OK, I'm a bit confused. Granted, it's been 20+ years since I was in Saudi, but I did NOT have to wear an abaya when I was out and about. Yes, conservative dress..and sometimes I just threw an abaya over my regular clothes if I was going downtown at the last minute and hadn't dressed consevatively. So, no tight or revealing clothes, but otherwise it was no big deal. And my blonde friends did not cover their hair. As we got closer to Ramadan..and during that holiday, you had to be more careful, but otherwise it wasn't that much of an issue. And I lived in more conservative Riyadh. So I'll be anxious to hear more about the dress requirements and your experiences while you were in the city! Anybody go to the Gold Souks? With the price of gold these days, I imagine it wasn't very crowded! Again, thanks for sharing all your exciting experiences. Love your posts and pictures!!!