12 Things To Do In Riyadh During Spring

Have you ever tried golfing in the desert? Ever been to the beautiful desert during the spring time when even the Red Sand dunes are in full bloom after the winter rains? How about a leisurely walk or a sweat inducing run in the desert with fellow expats? Or a picnic to a hidden desert lake? SpringRead more

My First Ebook Guide- The Secret Lake Riyadh’s Hidden Gem

I have some very exciting news, I’ve finally finished my first ever e-book, a guide to the Secret Lake! The Secret Lake is a seasonal lake in the middle of steep desert valleys just outside Riyadh. It’s the perfect picnic spot and because of its secluded location, the lake area hasRead more

15 Must Read Books By Middle Eastern Authors

Guest post by book addict, literary consultant and blogger Sumaiyya Naseem! Sumaiyya is a bookworm and reading enthusiast from Jeddah and I’ve been following her awesome Sumaiyya books Instagram account for ages. I’m always in awe (and admittedly a bit jealous too) of how she has theRead more

Riyadh Bisht Souk- Winter Coat Shopping in Saudi-Arabia

Believe it or not, it gets cold enough in Saudi Arabia for wearing winter coats! Although admittedly, for a Finn such as myself, the +24C temperatures feel more like the perfect summers day weather, whereas in Saudi Arabia you will start seeing people in wool coats around then. Did you know that inRead more

Break A Guinness World Record by Joining #10KSA

If you’re in Riyadh this Saturday, be part of history, join me and 10,000 other women gathering to celebrate health and raise awareness about breast cancer, and break a Guinness World Record in the process! How many people can say they’ve broken a Guinness World record? Now is yourRead more

Sinta-The Indonesian Housemaid Prisoner Part 3-The End

This is the third and last part of the story of ‘Sinta’ and the friendship which grew between her and myself during the course of about four years. Read the first part of Sinta, the Indonesian Housemaid turned into a prisoner here. In the second part of her story there is a spark ofRead more

Saudi Post Chocolate Monster Mystery

9:15pm. Kids finally asleep. Now my “real work” can begin. But all I can focus on after a VERY long and stressful day are the Fazer chocolate bars sent by my mom from Finland. (Love you mom). I’m homeschooling my kids now that we had to pull them out of their kindergarten. TheRead more

Saudi National Day and Eid Al Adha Holidays

Saudi Arabia Celebrates its 85th National Day on Wednesday 23 rd September 2015. This year the National day happens to coincide with the beginning of Hajj, meaning there will be no official celebrations until later on in the week with the upcoming Eid Al Adha holiday. Fireworks and most largerRead more

Souk Okaz Festival in Saudi Arabia- Like an Ancient Arabian Adventure Movie!

The Souk Okaz festival in Taif is the re-birth of an ancient Arabian market dating back to Pre-Islamic times. The modern-day Souk Okaz was re-created on the exact same location in the Saudi Arabian desert where the ancient souk was historically held. The Souk Okaz Festival was revived in 2006 byRead more

Visit Riyadh’s Date Souk

The Riyadh date and vegetable market, also known as the date souk or fruit souk, is located off exit 14. It’s THE place to go for some serious date-shopping and to get on a natural sugar high! Even if you’re not a fan of dates, which I guarantee you will become after visiting thisRead more

Eid Al Fitr Celebrations In Riyadh!

Eid Mubarak to all Blue Abaya readers! We wish you and your loved ones a blessed Eid al Fitr. If you’re in Riyadh and looking to celebrate, this quick guide will help you find the locations, timings, and best events around Riyadh. Riyadh Municipality is organizing over 200 Eid Al Fitr eventsRead more

Ramadan Giveaway! Win Iftar at Ritz Carlton Riyadh

The Ramadan giveaway is here! As a token of gratitude to our fans for the continuous support, Blue Abaya together with The Ritz Carlton are giving away 3 sets of iftar for two at Riyadh’s prestigious Ritz-Carlton Ramadan Tent. The iftar buffet will be served at the spectacular Ritz ballrooms,Read more