Some observations

Shiite majority, but Sunni rule. If you're in the royal family, you drive a huge black Mercedes and you get rock star parking in front of any door you want.

One thing I've noticed is they always drag chairs, no matter how much noise it makes, and never carry them.

People here don't work between 1200 and 400 and stores close. The government just decreed it illegal for laborers to work during those times, but they are working during those times anyway so they can go home earlier.

You know the plastic that comes on new dining room chairs and on car seats? They always leave it on - - forever. Remember, this is where Michael Jackson came to hide after he beat the rap.

I pay about 3.25 for a haircut here, and a massage is included. A Cuban cigar costs about 30.00.
Not real sure yet how much gas costs, but I filled up for about 8.00 the other day.

There is no "athletic" segment of this society.

Some stores just sell black abayas, and there are more different styles than you would guess. Women seem to love to wear these and I think they figure it makes them mysterious. Men and women also wear big black diamond-encrusted sunglasses inside and at night.

It's the law here that if you take your car to a body shop, you have to show a police report to get it fixed. Also, if you injure someone while you are driving drunk, you have to stay in jail for as long as the other person is in the hospital. No one uses turn signals or stops at stop signs - just like home - and people honk just to say they are near you. And I've not seen one child seat here, even in wealthy peoples' cars. Toddlers stand between the two front seats or sit Brittany-kid style. If a Saudi gets in a wreck, they just leave their car here and go home.

No Diet Coke, but their "Coke Light" tastes better and they have those old school pop-tops that you put in the can and try not to swallow. They get to use that old Saccharin stuff we outlawed in the 70's because it causes cancer - but only in mice I think. Steaks taste really good too, because they baste them in MSG.

People think nothing of throwing their trash on the ground or in the ocean. It's just like New Jersey.

Men primp their red and white checkered head [towl?] in restroom mirrors like they're a girl getting ready for prom. Whole bunches of these same men go to the mall together here and t hey don't look at girls.

No man here would dream of letting others see him fix anything or use any tool, because that would mean he is low enough on the totem pole that he would know how to do such things.

Very high unemployment, but locals won't do construction jobs, so they import 60 percent of their labor. The TCNs that build all the buildings live in cinder block huts on the construction site with no a/c or plumbing. A lot of them are indentured servants because their sponsors withhold their visa until their immigration fee is paid back. They wear long sleeve shirts and pants even though it's well over 100 and I never see any of them with water.

EVERY place - even McDonald's - that sells food, delivers, using TCNs on motorcycles. People swear by these shwarmas, but as far as I can tell, they are like gyros, but with chopped chicken flavored cat meat, and covered in mayonnaise. Chicken football for me please - if it looks like a whole chicken, it's at least a bird for sure.

Funniest thing I have seen: The men that aren't hanging out in malls together wearing shades pick up a "date," they often go park at the beach near where I live when the tide is out and pull up to the water's edge. The next morning, its easy to see who made it to the hotel room, because the tide has come in and covers half the car. At least one or two every morning.

That's it, I'll have to save more for another post.