It is summer in Jeddah, and for those who do not know what summer in Jeddah means here is a brief description. You wake up drenched in sweat even if your AC is on all night. You leave your room but you hurry back in until you have got all the ACs in the surrounding area going. You take a cold shower a la Jeddah, which means hot to very hot water — the only way to get cold water is to take it from the water heater when it has been switched off for few days.
Having finished eating your breakfast it is time to go to work. That is a hard one, I tell you. When you step out of your door the heat slaps your face in a not very gentle salute. Then you head for your car, and the first thing you do is reach for the door handle, which is so hot that you scorch your hand. Inside the car, it is like an oven. By the time the car AC works, you have already reached your destination, so it is time to face the elements again and get out of the car.
This a brief everyday scenario for just the beginning of the day. So those who want to enjoy their summer vacation either travel abroad or, if they cannot afford it, stay in Jeddah. And Jeddah is a beautiful city; just keep out of any open-air areas. Activities have to be kept inside all the time.
But we are forgetting that we have the Red Sea, and there are plenty of chances for people to go swimming or take their children to enjoy the sea, the sun and the sand. There are beaches, but certain conditions apply. If people want to enjoy the beach and the sea they have to go to private beaches, or enjoy a swim in their own swimming pools.
But what about those who cannot afford to pay for a private beach cabin or do not have a personal swimming pool? They can always go and sit on the Corniche and, er, that’s it. There is no swimming, no sand castles, nothing. This time men and women are together in this. It is true that in health clubs there are outdoor swimming pools for men, but not in women’s health clubs — to be fair, a couple of those clubs have indoor swimming pools for women, but again that costs money and not everyone can afford that. Ironically, women’s health clubs here are much more expensive than men’s, so again women have to live with that.
In a conversation with some friends we were talking about the summer heat and how to enjoy the sea. “Why can’t we have women-only beaches for a minimal fee?” one of us said. “I’m sure women would enjoy going there with their children and their friends, and they could keep their privacy as well.” It certainly works in other Islamic countries, in Egypt and Lebanon, for example. Can we hope that one day we’ll have them here as well? Until that day comes we’ll just have to resign ourselves to nothing but a passing acquaintance with those blue waters.
