Haircuts and Baking

After about six weeks you look in the bathroom mirror and realise it’s getting time for a haircut.  Well there appear to be four options.

1. The ‘Henry Ford’ option.  Go to a Bangladeshi barber and get a very cheap haircut (one style).
2. The ‘Turkish’ option.  Go to one of the many Turkish barbers where there is a choice of two styles
3. The ‘Lebanese’ option.  Go to a Lebanese barber where there is a choice of 3-4 styles
4. The ‘Hotel’ option.  Go to the barber located in one of the major hotels and have what ever style you like.  Just remember to take your wallet on payday!

I’ve always been a believer that the damned stuff is already ‘dead’ and the difference between a good and bad haircut is two weeks!  So it will be the Bangladeshi barber who gets my business.  Moreover I’m a little wary about going to Turkish barbers after my only experience with one in Istanbul.  It was the end of my backpacking trip through Eastern Europe (I started in Moscow) and I was looking decidedly “shaggy”.  Haircuts in Istanbul looked to be cheaper than at home, so I decided to treat myself.  The haircut was OK, almost Bangladeshi!   However I got the fright of my life when he applied a small gas blow torch to my right ear hole.  Before I could yell “Bloody Hell” he’s grabbed my head and shoved the torch  in my right ear.  Apparently Turks have “fluffy ears” and the barber removes the fine hair by burning it away.  I don’t have “fluffy ears” but I guess it was part of the standard experience and I assume the barber didn’t want me asking for a discount.

Last night I decided to bake some piklets (drop scones) after loving wife sent me the recipe and I was able to shop for some baking powder.  One side them was burned to a cinder and the other still looked uncooked.  I guess that means on average they turned out rather well!  However after eating half of them I felt decidedly unwell and the feeling hadn’t gone by this morning.  I think I’ve poisoned myself.  Maybe the baking powder is more powerful here? 

There are some serious decisions to be made about dinner tonight.  The remaining frankfurters are starting to look tired and wrinkled whilst the potato’s are beginning to sprout.  I’d like to eat something different, but fear if I don’t do something about the spuds and frankfurters they might go green with envy… or green for another reason!

Road Intersections

The Saudi’s have an interesting way of keeping traffic flowing at minor intersections.  In order of priority, they have cloverleaf flyovers and then traffic lights.  At very small intersections you have to weave your way through the opposing traffic.  For medium size roads there will be an exit ramp on the right leading to a bridge crossing over the original flow of traffic.

In the above photo the roadway has been lowered and the exit road on the right has remained at ground level.  Note the heavy red bollard in the left lane.  No defensive driving here!

Except on very minor roads (of which there are very few) there is a concrete median strip down the middle of the road making it impossible to come out of a side road and cross over the flow of traffic.  Instead, you must turn right and go with the flow of the traffic until there is a gap in the median strip where you can complete a ‘U’ turn.

Of course the drivers don’t considerately and patiently form a single queue at these point.  Instead they bunch together up to four abreast all competing to complete their ‘U’ turn.  This cause a traffic jam in both directions which normally results in the blaring of horns.