DAMMAM: Hundreds of private cars, limousines and coaches, packed with holidaymakers, streamed out of Alkhobar and Dammam on Friday.
The two cities and their picturesque beaches and resorts have been teeming with Saudis and expatriates from Riyadh and nearby towns during Eid Al-Fitr holidays.
For Riyadh-based citizens, Dammam and Alkhobar are the first destinations of choice for two major reasons. One, close proximity, and two, good air, land and train connectivity. Dammam is only 350 km from Riyadh and the eight-lane highway makes the three-hour road journey a breeze. The train journey is even more comfortable.
The train station in Dammam, the many taxicab pickup points in Alkhobar and the SAPTCO (Saudi Public Transport Company) bus stand were swarming with homebound men, women and children.
“We have had a great time in Alkhobar,” said Abdulmohsen Almotairi, a father of three children, while boarding the train to Riyadh. “We came here to celebrate Eid with my parents; they are based here.”
Almotairi said his children and other relatives had huge fun at Alkhobar’s Half Moon Beach.
“We actually pitched a tent along the Corniche complete with all amenities. We don’t have a beach in Riyadh so we just love being at the Corniche. During daytime we would come home and then return to the tent after Asr prayers. The children literally danced with joy with all those camel rides and horse rides,” he said.
Not everyone was in the Eastern Province only for the beaches. Many expatriates from nearby cities of Hofuf, Hafr Al-Batin and Ras Tanura come down to Dammam and Alkhobar to spend Eid holidays with their friends.
“When you are alone and live far away from your home, Eid becomes miserable, and so we need the company of friends to kill boredom and loneliness,” said Iftequar Nasser, an Indian expatriate, who came down from Al-Hasa to be with his hometown friends in Dammam.
“For us, going out was not a priority at all. Most of the time we would be busy in friendly banter, watching films and television soap operas, cooking traditional Indian dishes and playing chess and carom (a board game originating from India).”
Nasser’s bosom friend, Ishtiaq Badr, who had come to see him off at the train station, nodded his head in agreement.
“These five days are a source of joy, hope and strength; by sharing and caring for each other we feel we are not alone. We look forward to these holidays to be together, and to share both the good news and bad news from home,” he said.
In a voice tinged with sadness, Badr said he had not been home for the last two and a half years. “My work contract stipulates that I will get my vacation and a free ticket only after completing three years on the job,” he said.
