Experiences at the Arabian Gulf and in the Deserts

• 160 pages
• softcover
• contains a map of the region

978-3-86638-197-1

16.00 €           

A middle-european women puts on an Abaya and travels around Saudi Arabia. The west and the arabian world suddenly look equally different, as pictures of the news and travelguids promis and make you anticipate:

Laura Imsand accompanies her husband, one of unmerous company councelors in the middle east, to many longer stays in Saudi Arabia. While the »arabian spring« blossoms in the region, they experience Riad and Jeddah and travells the desert as well as the Anrainer states of the gulf, for example Bahrain. Laura Imsand bears the balancing act between the self-image of an educated  western women and journalisticly trained observer on the one hand, and the conventions of the country on the other hand. She draws, after encounters and travels, a picture of the arabic world, which describes the detached life in international circles as well as the arabic sociallity. Everything from the treated as maximum security housing area for foreigners, continuing with daily shopping-and lifestyle habits and luxury skyscrapers in fast growing cities to the sand pistes through bedouin land. Intriguing , how the local values and habits slowly change perspective to a saudian point of view and the west comes to an arabian point of view to ones conciousness.

The fact that a women is narrating, is here in the land of gener segregation vital for this expansion of the view. For her, as a companion of a high economic mission, many places and background information that are unattainable for men open for her. At the same time she provides human empathy and is dauntless and curious on her way. This opens unusual dense impressions for the reader. A travelbook with high cultural courtesy for travellers in this land. And a culturmediation for all others, who are curious and interested in the region.

Strange. It does not only feel this way for me. If I speak about Riad, many people comprehend Dubai. Dubai as a generic term for arabic Peninsula. Although the clock ticks differently in Dubai. Their is a story about a pilot from Dubai, he has supposedly said to a passenger, while leaving Riad, that he had to put the clock one hour – and a hundred years – back. But this timespan is fleeting. Slowly. Now and then faster, depending on who is currently afloat of duo of the rulers. The realpoliticians from the tribe of the Sauds, who are councious of their power or the islamconservative  claricalists, who are the successors of Wahab. One can see it clearly through the Abayas. Who has been in the country for a longer time, watches out for such signes.

At the arrivat at Riad, at least at the first one, I did lack the flair for such details. The gaze does not notice the modern architecture of the halls, but only the trolley of the men in front, who dedicates the speed. Fast paces. Reaching the arrival hall as soon as possible. The queue in front of the passport check are – like everywhere – feared...

And then: one is arrived together witch Laura Imsand,  on a journey through a different world. This world has to be discovered – in this book!

A map and a glossary accompany the reading.

From the table of contents:

Arrival

By chauffeur instead of driver’s licence

oasis or prison

about  dates, branches and »stranded goods«

surviving culture

prayertime- shopping

never (?) alkohol, always (!) Abaya

Riad on its own (1)

haggeling at  the historic centre at Souk

hidden message

only one perl in Bahrain

The malice in Ikama

Through the desert to the edge of the world

winter better than »spring«

generally: children, and teenagers

Mada’In Saleh at the Badgad train

Riad on its own (2)

Mocktail-Time

Ladies Only

Happy cows in »Empty Quarter«

Distrust at the boarder

Only the best at Abu Dhabi

Dubai will not be finished for a long time

If the water in Oman stops at red

notes on the way

The Kaaba as guidepost

Riad on its own (3)

After Taif and Jeddah

Allowed to leave the country

Afterwards

Experiences at the Arabian Gulf and in the Deserts

• 160 pages
• Nearly sold out in hardcover version
• with map

978-3-86638-184-1

Only a few copies of the hardcover edition are available. Please, find the softcover version above!