IKEA Saudi Arabia

So I finally got to go to the IKEA!  It is a good thing that I am so easily entertained because I just had the best time there! I just love the IKEA.  This is what the IKEA looks like in Saudi Arabia.

When you go inside, pretty much everything looks the same except that everything is in Arabic.  So first things first.  Of course, if I am going to go to the IKEA in Saudi, then I am going to want to check out the cafeteria because who wants to shop on an empty stomach right?

Specials menu looks a little different from back home.  I still don't know my numbers yet.. but I will eventually.  Not sure how much this stuff costs... but it is IKEA so it is fairly cheap.

The cafeteria line.  Pretty much looks the same.  The big difference is of course... where you eat.

This is part of the family section.  Each table is curtained off so that you can eat in private.  There were tons of kids running around in there.  Really didn't seem all that private.

That is the men's section.  Excuse me... Bachelors section.

Here is me in the Family section.  I had not yet closed off the area.  I really do need to start wearing a little make up when I take these pictures but I just never know when I am leaving the house.  It was like 9:30 PM at this time and I had run 8.5 miles that day and just didn't feel like bothering.  Always regret that later when I look at the pics... but oh well!

Now of course... if one is at the IKEA well then you have to get the meatballs.  It's just like almost required by law.  In the States... the meatballs come with mashed potatoes.  Here, you can get them with either fries (everything comes with fries here... I sooo don't understand that) or rice.  Since I don't really like fries... I got them with rice.  Would have preferred the mashed potatoes but they were not an option.  Anyway, I really do think that the meatballs are actually better in Saudi than they are in the States.  Perhaps this is a different recipe?  Not sure if the ones in the States have pork in them or not.  These were probably all beef.  Still, it is difficult to fine tune ones palette in an IKEA cafeteria.  I liked them but I didn't like like them.  Nuff said!

Now I still find it fascinating that you can totally curtain yourself off here when you are eating.  So I took a little video for you so that you can see how we do it.

I look really stupid at the end but haven't figured out yet how to cut them so I will just have to look dumb.  Not the first time.  (Nicole... even if it says 0:00 click the little arrow key down at the bottom!)

Anyway, the rest of the IKEA was pretty much like any other IKEA except everything was in Arabic and I couldn't really tell what the prices were on anything.  We bought a couple of duvet covers and some organizer boxes for the bathrooms.  Also bought a few odds and ends.  I thought that it was funny though that they accessorized their closets with abayas.  I saw a few of them hanging around. Like this:

 There were tons of other things that I would have liked to have looked at but alas...all good things must come to an end.  Oh, but IKEA my old friend... I haven't yet seen the last of you!