Getting out of Dodge, with El Chico

A Guest Blog by Rickie Dee

So,

instead of that left turn to Mecca, where I really shouldn’t go…

my trusty driver made a right, and we now traveled down a road to nowhere, to sight see

I thought why not, since…gas is .39 cents a gallon

Killing time is one of my daily occupations, when not flying; while on rotation in the arid Middle East

I always wanted to see an image of rolling desert sand, and

since I’m housed at Gitmo, aka fortified / machine gun / dual high walled / wired; Compound, smack in the middle of busy Riyadh,

solitude and rolling sand was easy to discover on its outskirts

We found a small Oasis, though no water was present,

only reptile footprints; but rattlesnake were the prints that worried me most, ok scorpions too.

I found there is a certain quietness in the desert, only the wind knows sound

With the sun beginning to angle over my shoulder; we decide to head back, darkness would soon fall

then suddenly, remnants of a small; but Lost City appear, since the area was not fenced, I walk

Abandoned mud houses, certainly built many years ago; remain standing despite the monthly whipping of flying sandstorms

safe and sound back in Riyadh, I eat a sizzling shrimp fajita at El Chico, a Saudi wanna be Mexican restaurant

No pork, no beer, no music plays there, and yes

Women not allowed, unless they are on the other, quiet walled section of El Chico

I only sat amongst Men, how exciting…

lime did accompany the Shrimp and a bottle of water washed it all down

American Express was not accepted

Rickie Dee is a fly fisher and photographer who searches for adventure around the planet.

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2013. All rights are reserved.

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