ALKHOBAR, 26 October 2006 — Yesterday, the conquering hordes arrived to take over the Eastern Province. The town had been rather quiet for a few days as thousands of Saudi Aramco families left for their hometowns or drove across to Bahrain to spend the Eid holiday. But by Tuesday evening the hotels were filling up.
Thousands of families and bachelors have driven to the Eastern Province from Riyadh and while the area merchants are glad to have their business, the visitors are wreaking havoc on the roads. At every intersection, men can be seen leaning out of vehicles to ask for directions from local taxi drivers. The parking lots at all shopping malls are full and drivers have resorted to parking on sidewalks and along nearby highways. Worst of all are the traffic accidents. The Half Moon Beach road has become a scene of tragedy, especially after dark, with ambulances constantly coming and going from the area. The highway exits to the King Fahd Causeway are also very dangerous and the roadway at those exits is littered with bits of broken plastic and crushed glass.
Fortunately, in the midst of all the pandemonium, there is still fun to be found. A group of 10 Filipinos have come to Alkhobar for an Eid camping trip. Romulo Bernales, Peter Gallogo, Jess Rodriguez, Anthony Encabo, Nelson De Los Santos, Nick Cardano, Silvester Cubelo, Raymondo Luis and Johnny Yap have traveled from Riyadh to the Eastern Province by car. They have been joined by their friend Isidro Lorejo from Najran. The men work for various employers including Al-Jomaih, Saudi Electricity and an advertising agency.
The group has three cars packed with gear — everything from fishing lines to water bottles and cooking equipment. They spend their days sightseeing or fishing and relaxing along the Gulf and at night they pitch their tent at Half Moon Beach.
“We are having a wonderful time,” said Johnny Yap, speaking on behalf of the group. Yap hails from Cavite, Philippines. “It is so much different in Alkhobar than where we live in Riyadh. We arrived Monday night and I can say that it was an excellent idea that we decided to spend the holiday here.”
The friends haven’t faced any difficulties since they arrived. They claim that this is because they are “good guys and good looking.” All agreed that the seaside in Alkhobar is conducive to “unwinding.”
“Our families are delighted that we came to the Eastern Province for the holiday,” Yap said. “It gives them some peace of mind to know we are able to have some enjoyment in our time off. The place here reminds us of the Philippines, except of course that the women go swimming in their abayas, but we understand that this is the local custom and we are very respectful of the traditions here.”
With the delicious aroma of cooked locally-caught crab and rice in the air, it was time to stop pestering the men with questions and let them get back to their lunch. Hotel rooms are in short supply in Alkhobar, but there’s still plenty of fun available for all. So bring your tent and join us here for an outstanding Eid adventure.
