubs etc. do not exist in the country of Saudi Arabia. The puritan Sharia or Islamic laws that are prevalent there, prohibit all these sources of entertainment. Thus, many Saudis travel to nearby places, which allow them to enjoy music, clubbing and other activities or attractions of night life. Places like Dubai and Lebanon are popular with the Saudis, who go to these places due to lack of entertainment in their country.

Saudi Arabia provides for a great work environment and so many people from other countries have migrated to the country, in search of better job opportunities. These foreign nationals have Saudi their home and they stay in different places around the country. Americans constitute a large number of such foreigners. Since these people are used to having fun in their leisure time, they often find it difficult to adjust with such customs in the country.

People often look for opportunities of meeting friends and they search for friends with similar interests so that they can hang out with each other and find collective means of passing their leisure time. Most of the Western complexes, which are situated in different places in Saudi Arabia, often encounter large gatherings of westerners, who often assemble in groups of friends and enjoy good food and music; the authorities do not normally interfere in such events.

Even though dating is not allowed in this Arab country, many people still resort to form of dating called online (virtual) dating. They use the internet facility in their homes to visit different sites which enable online chat between people. They use their web cams and chat with men / women and talk about their likes and dislikes.

It's a pretty new practice and recently, it has started gaining popularity with the youth. Many online sites have evolved over a span of time and these sites offer a platform for such chat sessions. Often, one does not need any money for registering in these kinds of sites.

Many Westerners, who are used to going to the clubs and consuming alcohol, often prefer taking a trip to Dubai, Lebanon and Israel. These places are near to Saudi Arabia and people can easily have alcohol and enjoy live music in many of the clubs or hotels in these countries. Lebanon even has a few casinos where the rich people can enjoy themselves.

Thus, friendship is a very important relation in this Arabian country as one will need friends to survive the environment in Saudi Arabia. It is only with friends that one can easily travel to other places and have fun.




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