Bump on the head

Interestingly, a small percentage of the male population have a dark mark in the middle of their forehead as if they have a bruise.  The mark is about twice the size of an Indian caste mark and slightly higher.  They couldn’t all be banging into doors, and I now think I’ve worked out the cause.  A Muslim prays five times daily and that usually involves laying out a small prayer mat facing towards Mecca.  They then kneel on the mat and as part of their prayer routine bend forward touching their forehead on the ground.  Some of them use a small wooden block on which they touch their head.  I assume this avoids having to place your head on a dirty mat.  however if you repeatedly (5 times a day) seriously bang your head on a small object you will eventually develop a dark callus under the skin.

It might be assumed by some observer that this is one very devout follower.  However I’m more of the belief it a case of “Look at me…… am I not devout!”

My father once pointed me towards Matthew Chapter 6 Verses 5 & 6

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Makes sense to me………

The contract for my unit on the western compound has been received by my employer and is now awaiting signature.  The date for moving from the 3 star (joke) local hotel to the the unit is this Friday.  Which just happens to be the local equivalent of Sunday.  somehow I can’t see the move occurring on that day as I need to purchase all the soft furnishings, etc.

The annual rental has to be paid in advance.  It’s £31,600pa and I’m glad I’m not paying!  Particularly as it’s non-refundable.  The price of western accommodation has sky-rocketed in the last decade because almost no new western compounds have been built.  Westerners fled Saudi Arabia after three compounds were attacked by Al Qaeda and approximately 30 people killed.  Then the global financial crisis struck.  Now Saudi Arabia is into some serious infrastructure development and the unemployed westerns (like me) are flooding back in.  Of course 99.9% of us are doing it for the money!  I’ve heard some of the western expats grumble about the conditions.  All I can say is “If you think this is rough…. Try living in Iran!”  In Iran I managed one swim in a local water hole and another in the abandoned UK embassy pool.  The compound pool is 150 yards from my front door!