BEING a bookworm, I spent many enjoyable hours in my grandmother’s house reading books and looking at pictures from the 1940’s and 1950’s that were scattered haphazardly in her attic. I was only 6 years old when I developed the rat attitude of searching between old papers, and enjoying the musty smell of old books. I am still fascinated by those smells and I can recognize them anywhere in the world — they are particularly prominent in old Cairo and old Mumbai. Today I can read in three different languages — Arabic, English and French — but I am frustrated that I cannot read in more.
These days, it seems that many people are turning to the Internet for information instead of reading books. While I cannot deny the advantages of the net and its various search engines, to me, using the Internet is like abandoning a vintage Bentley for the latest sports car. There is no comparison at all.
Dear Nadia, I have heard that everything closes in Ramadan. Is this true? If so, how can we shop during the month?
— New Jersey
It certainly is not true that everything closes in Ramadan. The whole month is one long shopping extravaganza. If you count the opening hours in Ramadan, you will find that they add up to more than 8 hours per day. Some shops may be closed during the daylight hours but this is made up for by remaining open until 3 or 4 in the morning.
Dear Nadia, What is the best gift or souvenir to buy in Saudi Arabia?
— Philadelphia
I like the question because it is one of the most frequently asked by my expatriate friends. I think a gift of gold or silver is the best one. Gold markets are all over the Kingdom, in small towns and big cities. You will find a wide variety of designs and the jewelry is sold by the gram — depending on the price of gold on world markets that day.
Antique silver is found in Najran in the south and so are silver janabiah — small swords worn at the waist by men.
You can also buy local wooden chests or tables and brass Arabian coffee pots. Rugs made from camel and sheep wool are a possibility but they are of course heavy.
Dates from the Al-Bateel Shops are also a good choice. The dates are often mixed with fruits, chocolates and fancy nuts — and beautifully gift-wrapped.