Apparently alice_in_wonderland wants to travel, and a pretty face is sure to open doors…
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
They wanted to see King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud.
“The job of King is terrible hard,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
“One of the sergeants looks after their Glocks,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
We looked for King, but he never came.
“Well, God take care of him, all the same,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
They’ve great big parties inside the grounds.
“I wouldn’t be King for a hundred pounds,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
A face looked out, but it wasn’t the King’s.
“He’s much too busy a-signing things,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Riyadh Palace -
Paul in Saudi went down with Alice.
“Do you think the King knows all about me?”
“Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea,”
Says Alice.
I took off early and drove quickly across town to get to the Reception Office of the Court Ministry before prayer. I made it. Very helpful staff. The office is just inside the wall of the Royal Palace, so I am making progress.
The gate into the compound must be at least 10CM thick, it is mounted on railway wheels. Very impressive.
They told me to head over to the Council of Ministers Building (just outside the walls) to present my petition. This was obviously the Right Place. Full of Saudis in their Friday-go-to-meeting clothes. I stood out like a sore thumb.
The staff works behind bulletproof glass like bank tellers. As they accept each petition, they give the citizen a very nice receipt with a file number. A most-excellent souvenir I think.
They passed my petition from one to another for a couple of minutes and the supervisor came out to ask a few questions. He told me I had to translate my document into Arabic and then they would be pleased to accept it.
I tried to hid my disappointment that my chance to see The Big Cheese seems to be slipping away. So back I go on Saturday or Sunday depending how soon the translator can get to it.
