She is a redhead, and one day got a tap on the shoulder at the market. An Arab in impeccable white robes told her she must immediately purchase a head covering as it was Ramadam month, and her uncovered red hair "offended him", and that he would follow her till she bought one, which she did....One night, she was at a friend's party and she and other guests sat on his balcony in the darkness. That's because women guests were smoking and would be reported if seen. Across the street was a building under construction. This site was used as a rape site for 4 Muslim women literally grabbed off the street. They were murdered after the rapes. The womens' families were paid "black money", after which the case was closed. This is a frequent occurence as there is plenty of pay-off money in Saudi.
Public executions were common during her stay. One unfortunate Phillipino was caught stealing some batteries. His right hand was chopped off in the execution area. Westerners never went near these killing fields as they would be forced to stand in the front. The Phillipino was taken home, but when the authorities learned he was left-handed, they chopped off his other hand.
A Saudi prince at that time built a huge and costly sports stadium. It's a beautiful modern design, copying the graceful lines of bedouin tents. In many of the facilities in the stadium, plumbing fixtures were 24-carat gold, not gold-plate. The track and field itself can be raised or lowered in entirety for irrigation purposes. The stadium was constructed by a German firm by the name of "Hoffman". My lady friend's husband was a friend of a German representative of the firm who met with the Saudi Prince several times. In his last meeting at the Prince's palace, the German made the mistake of criticizing some of the Prince's plans. The Prince opened a drawer and shot and killed the German. As usual, plenty of "black money" was paid to the family in Germany, and, again, it was "case closed".
Just a few vignettes about life in in the peaceable kingdom of Saudi Arabia among peaceable Muslims from someone who lived among them for years.
Leni